TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ON EXPRESSWAYS

TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ON EXPRESSWAYS:

(Update): 1.

Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport (a) if he will provide an update on the traffic conditions on the expressways over the last three years; (b)

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whether his Ministry is aware that errant drivers are crossing the chevron marking to exit at the ingress near Ang Mo Kio so as to avoid the traffic jam; and (c) what steps will his Ministry take to stop these drivers since the imposition of penalties and fines have not deterred them.

The Minister of State for Transport (Mrs Lim Hwee Hua) (for the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, Sir, the traffic conditions on the expressways over the last three years have generally been smooth. The average speeds on our expressways during peak hours are generally within the optimal range of 45 to 65 kilometres per hour. However, as the Minister for Transport announced last month, LTA has completed a review of the traffic conditions on our roads and has found that traffic speeds along certain stretches of the CTE, ECP and BKE have fallen below this optimal range, and traffic conditions are deteriorating. Hence, from 1st November 2007, LTA will be extending the morning ERP hours on the south-bound CTE, and extending ERP coverage to the south-bound BKE in the mornings, and the north-bound CTE and east-bound ECP in the evenings.

Chevron markings are markings used to demarcate the divergence or convergence of the roads. They are commonly used along expressways to guide motorists so that they can transit in and out of the expressway smoothly. Road studs are also installed along the chevron markings to alert and deter motorists from crossing the chevron markings.

The LTA is aware that some motorists are cutting across the chevron markings along the CTE stretch between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 to exit the CTE if they see a jam up ahead. The risk they take is more than just a matter of being fined or penalised,

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but of putting themselves and other fellow road users in danger because of their irresponsible actions.

With the extension of the ERP on the CTE in November 2007, and when Phase 2 of the KPE opens in 2008, the traffic on the CTE will improve. In the meantime, LTA will also look into traffic engineering measures to prevent motorists from crossing the chevron markings along this stretch of the CTE.

Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, first, I would like to ask the Minister of State whether there is any review on the accuracy of the information provided by EMAS along the roads throughout Singapore. I am sure if a motorist gets the correct information, he would then make an informed decision and avoid the jam. The feedback is that the information provided is always not accurate.

My next question is whether the Ministry has made any study on how much is the increase that the residents living in the north, such as Yishun, have to pay in order to drive to work in the city, such as Shenton Way, in the morning over the last three years. Is there any alternative route that a driver can take in order to avoid the jam and very costly CTE? And why do they have to pay again when they are going home in the evening?

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua: Sir, currently, EMAS displays information to guide motorists so that they can decide what route they should take in terms of the travel time or in terms of specific incidents, and certainly there is room for improvement of information displayed in the various places. So that would continue to be the guide towards improving traffic flow.

The use of the ERP charging system has been instrumental in guiding behaviour, in terms of making decisions

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on whether to, first of all, even drive or use public transport and, secondly, which roads to use. By and large, the decision to charge specific stretches is guided by the speeds along those stretches as opposed to what would constitute a reasonable charge for someone going from point A to point B. Hence, the decision to charge certain stretches of the CTE would really revolve around whether the speeds along those stretches are acceptable, and not whether by imposing or reducing that charge, the overall cost has gone up or down.