TIMBER LORRIES (Cause of traffic congestion and hazard to road users)

Inche Rahmat Bin Kenap asked the Minister for Defence if a survey has been made by the Police as to whether timber lorries using busy roads, like Nicoll Highway, in and near the City centre during peak periods are a cause of traffic congestion and a possible hazard to other road users; and whether and what remedial action will be taken.

The Minister for Defence (Mr Lim Kim San): Mr Speaker, Sir, it is true that timber lorries travelling along the busy roads in and near the City centre during peak periods are a cause of traffic congestion and also a possible hazard to other road users, as they are huge vehicles carrying heavy loads and moving at a slow speed not exceeding 20 miles per hour. These lorries transport timber logs from the railway yard at Keppel Road to the various sawmills, most of which are situated in the Kallang Road and Lavender Street areas, and must inevitably travel through the City centre. It would not be conducive to our timber trade, however, if transportation of timber logs to sawmills were to be restricted to outside the peak periods of the day.

The Traffic Police are watching the situation very carefully, and drivers of timber lorries are advised to keep to the left-hand side of the road so as not to hinder vehicular traffic and also endanger other road users. The Traffic Police are also taking stringent action against these lorry drivers for failure to comply with the traffic laws for speeding, for causing obstruction, and having smoky exhausts. For the whole year of 1969 and since the beginning of this year, no case of traffic accident involving timber lorries occurred in the City area.

Mr Speaker, Sir, an area South of Kranji industrial estate is being developed by the Jurong Town Corporation for re-siting sawmills at present situated in various parts of the Republic. Those sawmills in the City area which will be affected by the urban renewal scheme will also be given alternative accommodation in this area. Once this project is completed, timber lorries will not and need not use the already heavily congested roads in and near the City centre.