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New ERP gantry with extended hours on North-bound Central
Expressway (CTE)
LTA said the implementation of evening ERP on the north-bound CTE
since August 2005 has helped to improve travel speeds on the CTE
north of the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) exit. However, the average
traffic speeds on the stretch from Bukit Timah to just before the
PIE exit have consistently fallen below the optimal speed range due
to the high volume of traffic from the city exiting to the
PIE.
To manage congestion along this stretch, a new ERP gantry will be
erected along the north-bound CTE just before the PIE exit. The
charging hours at this gantry will be between 5.30 pm and 10.30 pm
on weekdays.
New gantries for evening ERP charging on East-bound East Coast
Parkway (ECP)
LTA said the high traffic volume along the east-bound ECP between
6pm and 8pm on weekdays has led to traffic congestion occurring
between Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) and Fort Road exit of
east-bound ECP.
In March 2007, LTA had provided an additional lane in each
direction of the ECP between Fort Road and Marina South to help
alleviate the congestion. Despite this, traffic speeds continue to
remain below the optimal speed range, said LTA.
From November, ERP will be implemented on the east-bound ECP from
6pm to 8pm during weekdays. An ERP gantry will be erected at each
of the two accesses into the east-bound ECP from the city and the
AYE - before the Rochor Road exit and at the Ophir Road slip
road.
New gantry on South-bound Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE)
Average traffic speeds on the BKE have deteriorated below the
optimal speed range on weekdays. A new ERP gantry will be erected
after the Dairy Farm exit, before the BKE joins the PIE, to help
manage the traffic congestion there. The operating hours for this
gantry will be from 7.30am to 9am during weekdays.
LTA said installation of other gantries Which Will Not Be Activated
Until Speeds Fall Below Optimal Speed Range
There will also be a new gantry on the south-bound Upper Bukit
Timah Road: New Gantry, after Hume Avenue. This gantry will only be
activated when congestion builds up and traffic conditions warrant
the implementation of ERP.
LTA will give prior notice before levying any ERP charge at this
gantry.
In the outer cordon, which is beyond the Restricted Zone, new ERP
gantries will be installed at Toa Payoh Lorong 6, Upper Boon Keng
Road, Kallang Bahru Road and Geylang Bahru Road where traffic
speeds may deteriorate below the optimal speed range. LTA said that
the ERP charging will be activated only when traffic conditions
deteriorate and warrant the implementation of ERP. LTA will
continue to monitor the traffic conditions at the remaining six
locations.
This leaves 6 other locations remaining in the Outer Cordon where
ERP has not been implemented
In May 1999, LTA announced that the ERP system would be
progressively expanded beyond the Restricted Zone (RZ) to relieve
traffic congestion along roads in the Outer Cordon area under Phase
2 of the ERP plan. The aim is to relieve congestion in the Outer
Cordon area by forming a cordon covering the radial roads leading
into the city around the RZ.
In September 1999, LTA implemented seven gantries in the Outer
Cordon and the Central Expressway under ERP Phase 2A, and announced
that the remaining Phase 2 gantries would be implemented as and
when traffic conditions warrant it.
In his speech, Minister Raymond Lim said the ERP system has been
effective in keeping Singapore roads and expressways
smooth-flowing.
"Had it not been for ERP, we would be facing traffic gridlock on
numerous roads. Take the case of the ECP. Before ERP was introduced
in 1998, the travel speed was as low as 36 kph between 8.30 am to 9
am. Today, the average speed is above 55 kph during that half
hour," he said.
"Similarly for Orchard Road, average travel speeds on weekday
evenings and on Saturday afternoons have improved from about 17 kph
to 23 kph since ERP was implemented in October 2005."
He added that with the ERP, introduced in 1998, the Government has
been able to rely more on car usage charges and less on car
ownership taxes to manage traffic demand.
Vehicle ownership taxes have been reduced and as a result, annual
vehicle ownership revenue fell from $3.4 billion in 1997 to $1.7
billion in 2006 compared to about $90 million in annual ERP revenue
collected during that period.
"ERP has thus proven to be a more effective approach to managing
traffic demand, and it costs motorists much less overall. Indeed,
ERP is meant to be a congestion and not a revenue measure, so if
motorists drive less and the roads are smooth-flowing, the
Government will be happy to collect less. In effect, ERP rates can
be adjusted down, as much as up, depending on the traffic speed on
the roads," he said.
Singapore's car population has grown from 680,000 in 1998 to
800,000 in 2006.
The Minister said to accommodate more vehicles on our roads, the
ERP system will be expanded from time to time and the coverage will
have to be continually adjusted to keep it effective.
"In the longer term, the LTA is looking at how to upgrade ERP
technology to put in place a more effective system of
congestion-charging. One possibility is to use GPS technology. We
are working on this, but it is probably still a few years away as
the technology is not quite ready," he added.
"LTA is also studying how we can deal with peak hour congestion
more holistically and effectively, taking into account overall
traffic conditions, for example in the CBD. LTA is also reviewing
the optimal speed ranges on our roads and the response of motorists
to the present structure of our congestion charges."
Asia1.com
