ORCHARD ROAD (Measures to improve peak hour traffic flow)

ORCHARD ROAD

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(Measures to improve peak hour traffic flow): **

18.

Mr Ong Kian Min asked the Minister for Transport apart from the introduction of Electronic Road Pricing, what other measures will be taken to improve traffic flow along the Orchard Road belt during peak hours.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: The LTA has conducted comprehensive traffic studies on Orchard Road and implemented numerous improvement schemes over the years. These include making adjustments to the traffic lights at the junction of Orchard Road with Buyong Road and working with Centrepoint Development to ease localised congestion caused by taxis waiting at the Centrepoint taxi stand. More recently, the LTA widened a section of Grange Road and converted Orchard Link into a one-way street to improve traffic flow in the Orchard Link area.

With the emphasis on making Orchard Road our premier shopping street, it is important to continually improve the transportation system in Orchard Road to make the travelling experience of shoppers more pleasant. As Orchard Road is a densely built-up area, it is not possible to rely solely on engineering initiatives or road expansion works to improve traffic flow.

Hence, there is a need to complement traffic measures with ERP. The ERP strategy aims to reduce the overall traffic into Orchard Road by discouraging traffic that is just passing through Orchard Road into the CBD, as well as encouraging motorists to use public transport instead. The LTA expects the volume of through traffic to Orchard Road to fall by 30%, resulting in improved traffic flow.

To make public transport more attractive, LTA will be implementing a full-day bus lane scheme along Orchard Road to improve the travel speeds of buses. And as Members are aware, the Orchard Road corridor is already well served by the MRT system.

Going forward, the LTA will continue to review ways to improve traffic flow in the Orchard Road belt.

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