Tuesday August 9, 2011

Crashes cause massive jams

By DERRICK VINESH
derrickvinesh@thestar.com.my

BUTTERWORTH: Four accidents on the Penang Bridge and one on the North-South Expressway (NSE) before the turnoff to the bridge caused massive traffic jams that resulted in commuters arriving late for appointments.

A motorcyclist, in his 50s, was killed in the first accident at 6.30am yesterday when his machine crashed with a trailer at Km5.1 on the island-bound stretch of the bridge.

Infuriating: Vehicles caught in a bumper-to bumper crawl heading to the Penang Bridge at Km137 at 11.50am.

A Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd spokesman said about 30 minutes later a four-vehicle pile-up occurred at Km4.8 of the island-bound stretch.

She said another four-vehicle pile-up was reported at about the same time at Km138.2 of the NSE before the turnoff to the bridge.

“This was followed by a seven-car pile-up on the mainland-bound stretch at Km6.2 at 8.06am,” she said.

There were bumper-to-bumper crawls along the roads leading to the bridge on both the island and mainland, as well as some roads leading to the NSE.

In some places, the jam only eased after five hours.

The ferry terminal in Butterworth was also choked as motorists opted to take the ferry to avoid the jams.

The queue backed up to the traffic lights junction near SM Convent Butterworth with the ripple effect spreading to Jalan Chain Ferry, Jalan New Ferry, Jalan Permatang Pauh, Jalan Baru and Jalan Perusahaan on the mainland.

A motorist, who wanted to be known only as Siti, said she was late for work by about two hours.

V. Dinesh, who was travelling in a bus to the Seberang Jaya Hospital from Jalan Chain Ferry, said he was stuck on the bus for nearly two hours resulting him in being late for his medical check-up.