The Skyway management will temporarily return to its old toll collection system following backlash due to heavy traffic caused by the new toll plaza and payment scheme.
In an advisory, Skyway O&M Corp. said it would temporarily revert to the old “pay as you enter” scheme for private vehicles coming from Alabang, Sucat and Bicutan effective 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
The company said only Class 2 vehicles, such as buses and delivery vans, would be required to go through the new runway toll plaza for cash payments.
Under the new toll collection system, motorists would stop at two toll booths: the payment booth and the new toll booth where they would surrender their payment slips.
However, the new system, which the Skyway management said would “make toll collection and traffic throughout more efficient,” has caused headaches for motorists.
To skyway management, am just about to miss my flight. Over 2 hours to get to terminal 3, double usual time due to a skyway toll booth relocation that messed up whole of slex NB. How can you do this & without fair warning? Anyone accountable? @SkywaySOMCO
— Anthony Pangilinan (@apangilinan) January 29, 2018
Skyway is the new EDSA. 😑 such a bad idea to move the toll in the middle of the skyway. #REFUND
— Andi Manzano Reyes (@andimanzano) January 29, 2018
The result of this Skyway madness…tempers flare, road rage, accidents…happened just now. pic.twitter.com/EHgC4gjHrU
— Ruffy Biazon (@ruffybiazon) January 30, 2018
“While we exerted every effort to lessen the impact of the transition, which we anticipated and communicated early on, we recognize that at this point, full implementation may not be feasible, without severely affecting our motorists,” the company said.
Still, it believes that “the new system can benefit a greater number of people over the long term.”
“Solving traffic congestion is not an easy task but we are fully committed to finding a solution to it with your help. Again, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and patronage,” it said.
Here are more of the netizens’ reactions on the new Skyway toll plaza and the new collection system:
Skyway traffic management team, I hope you realize the terrible impact of the changes you implemented. You should refund the toll fees you charged to the motorists today!
— Francis delosSantos (@fzd0331) January 28, 2018
“you know what’s a good idea? having all vehicles from laguna, alabang, sucat, and bicutan go through ONE toll gate system!!” what in the literal fresh HELL i am pissed
— maegan 💫 (@maegango12) January 29, 2018
Whoever decided to put the tollgate in the middle of the skyway deserves an award for "genius" of the year 🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼
— MLN (@marcissy) January 28, 2018
@OfficialSLEX you improved the traffic flow so much i cant see the difference between edsa and skyway anymore good job 👏 pic.twitter.com/JcOXBOByQV
— Joro (@joroquinto) January 28, 2018
Can you explain the logic of adding the runway tollplaza? This is added chokepoint. Imagine all the vehicles using #skyway NB from bicutan, sucat, alabang/south station funneling to 7lane toll plaza. What were you thinking????
— John G (@john_rcg) January 29, 2018