SINGAPORE : Easing up on congestion charging on Singapore
roads will be detrimental to both motorists and businesses in the
long run, according to Transport Minister Raymond Lim.
His comments on the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) followed
complaints by motorists and businesses over higher ERP charges and
added gantries.
New gantries along the Singapore River were put up a week ago. Mr
Lim said initial reports have shown that traffic speeds have gone
up and vehicle volume has decreased.
While some businesses within central Singapore, like in Clarke
Quay, have argued that it is driving customers away, Mr Lim noted
that not having ERP will be even more detrimental to
retailers.
He said, "If you look at the experience in London, they have the
same concern - the retail establishments. But after congestion
charging was put in, their business over time actually improved. It
became easier to get into London, to the restaurants there, to
shops there. Similarly, the experience we had in Orchard Road was
the same."
And on comments that evening ERP charging is taking a toll on
family life, Mr Lim said the alternative would be to get stuck in
traffic and still end up getting home late.
He said, "I think the critical decision for us as a people is that
whether as a people we are willing to take sometimes difficult
decisions, painful decisions, that we know will benefit
Singaporeans as a whole. Or do we postpone difficult issues,
difficult measures, do the popular thing and store up bigger
trouble for ourselves in the future.
"We have not taken the populist road. We have said if this is the
right thing to do and the situation calls for it, we would do it
and in the case of congestion charging, I know it's difficult, it's
an unpopular measure, motorists who are affected are unhappy, but
it is something that is necessary - something that we will do so as
to ensure that Singaporeans continue to enjoy living in a city, in
a garden, and not a city in a carpark!"
The reality is that as cars try to avoid ERP, other roads get
congested and more gantries are put up on arterial roads. So really
there is no avoiding ERP.
The Transport Minister said the alternative is to take public
transport.
The next phase of electronic road pricing will also see vehicles
fitted with new In-vehicle Units (IUs).
The new devices are smaller and reflect not just the amount
deducted from one's CashCard but also one's CashCard balance.
The dual-mode IUs will be fixed on new motorcycles starting next
month, while new cars, taxis and other vehicles will have the
device fixed from early next year. The cost of the new IUs is
S$150, the same as the current ones.
Owners of existing vehicles can continue to use the old IUs.
Motorists who wish to change to the new device may do so at LTA
(Land Transport Authority) Authorised Inspection Centres. They will
have to bear the full cost of replacing the IUs.
A next generation e-payment system for public transport is also
coming up. All new stored-valued cards are expected to be made
Contactless ePurse Application (CEPAS)-compliant.
These new generation smart cards will allow for automatic top-ups,
so one will never be penalised for having insufficient funds in
one's CashCard.
Funds can be deducted from various payment modes - for example,
through GIRO or credit card.
Some 10,000 frequent public transport users will test out the new
EZ-Link CEPAS-compliant cards between mid-August and
mid-October.
Meanwhile, LTA will be extending the Expressway Monitoring Advisory
System (EMAS) to 10 major arterial roads. This is to be phased in
over the next four years.
A study has shown that EMAS has been effective in cutting delays on
expressways, with average time savings of 24 minutes per incident.
The shorter delays translate to cost savings of about S$40
million
only ppl with his capacity can understand the logic of having
smoother traffic fow at the expense of poor business for retail
outlets. and most impt of all have the guts to go against the will
and wishes of singaporeans. i hope you do it becoz u have guts, not
becoz u dont care about what singaporeans feel. this is what i call
serving the benefits of minority at the expenses of majority
singaporeans