TRANSPORT PROBLEMS(Measures to ease and Decision on MRT)

Mr P. Selvadurai asked the Minister for National Development and Communications (a) what measures other than the imposition of taxes on motor cars, petrol. diesel oil and the implementation of the Area Licensing Scheme his Ministry will be taking to further ease our transport problems; (b) whether any decision has been made by his Ministry on the long proposed and long awaited Mass Transit System; and (c) if the proposed Mass Transit System will be underground, on the ground or above ground and what parts of the Island it will connect.

Mr Ong Teng Cheong (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, our transport problems are mainly due to the limited amount of road space available and the large number of vehicles competing for the use of the limited road space. Measures taken to reduce these problems include:-

(i) undertaking road improvements and using better traffic management techniques to minimise bottlenecks and increase road capacity;

(ii) improving public transport service and encouraging commuters to use public mode of mass transportation since the private motor cars do not use the road space as efficiently;

(iii) giving priority to public transport and goods vehicles on our limited road space especially in the Central Business District; and

(iv) introducing higher vehicle taxes and licence fees to restrain the growth of motor cars.

These measures introduced over the past few years have enabled us to ease traffic congestion on our roads. Latest figures show that the entry of private cars into the Central Business District during the morning peak hours from 7.30 am, to 10.15 am. Ms been reduced by 75% compared to the level prevailing in March last year before the introduction of the Area Licensing Scheme. Car pools account for 49% of private cars entering the Restricted Zone as compared with 23% in July last year. This is an encouraging trend which shows that motorists have responded favourably to our encouragement of a more efficient use of private cars.

Although traffic outbound from the Restricted Zone in the evening has increased by 12% over June last year, observations have shown that congestion is localised and of short duration caused mainly by cross town traffic. The situation will be monitored and measures will be taken to improve the traffic flow as and when necessary. In the meantime our efforts will be directed towards further improvement of the public transport services.

On the question of the Mass Transit System, a draft final Report of Phase II of the Mass Transit Study was submitted by the Consultants in March this year. The World Bank, which is the executive agency for UNDP, is currently reviewing the Report. We expect the Bank to complete its appraisal soon and the Phase II Report finalised shortly.

Meanwhile plans for the coordination and integration of the MRT into a comprehensive land use scheme in keeping with the overall island-wide development Concept Plan are being examined. Since implementation of the MRT will affect many other sectors besides transport, careful consideration has to be given to not only' its costs but its likely influence and impact on development planning, locations of employment and residential centres, commuting habits, and the economy in general. The existence or absence of the MRT will determine to a large extent the nature of the urban structure including the Central Area in the nineties and beyond. It is for this reason that a land use and transportation plan is being drawn up.

The MRT cannot be considered solely as a transportation project. A decision on the MAT can only be made after all factors have been carefully weighed.

Based on the Phase II MAT study, a total of 44.6 km is envisaged for the Full System, of which 17.6 km will be underground and the remaining 27 km will be either at grade, depressed or elevated. There will be 31 stations with 1 5 built underground or depressed and 16 at grade or elevated.

Since underground lines and stations are much more expensive than surface structures, a deliberate attempt is made to reduce costs by having the trains operated at or above groun‡l level wherever engineering construction permits and wherever it is environmentally acceptable. Owing to the built-up nature of the City Centre, all the tracks and stations will have to be underground in the Central Area.

The Full System, which assumes an inverted h-shape, will connect the Central Area with Queenstown, Clementi New Town. Jurong Town in the west. Geylang, Bedok New Town in the east and Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio New Town in the north. Stations at the extremities would serve other population centres beyond the line through the use of feeder bus services. An example is that Bedok Station will also serve residents in Tampines New Town. About 50% of both population and employment are expected to be located within 1 km on either side of the MAT line.