GEORGE TOWN: The toll rates for the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge have been announced and collection starts on April 1.

The collection will start from 6am Tuesday, with toll charges for vehicles ranging from RM1.70 to RM70.10.

In a statement released Sunday, the Malaysian Highway Authority announced that rates for cars except taxis and buses (Class 1) is set at RM8.50; motorcycles (Class 0), RM1.70;  two-axle and six-wheeled vehicles except buses (Class 2), RM30.50; three-axle or more vehicles except buses (Class 3), RM70.10; taxis (Class 4), RM8.50; and buses (Class 5), RM26.20.

The toll will be collected from either the Bandar Cassia toll plaza for those going through the North-South Expressway (NSE), or at the bridge toll for those going via the Batu Kawan Interchange.

Meanwhile, there will also be toll collected for those using the link road to exit the NSE via the Bandar Cassia toll plaza as well as those who entering NSE through the same toll plaza.

The rate will be RM0.60 for cars except taxi and bus (Class 1), RM0.90 for two-axle and six-wheeled vehicles except bus (Class 2), RM1.20 for three-axle or more vehicles except bus (Class 3), RM0.30 for taxi (Class 4) and RM0.50 for bus (Class 5).

The 24-km second Penang bridge, which is the longest in South-East Asia and spans 16.9km over the sea, was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on March 2 and it has been toll-free for a month.