UPPER SERANGOON ROAD/LIM AH PIN ROAD (Installation of traffic light)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Law and National Development (a) whether he is aware that there have been several accidents, both fatal and otherwise, at the junction of Upper Serangoon Road and Lim Ah Pin Road, which is a bus terminal, since the re-routing of buses into Simon Road! Florence Road/Lim Ah Pin Road/Upper Serangoon Road, due to the heavy traffic especially in the mornings and evenings; (b) whether he is aware that requests to have either a pedestrian crossing or traffic light system installed at the said junction have been turned down; and (c) whether he will now consider installing the traffic light system that will operate in the day and switch off automatically in the night, so as to enable a smoother flow of traffic in the vicinity in the mornings and evenings and also help to reduce the threat to life and injury of pedestrians.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, there have been a few accidents at the junction of Upper Serangoon Road and Lim Ah Pin Road, namely, four in 1973, and seven in 1974, only one of which was serious.

Following a request by the hon. Member and his Citizens Consultative Committee in Ponggol for a traffic light system to be installed at this junction, the Public Works Department carried out traffic counts and studies of the accidents at the junction and found that the volume of traffic does not justify the installation of a traffic light system. The left-hand side of Upper Serangoon Road (going towards Ponggol), between Florence Road and Lim Ah Pin Road, has double yellow lines marked thereon, restricting parking on that side. The visits by mobile squad policemen have indicated that this parking restriction is generally observed. However, on the opposite side of the road, there is a bus terminus and double parking of buses is not unusual due to lack of parking space. This restricts the view of motorists and results in some impatient drivers taking unnecessary risks. The situation, however, will be kept under review and consideration is now being given to a proposal that the bus terminus be re-sited.