The Toll Regulatory Board is studying the possibility of suspending or reducing toll fees at the South Luzon Expressway following complaints from motorists who have to endure daily gridlocks.

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has yet to decide on suspending or reducing toll fees at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) in light of the heavy gridlocks caused by the ongoing construction of the Skyway extension on the northbound lane.

This was revealed by the Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, who said the San Miguel Corp. (SMC) Tollways, operator of SLEx and the Skyway, is currently fast-tracking construction to finish by 1 December.

Villar, who is also a member of the regulatory board, told reporters during a spot interview on Tuesday that SMC Tollways has yet to release a notice of toll discounts.

Heavy traffic was caused by the closure of the outermost northbound lane of the Skyway at-grade level just past the Alabang viaduct on the evening of 24 September to give way to the construction of the P10-billion extension of the Skyway from Barangay Cupang to Barangay Putatan.

The TRB started to study calls for the suspension or reduction of toll fees following complaints from motorists who endure the gridlocks daily.

“The board has yet to decide on the SLEx toll discount. But we will soon decide about that. Right now, there is an ongoing study and we will decide based on the results of the study,” Villar said.

Villar appealed to motorists “bear with the ongoing construction” as it would eventually benefit them when completed.

Meanwhile, Laguna Representative Sol Aragones has filed a resolution at the House of Representatives to call for a suspension or reduction of the toll for six months.

Based on the figures by TRB, at least 370,000 vehicles ply SLEx every day while more than 196,000 take the Skyway.