ROAD CLOSURES FOR F1 RACE

ROAD CLOSURES FOR F1 RACE: 7.

Mr Calvin Cheng asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of the Monaco Formula One (F1) race where roads are only closed a few hours before and after the race and practice sessions, whether road closures for the Singapore F1 can be further shortened to reduce the impact on businesses along the F1 race circuit.

The Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr S Iswaran) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mr Speaker, Sir, Government agencies such as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA), as well as the Singapore F1 race promoter, are keenly aware of the need to manage the safety and logistical requirements of the F1 race, while minimising the impact and inconvenience of road closures to stakeholders and the general public. The challenge is in striking the right balance and ensuring that the circuit satisfies the safety and other specifications set by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

There are major differences between the Singapore F1 race and that in Monaco which the Member has highlighted. As the only night race in the world, the Singapore event has unique logistical requirements. Moreover, our circuit at slightly more than 5 km is one and a half times longer than Monaco's and it is a significantly wider and faster track. The narrowest and slowest parts of the Singapore circuit track (on Anderson Bridge and around the Marina Bay Floating Platform) are 10 metres wide, comparable to the widest parts of the Monaco circuit. These elements allow Singapore to stage a unique and exciting event.

But this also means that substantially more infrastructure has to be installed and removed. To meet the higher safety and technical standards, close to 1,500 pieces of concrete and high-tech barriers need to be precision-fitted to separate the race track from the spectators watching the race. In addition to the lighting and grandstand infrastructure, sections of the circuit also have to be sterilised to construct run-offs at corners involving high-speed turns. These cannot be reinstated for regular traffic till after the race. Consequently, a longer lead time is required to prepare and inspect the circuit prior to the race.

With the experience gained from the inaugural race last year, STB, LTA and the race promoter have made a significant effort to improve the road access plan for this year. This year's road closure period has been shortened to seven days from 12 days last year. Specifically, the road closures will begin on Wednesday, 23rd September and the vast majority of affected roads will re-open in time for the morning peak hour traffic on Tuesday, 29th September.

Besides reducing the road closure period, provisions have also been made to re-open the main road arteries for the morning peak periods between 5.00 am and 9.00 am, so that inconvenience is minimised for road users who want to get to work. The organisers have also been working closely with stakeholders in the area to ensure business continuity, and the infrastructure installation schedule has been adjusted to accommodate stakeholders' requests, where possible. The organisers will continue to learn from each year's experience and review the plans in order to further reduce the period of road closure, where feasible.

Mr Calvin Cheng (Nominated Member): Thank you, Minister, for the comprehensive answer. I am just wondering whether there will be a target minimum in terms of the number of days of road closures which the Ministry hopes to achieve.

Mr Iswaran: Mr Speaker, Sir, there is no specific target and the reason is because, at the end of the day, there are certain minimum requirements, which I had elaborated. I think this is only our second year, so we need to learn and adapt to the requirements on the ground. And many of the factors are beyond our control because the specifications are set by the FIA and also by the F1 management group, and these are contractual obligations as well. But I think it will be fair to say that all parties involved are keenly aware that where we can, we want to truncate the period of road closures and maximise the access for all concerned.