TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AT JUNCTION OF CECIL STREET/ROBINSON ROAD

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AT JUNCTION OF CECIL STREET/ROBINSON ROAD

26.

Mr Ong Kian Min asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many traffic accidents have occurred in the vicinity of the junction of Cecil Street and Robinson Road at the corner of Republic Plaza since changes were made to that junction in July 2005; and (b) whether the Land Transport Authority will place greater emphasis on the safety and convenience of pedestrians and motorists when considering further improvements to the design of that intersection.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Mr Ong Kian Min asked about the number of accidents that have occurred in the vicinity of the junction of Cecil Street and Robinson Road. Our checks with the Traffic

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Police (TP) revealed that there are no reports of fatal accidents or injuries at this location since July 2005. LTA's traffic cameras detected five minor accidents between 30th September and 4th October, before LTA put in the closely-spaced posts on the night of 4th October. Since then, there has been no record of further accidents.

Let me explain why LTA needed to make changes to the traffic at this junction. Some Members may already be aware of the heavy traffic conditions along Church Street, Cecil Street and Robinson Road, caused by the convergence of these three major roads at the junction of Cecil Street and Robinson Road. The traffic situation is expected to be further exacerbated by the future developments in the New Downtown, to which the three roads will link. LTA modified the junction to create a two-lane slip road along Cecil Street with a new road divider and, at the same time, disallow traffic from Robinson Road from entering D'Almeida Street. LTA also improved the road markings and signs to guide motorists and forewarn them of the changes at the junction. As a result of the changes made, the vehicular throughput has improved by about 16% from 1,900 vehicles per hour, to 2,200 vehicles per hour.

However, this meant that pedestrians could no longer cross Cecil Street at the intersection with Robinson Road. They would have to use the pedestrian underpass at Cecil Street or the pedestrian crossing at the junction of Cecil Street and Church Street, 80 metres away. LTA observed that many pedestrians were dashing dangerously across Cecil Street at the location where the previous junction used to be, and the road divider in the middle of Cecil Street in fact turned out to be a convenient refuge for pedestrians and facilitated the jaywalking. To discourage jaywalking, the divider was removed and replaced with continuous double white lines and raised reflective pavement markers.

This then created another problem. With the physical barrier of a road divider removed, a few motorists from Robinson Road did not see the revised road signs and markings, and tried to cut across the junction to enter D'Almeida Street. This resulted in the accidents mentioned earlier. The LTA acknowledges that it should have anticipated this possibility and regrets not having put in appropriate measures earlier to prevent such accidents from happening.

Since 5th October, the LTA has put up spring-loaded posts to form a barrier at the junction and to clearly indicate to motorists from Robinson Road that they are not allowed to cut across to D'Almeida Street. The road kerb at D'Almeida Street has also been modified to indicate that access to the road is only via Cecil Street.

I can assure Members that LTA does place the highest priority on the safety of pedestrians and motorists, while keeping the road network efficient for all. It will continue to monitor the Cecil Street/Robinson Road junction closely and put in additional measures, where necessary, to improve the traffic situation and ensure the safety of all road users.