TIME FRAME FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF EMAS

Mr Ahmad Mohd Magad asked the Minister for Communications whether a time frame has been established to implement Expressway Monitoring and Advisory Services (EMAS) on other expressways, in view of the evident benefits of the system on the Central Expressway.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: EMAS was implemented on the Central Expressway (CTE) on 21st March this year.

Since its installation along the CTE, it has yielded significant benefits for motorists. It has enabled the LTA to provide assistance to distressed motorists and to clear obstructions to traffic flow more quickly. It is estimated that for the CTE, EMAS yields a time saving worth about $6.8 million per year for motorists because of quicker removal of disabled vehicles by LTA's vehicle retrieval service.

In view of the evident benefits of the system, the LTA has decided to extend EMAS to the other expressways. EMAS is scheduled to be extended to the Pan-Island Expressway, East Coast Parkway, Ayer Rajah Expressway, Bukit Timah Expressway and Kranji Expressway by 2000 and to the Tampines Expressway and Seletar Expressway by 2001.