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.'
good mah, increase ERP, tax from the rich who drive cars and give it to the poor. Hurray HIP HIP Hurray for PAP, HIP HIP hurray for Raymond LIm, i love his son...very handsome leh...
if married to his son, maybe me no kenna charged by ERP liao
yday it took me only 28mins from Tampines to Jln Bahar from 0800hrs - 0828hrs after paying $1 ERP.
but maybe because it's a friday..... & no accidents.
i wonder when they say traffic is <45km/h. do they take note of any accidents/breakdowns ahead? ![]()
Originally posted by sinicker:yday it took me only 28mins from Tampines to Jln Bahar from 0800hrs - 0828hrs after paying $1 ERP.
but maybe because it's a friday..... & no accidents.
i wonder when they say traffic is <45km/h. do they take note of any accidents/breakdowns ahead?
oh, so friday no jam hor, and no accident hor..hmmm..who said that, any fact that friday got no jam and accident...25 mins is too slow, me only takes 15 mins at 130km/h
Originally posted by angel7030:
oh, so friday no jam hor, and no accident hor..hmmm..who said that, any fact that friday got no jam and accident...25 mins is too slow, me only takes 15 mins at 130km/h
yes coz' usually i'll take 45mins mah. one accident at stevens, another at adam road like on thursday morning. but yday only 28mins.
but both day ERP same. ![]()
shud give discount when got accident.
or accident parties pay all affected drivers' ERP. ![]()
![]()
Originally posted by sinicker:yes coz' usually i'll take 45mins mah. one accident at stevens, another at adam road like on thursday morning. but yday only 28mins.
but both day ERP same.
shud give discount when got accident.or accident parties pay all affected drivers' ERP.
aiya, jalan bahar not much people go there lah, only those malaysians motorcycle alots, me scare hit them, many accident at KJE involving malaysian's motorbike.
Originally posted by sinicker:yday it took me only 28mins from Tampines to Jln Bahar from 0800hrs - 0828hrs after paying $1 ERP.
but maybe because it's a friday..... & no accidents.
i wonder when they say traffic is <45km/h. do they take note of any accidents/breakdowns ahead?
that's a less travelled road leh..... I guess u went by TPE-SLE-KJE-BKE-PIE to reach Jalan Bahar
Those that need to travel on CTE will die lor
maybe one day we will ERP in the skies as well...reduce air traffic congestion
Originally posted by Jianye:
maybe one day we will ERP in the skies as well...reduce air traffic congestion
maybe your house lifts also hv, to reduce lifts passengers, those who dun want to be scanned by ERP, can climb the stairs, those who are richer hv to use cashcard to scan thru...cash card on head
Originally posted by eagle:that's a less travelled road leh..... I guess u went by TPE-SLE-KJE-BKE-PIE to reach Jalan Bahar
Those that need to travel on CTE will die lor
nope. going there i'll go by PIE str8 & pay my ERP. it's faster than the presumed long but faster way.
less travelled road?? try it on a monday morning. ![]()
for a government who pride itself for being efficient, productive and forward thinking, this erp comments made by `everybody loves ray' is kiddish at best, preposterously stupid at worst.
to be overall in charge of the transport system and yet not know what the left and right hand is doing is ridiculous. he knows that car ownership and usage are the 2 biggest factors affecting road congestion and yet he uses one against the other to explain the unacceptable road congestion here.
duh...whose overall in charge here? next minister.....
The revenue from ERP should be used to offset 1% of the proposed 8.5% gst required to make public transport free.![]()
Originally posted by ditzy:The revenue from ERP should be used to offset 1% of the proposed 8.5% gst required to make public transport free.
this happens, i'd be more willing to endure the 1hr40mins commute to sch everyday.
Originally posted by sinicker:yes coz' usually i'll take 45mins mah. one accident at stevens, another at adam road like on thursday morning. but yday only 28mins.
but both day ERP same.
shud give discount when got accident.or accident parties pay all affected drivers' ERP.
Ask the people in accident to pay for others ... They are tramatised and need to pay for the accident already .. still pay for others ... Are you even human !! ![]()
How about reducing the amount of bus lanes on busy roads and getting rid of trees at the dividers to create more space.
How about fixing the traffic lights to provide a sequence of green lights on busy roads.
All i hear from this minister is to increase ERP charges, putting up more ERP gantries and to guard his flawed transport system from criticism.
how about having more lanes to go to City in the morning, than converting to more lanes going out of City in the evening.
Originally posted by HeiHao:All i hear from this minister is to increase ERP charges, putting up more ERP gantries and to guard his flawed transport system from criticism.
what u expect, he is employed to do security guard duty over the ERP, nothing more, nothing less. The highest paid guard in singapore
That day I heard on the radio the DJ ask listeners to sms in to say what they thought was the most irritating invention ever invented and the first thing that came to my mind was the ERP gantry.
I just hope the people who invented and conceived ERP will get their souls burnt and rotted in hell when they die lah. Sian...
Originally posted by bizzkit0102:That day I heard on the radio the DJ ask listeners to sms in to say what they thought was the most irritating invention ever invented and the first thing that came to my mind was the ERP gantry.
I just hope the people who invented and conceived ERP will get their souls burnt and rotted in hell when they die lah. Sian...
maybe the hell gate also hv ERP gantry, need to burnt cashcard for the dead ya..
Originally posted by redDUST:for a government who pride itself for being efficient, productive and forward thinking, this erp comments made by `everybody loves ray' is kiddish at best, preposterously stupid at worst.
to be overall in charge of the transport system and yet not know what the left and right hand is doing is ridiculous. he knows that car ownership and usage are the 2 biggest factors affecting road congestion and yet he uses one against the other to explain the unacceptable road congestion here.
duh...whose overall in charge here? next minister.....
Yah I agree that Raymond is a dick. Just like most of the ministers in PAP.
Seriously I didn't bother to read the entire article as I feel it will just be a waste of time and only make my blood boil reading all the drivel PAP have to say to justify increasing costs.
When I was a kid, my dad used to tell me Sg parliament is a waste of time and highlights from parliament on TV, more often than not, only serves to eat into the scheduled programmes. After all, whatever law they want to set who can go against it? Why even bother having a parliament session? Now that I've grown up, I fully understand what my dad meant.
Originally posted by angel7030:
maybe the hell gate also hv ERP gantry, need to burnt cashcard for the dead ya..
Yah, when LKY dies he'll try to set up a govt in hell and implement ERP and all sorts of other shit. Who knows?
Hell welcomes people, it is heaven that has a long queue at the gates. Talk sense lah.![]()
why not just ban car in sg??? talk till so noble like that...