The government is proposing various amendments to the NTSA Act to ensure vehicle owners pay the required fees when using toll roads - which are set to be introduced in the near future.
As outlined in the Draft Tolling Policy 2025 published by the Ministry of Transport, NTSA will be given powers to deny various services to motorists with outstanding toll fees.
For instance, those with outstanding toll fees could see NTSA deny them driver's licence renewal services.
Other services targeted in the proposal include vehicle transfers, annual vehicle inspections, or insurance confirmations.
Notably, with these proposals, affected motorists could be unable to drive or even use the vehicles.
"There is also the potential for measures to ensure that vehicle owners cannot continue to evade payment of tolls," read the policy in part.
"The NTSA Act should also be amended to give NTSA the power to deny the provision of services to errant vehicle owners with outstanding tolls and related penalties. Such services could include driver’s license renewals, vehicle transfers, annual vehicle inspections, or insurance confirmations."
Equally, the policy recommends that one should be compelled to finish the outstanding toll fee balance before being issued with vehicle insurance.
"To enhance the efficient collection of unpaid tolls, this policy recommends the amendment of the Insurance (Motor Vehicles Third Party Risks) Act to create a mandatory settlement of outstanding tolls and related penalties," read the proposals in part.
"Section 4 of the Insurance (Motor Vehicles Third Party Risks) Act should be amended to include the clearance of any outstanding toll and related penalties before the mandatory motor insurance policy is issued."
