IPOH: The Jelapang toll plaza, long seen as a death trap, has been partially closed.

As at 4pm yesterday, motorists travelling south along that stretch of the North-South Expressway have been diverted to a new toll plaza, about 800m from the old one.

Those heading north, from Ipoh, however, are still required to collect their toll tickets at the old toll plaza pending the completion of another plaza in October.

Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed said the new Ipoh Utara toll plaza was the first step in the ministry's plan to create uninterrupted travel for expressway users between Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

"It is also largely due to the frequency of accidents occurring on the southbound section of the Jelapang toll plaza," he told reporters at the launch of the new toll plaza yesterday.

According to statistics, there were 142 accidents at the Jelapang toll plaza in the past 10 years, many of which were fatal.

In the last accident, on Dec 11, eight people were killed and 14 injured when a bus rammed into the back of a tanker.

According to Mohd Zin, the frequency of the accidents was because of the unsuitable location of the plaza, sited too close to the steep decline from the Menora Tunnel, about 6km away.

As such, many heavy vehicles had trouble braking in time at the toll-booths.

Mohd Zin also said highway concessionaire, Plus Expressways Bhd, was targeting to complete the realignment of traffic in the Ipoh area by year-end.

"This means that by Jan 1, the entire stretch will be fully operational, and motorists between Penang and Kuala Lumpur will not need to stop at toll-booths any longer," he said, adding that the entire project costs some RM260mil.

When the project is completed, only those exiting at Ipoh Selatan or Ipoh Utara will stop at toll-booths to pay while the other motorists can continue their journeys uninterrupted.