So why are Singapore roads still congested?

Letter from Kwan Jin Yao

I READ with interest the report, “A question of supply and demand” (June 26) by Loh Chee Kong, on the interview with Transport Minister Raymond Lim.

Transportation is an important issue for all Singaporeans; with our huge vehicle traffic and inherent geographical constraints, Singapore has one of the most congested roads around the world. Despite a plethora of measures rolled out by the Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority, the continuing rush-hour congestion proves that more has to be done to evaluate existing measures and develop more effective action plans.

The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system was introduced in 1990 to regulate and control car ownership and congestion on the roads, yet we seem to be facing the same problems today. Quoting the laws of supply and demand is irrelevant because the results have not been exactly favourable; furthermore, increasing vehicle speeds might not be a good gauge for the extent of congestion on our roads.

On a related note, how effective has the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) been? The fact that other countries and cities are selectively adopting similar measures is beside the point; what is more important is the effectiveness of its implementation locally.

While the Transport Minister approves of such a congestion management measure, the same jams and heavy traffic are evidenced every single day on expressways.

Motorists are simply frustrated by the daily routine of slow-moving traffic, and annoyed by the fact that our roads seem particularly susceptible to standstills whenever accidents occur.

After years of paying toll charges at gantry after gantry, Singaporeans have a right to know if their payments have genuinely improved road and driving conditions.

Mr Lim’s decision to commute on public transport at peak hours would give him an excellent picture of the degree of inconvenience and human traffic experienced by thousands of commuters a day, on trains and on buses.

Right now, the approach should not solely focus on encouraging Singaporeans to step out of their cars but by upping the pull factor and making our public transport more effective, efficient and obviously more comfortable.

Yup...

And while the phones are ringing furiously, the floodlights and anti-intrusion sirens would have been automatically turned on full blast too.

This would have caused the artist/s' pants and their airbrushing cans to drop at the same time... 

correction....they recorded...but probably cannot playback as tape re-used too many times !!! hahahaha..

*juz kidding*

I think SMRT or for that mattar LTA shld take MRT train depots more seriously....Changi Airport are so tightly guarded(i presume this is so...hmm..unless otherwise)...then how come MRT train with 6 carriages(total passengers capacity is more or equivalent to an Airbus A380) parks  in depot where the security is like our Condominium security? haha...wat a joke! :P

If these 2 guys, through their actions, uncovered or prevented terrorists that have same plans on mind for Orchard MRT.

Save thousands of lives and share price, do you think shall they be rewarded? or at least swap someone from SMRT to replace them for their charges...??

Just some thought... 

SMRT management statement sounded TYRANNY ????

No Two-Ways Corporate Communications ? ? ? ?

No Respect of its staff ? ? ? ?

Treating Staff like slaves and robots ? ? ? ?

Big corporations are behaving like FOXCONN ? ? ? ?

21st Century is the Economic Slavery Centure ? ? ? ?

SMRT famous for having a camera for show only... probably never turned on.. even if turned on, probably never recorded... even if recorded, probably clean away within 2 days to record new one...

This is not acceptable for a company like SMRT.  

In the first place, all staff should be kept in the loop for project work such as advertisement, poster, decal and etc.

Just my view only.

Director of Security is waiting for REPORT ? ? ? ?

It sounds like a Director of INsecurity ? ? ? ?

the admen who did it ...

Imelda Saad

imelda@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE

That was why the alarm was not raised until May 19, two days after staff members first noticed the graffiti.

“They (staff) thought it was a commercial wrap, likewise several members of the public also spotted the graffiti but we did not receive any report,” said Mr Choy Kin Chong, SMRT deputy director of security and emergency planning, yesterday.

It was only when the MRT train was recalled to the workshop for scheduled maintenance at 4pm that day that the act of vandalism was recognised for what it was.

The police have said that 33-year-old Swiss Oliver Fricker and his accomplice, Briton Lloyd Dane Alexander, had broken into Changi Depot and spray-painted two train carriages between May 17 and 18.

SMRT reported the incident only on May 19.

Fricker was arrested on May 25 while Alexander is believed to have left Singapore before the vandalism was reported.

When asked why it took about three weeks before news of the security breach was made public, Mr Choy said: “During that period, the case was under police investigation and we could not reveal too much about the incident.”

SMRT has since taken several steps to enhance security, including raising the number of security personnel and patrols at its depots.

It will also more than double the number of CCTVs.

Mr Choy said the train operator plans to mount cameras and a lighting system at the reception track so that its staff can monitor the exterior of all the trains that depart a depot for service.

Meanwhile, in response to media queries on the police’s follow-up action with regard to Alexander, the police said yesterday that they had “alerted all the Interpol member countries to look out for the said accomplice and to render us information should he be found in their jurisdiction”.

In consultation with the Attorney- General’s Chambers, the police have applied for a warrant of arrest against Alexander, who is now believed to be in Hong Kong.

If arrested, he can be brought back, as Singapore and Hong Kong have an extradition treaty.— The graffiti on the train at the Changi Depot appeared to have been done so artistically that SMRT staff thought it was an advertisement, not an act of vandalism.

Dubai Metro's train puntuality better than our north-east line!   Why leh?  They used fuel meant for aeroplane?   LOL

Dubai Metro Outperform Singapore MRT In Punctuality

Hindustan Times, 10 May 2010
Achieving a more than 99 per cent, the punctuality rate of Dubai Metro is the highest of any driverless

 metro system in the world, Dubai's Road and Transport Authority has said.


"We are very proud to say that the Dubai Metro punctuality rate is ahead of major driverless metro systems,

including the North East Line in Singapore and the Docklands Light Rail in London. A comparison study by the RTA revealed

that the Dubai Metro achieved a punctuality rate of 99.47 per cent during the first three months of its operation, compared to the

 95 per cent punctuality rate of North East Line in Singapore and the 93.90 per cent punctuality of the Docklands Light Rail in London.

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