Channel NewsAsia - Friday, January 8
SINGAPORE : Visitors
travelling to Sentosa by car will soon have to pay more.
Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) has revised its pricing
strategy for vehicles entering the island in an attempt to
encourage more to use public transport.
This is aimed at improving traffic conditions in view of the
opening of Resorts World Sentosa later this month.
Private vehicles entering Sentosa from January 18 will pay a
charge, which varies according to the time and day.
For example, it will cost S$6 to enter the island between 7am
and just before noon on weekdays.
On weekends and public holidays, it will cost S$7between 7am and
7pm.
Currently, each private vehicle is charged S$2 and each
passenger in the vehicle must pay an additional S$2 when entering
Sentosa.
Parking will also become more expensive with the implementation
of time—based charges.
The measures are part of the SDC’s traffic management plan to
encourage car pooling.
"If you have a highly occupied vehicle, you pay less per head.
If it’s one or two people in the vehicle, you pay more. I would
encourage you, if you’re on your own or a couple of friends, to use
public transport; it’s cheaper and it’s easier," said Mike Barclay,
CEO of SDC.
To entice visitors to use the Sentosa shuttle bus service, its
fare has also been reduced from S$3 to S$2.
There are also plans to introduce a public bus service in
Sentosa.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also upgraded the road
system leading to Sentosa to ensure there is sufficient capacity to
cope with the expected increase in traffic.
"All the road network expansion will increase the road capacity
by up to 30 per cent in the area, which will further enhance
traffic flow around the Telok Blangah junction into and out of
Sentosa," said Yam Ah Mee, chief executive of LTA.
In addition, LTA will construct the Sentosa Gateway Tunnel
targeted to be completed by 2015. This will further cater to the
expected growth in traffic.
When the integrated resort is fully opened, visitorship to
Sentosa is set to more than double from the six million people who
visit the island each year. — CNA /ls
