Over 2.2 million vehicles expected to enter Penang during Christmas, school holidays

GEORGE TOWN: Over 2.2 million vehicles are expected to enter Penang from today in conjunction with the Christmas and year-end school holidays, said state police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail.

He said the figure was based on trends recorded during previous major festive seasons, as well as the Pesta Pulau Pinang, which began on Dec 6 and would run until Jan 10, 2026.

“The police expects around two million vehicles to travel on major highways nationwide, including those heading to Penang over a week during the peak of the festive season.

“Therefore, we expect an increase in the number of vehicles entering the state. Trends from the 2025 major festive season show that Penang usually receives around 2.2 million vehicles via the first and second Penang bridges,” he told Bernama on Tuesday (Dec 23).

He said the situation was likely to cause congestion on several routes, particularly at the entrances to the Penang Bridges, with traffic expected to surge today and tomorrow following the government’s announcement of a 50 per cent toll discount during the period.

Azizee said the same situation was expected at the Juru and Sungai Dua exits along the North-South Expressway (PLUS), while the George Town area, as well as Jalan Air Itam and Jalan Green Lane, the main routes to Batu Ferringhi, would also see heavier traffic due to arriving tourists.

He said that, in view of the expected traffic, Penang police would remain on standby and deploy additional personnel to strategic hot spots and black spots as a precautionary measure.

“The police has also launched Ops Lancar to enable a swift response to any incident within 24 hours.

“This special operation has been activated across the state, particularly on highways, city roads and federal roads, to maintain smooth traffic during the Christmas holiday period,” he said.

Azizee also said the state police, in collaboration with the Penang City Council (MBPP), had stepped up the presence of personnel through regular patrols in tourist hotspots.

He advised the public to plan their trips to avoid rush hour congestion and to stay alert to risks from heavy rains, including falling trees, especially in urban areas such as Jalan Penang. – Bernama