Gatchalian orders conditional lifting of NLEX Corp's business permit suspension

The toll holiday in North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) toll plazas in Valenzuela City will end by Wednesday noon after Mayor Rex Gatchalian has ordered the conditional lifting of the suspension of NLEX Corp's business permit.

This was after the city government of Valenzuela and the NLEX Corporation had come to a "meeting of the minds" in addressing the traffic problem which resulted from issues hounding the cashless toll payment system.

"Both parties believe that this is the right direction to take to ease the burden of the riding public," the page of Valenzuela City posted on Facebook on Wednesday morning.

Following the meeting, both the city government of Valenzuela and NLEX Corp have agreed to keep barriers up in all RFID lanes in toll plazas within the city from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, during which toll fees will be collected.

Meanwhile, barriers will be kept down from 10:01 p.m. to 4:59 a.m. in all RFID lanes for safety reasons.

The two parties also agreed to reinstate cash lanes in strategic locations in the toll plazas in the city, the Valenzuela LGU said.

To address the traffic complaints of motorists, the NLEX Corp. also agreed to upgrade the RFID and account management system on or before January 30, 2021, it added.

"Both parties have also agreed to create a technical working group, composed of CGOV (city government) and NLEX key personnel, who will continuously meet to innovate traffic and account management initiatives," it continued.

The city government of Valenzuela earlier suspended NLEX Corp.'s business permit over the RFID mess that caused heavy traffic in the city and has spilled into the areas nearby such as Karuhatan.

Some lanes of the NLEX toll plaza are for vehicles with RFID, while others are for installation of RFID stickers.

NLEX Corp. earlier said it would submit a concrete plan of action to the city government of Valenzuela to resolve issues on the implementation of RFID cashless payment scheme.—AOL, GMA News