The 5.1km tarred road measures between a minimum 2.5m to a maximum 5m in width with pockets to allow traffic travelling in the opposite direction to pass through.
The private road, which is under the control of PHC, had been restricted for many years, with only residents and contractors who have a permit being allowed to use it.
PHC general manager Cheok Lay Leng said, however, there had been many outsiders and unauthorised visitors driving up the jeep track, causing traffic congestion on a road that can only fit one car at its narrowest stretches.
He said there have been at least six to seven incidents a year, such as accidents and fallen trees causing obstruction, adding that the strict restriction imposed now was to protect the hill station and residents.
“We have had incidents where non-residents have driven their cars to get to the top of the hill, only to block traffic as they could not manoeuvre or were too afraid to turn their vehicles around and go back down the hill.
“So we have decided to have a better control mechanism by installing a boom gate with an access card so that only authorised vehicles can access the jeep track,” he told FMT.
Cheok said a permit fee will be imposed on all authorised users, including residents, from June 1 and the revenue will be used to help with the road’s upkeep.
He added that an access fee for the use of the road had been part of the plan for years, after PHC consulted the relevant authorities, such as the road transport department (JPJ) and the land public transport agency (APAD).
Cheok said PHC welcomed feedback from all parties on the new system and assured that the measures put in place were to protect the hill station and those who live there.
According to a fee structure sighted by FMT, the fees for the permits range from RM4 per month for motorcycles and RM120 per year for cars.
Businesses would have to pay more at RM360 per car annually, while jeep and buggy services would have to pay RM480 and RM600 per year, regardless of the number of vehicles they own.
Contractors will have to pay RM100 monthly or RM1,200 a year. However, event organisers and government agencies are exempted.
The jeep track is the only way to go up the hill in a vehicle instead of using hiking trails or the funicular train service.