HAVING paid the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)
charges, some motorists still find themselves still stuck in a jam
on roads and expressways here.
Transport Minister Raymond Lim said yesterday that this happens
because there are many more cars on the road today than 10 years
ago when the ERP system was introduced.
'Our ERP system has served us well, but it is coming under strain,'
said Mr Lim.
Cars are also used more intensively here, clocking 21,000km a year
on average, compared to 9,100km in London.
Also, the 50-cent increases to ERP rates are no longer enough to
keep traffic going, seeing as how after it went up nine times in
2006, another 25 rate hikes were needed last year.
The new changes announced yesterday aim to fix this problem:
ERP will kick in much earlier under a new formula;
The basic ERP charge will go up from July to $2, from $1 now, and
each subsequent jump will be $1, instead of 50 cents;
Sixteen more gantries will be put up, all to help ease congestion
in the city area as well as on major roads islandwide.
Currently, the gantries go active once the speed of half the
motorists travelling on a particular stretch over a 30-minute
period falls below the optimal level of 45kmh for expressways and
20kmh for major roads.
However, in practice, many motorists will be travelling far slower.
For example, speeds measured from 7.30am to 8am on a stretch of the
Pan-Island Expressway this month showed that up to 38 per cent of
the motorists were actually travelling below 45kmh, despite paying
the ERP.
'This also explains why there is at times a disconnect between what
the Land Transport Authority says and motorists' actual driving
experience,' said Mr Lim.
Under the new formula, ERP charges will kick in when, in line with
international practice, just over 15 per cent of vehicles fall
below ideal speeds.
So, at least 85 per cent of motorists will be assured of smooth
travel when they pay the ERP charges,Mr Lim said.
Mr Lim expects that with the higher basic charge and larger
increments, rate changes will be less frequent.
The new formula and higher charges will be phased in to give people
time to adjust.
They will start in July in the Central Business District (CBD) and
Orchard Road, after more bus and train trips come on line, and then
to other roads in due time.
The number of gantries will also go up in phases, from 55 now, to
60 in April, 65 in July and 71 in November.
The focus is on the city area. Speeds on major roads in the CBD
have fallen by over 25 per cent, from five years ago.
To cross major junctions, say, between North Bridge Road and Bras
Basah Road, motorists must wait for three or more traffic light
changes.
So, ERP will be used to discourage those motorists who are just
passing through the already packed Suntec City, Bugis and Marina
Square shopping areas in the evenings, and on Saturdays. They make
up a third of the traffic now.
The ERP changes will have an effect on motorists like retiree
William Chan, 65.
He said: 'If ERP prices keep rising, we may switch to public
transport, but we'll still retain the option of driving to places
that are far away.'
Others, like manager Chua Xin Kai, 28, will not make a switch -
yet.
'I'm paying so much for the car and after driving for 10 years, I
am just lazy to take public transport. Maybe when I have to scrap
my car in three years, I'll reconsider.'
Until then, the Government expects to collect from such motorists
$70 million more a year as a result of the changes.
And to show that this is not an excuse to raise revenue, but really
to curb congestion, road taxes will be cut 15 per cent to the tune
of about $110 million.
Mr Lim said: 'If motorists were to drive less, the Government would
be happy to collect less ERP revenue.'
