--- What do you think of the recent increase of ERP gantries in the city?

[sORe-EyEz]

its not enough to deter current car owners & future car owners (those whose aspiration is to own cars?).

on the flip side of things our public transport still have lots of room for improvements, but they like to pat themselves on the back with silly comparisons from other countries.

i highly doubt they have any contingency plan for the next big traffic disruption lor... :faint:

 

[Luenny]

Actually I am still not clear as to what the government is trying to achieve through ERP? To only reduce traffic? What is the ultimate goal?

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

sigh... nowadays the tranport ministry always looks to reviewing ERP prices as a means to control congestion.
This is both naive and lazy.

Naive because at least 70-80% of these drivers will still want to drive, since they already bought the car and are literally paying for it everyday in terms of loans, depreciation, etc. So where do these drivers go? They choke up all the arterial roads, hence eventually ERP gantries will be built there too (eg. CTE, and then soon after that Thomson Road and now T.Payoh Lor 1). The 2050 situation will arrive sooner than you think.

I say it's a lazy way to solve congestion, because I think the roads can handle more traffic if they were more efficient. Things to look into (if the ministry could be bothered to):
1) proper lane markings so cars don't have to change lanes when theirs becomes a turning lane all of a sudden.
2) have re-look at the "green-wave" system, so that traffic does not start and stop at every single intersection.
3) solving the problem of idiots cutting across multiple lanes of the expressway in order to exit. Ever notice how the ENTIRE expressway (even the right-most lane) is slow just before a popular exit, and then amazingly fast after that?

 

[entropy_h]

on the flip side of things our public transport still have lots of room for improvements, but they like to pat themselves on the back with silly comparisons from other countries.

Very good point. I was having this conversation with my girlfriend a few days ago. They are always comparing to cities where the congestion issue is much worse than ours, then they subsequently embark on a 2000-word essay praising themselves.

The situation will never improve if they keep on praising themselves.

With that being said, I think more ERP gantries is a good thing. This will allow only those who can REALLY afford to drive to own and use their cars. Like someone said earlier, less cars, less congestion, less oil consumption, less greenhouse gases released, etc etc.

However, this is not really targeting the root problem. The root problem is that there are too many cars to begin with. They should just limit the number of cars on the roads here in Singapore. By not limiting the number of cars, and by restricting the usage during certain peak hours, doesn't solve the problem entirely. Problem is solved if they limit the number of cars. But of course, the standard of public transportation has to keep up, and I hope they make some improvements in the near future.

 

[entropy_h]

sigh... nowadays the tranport ministry always looks to reviewing ERP prices as a means to control congestion.
This is both naive and lazy.
Naive because at least 70-80% of these drivers will still want to drive, since they already bought the car and are literally paying for it everyday in terms of loans, depreciation, etc. So where do these drivers go? They choke up all the arterial roads, hence eventually ERP gantries will be built there too (eg. CTE, and then soon after that Thomson Road and now T.Payoh Lor 1). The 2050 situation will arrive sooner than you think.
I say it's a lazy way to solve congestion, because I think the roads can handle more traffic if they were more efficient. Things to look into:
1) proper lane markings so cars don't have to change lanes when theirs becomes a turning lane all of a sudden.
2) have re-look at the "green-wave" system, so that traffic does not start and stop at every single intersection.
3) solving the problem of idiots cutting across multiple lanes of the expressway in order to exit.

You're right. Problem 3 can be attributed to the way the entrances and exits on expressways here are designed. It's like as if the LTA gave a 2 year old some ice-cream and told him to come up with the design for our expressways.

So many times they have multiple entrances from different roads, other expressways, all merging onto one expressway RIGHT BEFORE an exit. I mean, seriously, it doesn't require someone with a PhD to figure out that that's obviously a retarded design.

And due to this design problem, we have the problem of idiots cutting across multiple lanes to get to an exit, and in general, terrible congestion issues at these bottlenecks.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Let's start the ball rolling: [I hope someone here is working in the Ministry of Transport ]

CTE (Northbound), between Bradell Road and Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, evenings
Situation: A lot of cars entering the CTE (North) at Bradell Rd. A lot of cars exiting the CTE (North) at AMK Ave 1.

The 'Bradell people' form up on the 2 leftmost lanes of the CTE, which unfortunately also becomes the exit lanes to AMK Ave 1. So we have cars trying to filter to the right, and cars from the right trying to filter left. Ask any 10 year old, and he/she will tell you that you have to solve THIS problem instead of putting up gantries along the CTE...
Perhaps some kind of underpass for the 'Bradell people' to join the CTE after AMK Ave 1...?

 

[flowerpot]

aya why waste time...no matter how much feedback we give, they will do what is financially the best deal for them... they are the ones that put the number of cars on the road in the first place(COE)... but tell u driving a car is a luxury..so they let u buy car let them earn the COE but dun let u drive, u drive i will make u pay...:bsmilie:

ERP is never going to solve the traffic congestion, since when it ever did ? the irony is they allow so many cars on the road by awarding the COEs to please or con ppl into buying cars but yet they dun wan to have too many cars on the road to cause congestion
what a good way of making money, either way they win...

Many occasion, the congestion can be solve by really studying the traffic behaviour, making changes to the road design and layout to optimized the traffic flow, whoever lives in sengkang traveling to TPE through punngol road every morning will know what im talking about... its always chock to death, why...cause 3 major roads all tried to squeeze into a 2 lanes of punngol road to exit to TPE with traffic lights in front... its just crazy...

To make changes to road design layout etc cost money...the easy way out well...the usual compare with A or B countries blah blah and you noe the story...

when we suggest something which will cost money and give comparison with C country, well the standard reply is NO we cannot compare with C country cause we are unique and different from them blah blah...

why dun they just stick to a standard D country and compare...

Lastly someone just mention we cannot tackle inflation with pay rise...the report is as good as we are not going to do anything to help you...you can make it on your own.... i would love to see how much increment and fat bonuses these ppl get at the end of the year....

 

[Exposure]

would u guys prefer to pay a lump sum each month instead of ERP pay per entry ?

like $500 a month to enter CBD umlimited. :think:

 

[sORe-EyEz]

would u guys prefer to pay a lump sum each month instead of ERP pay per entry ?

like $500 a month to enter CBD umlimited. :think:

monthly? make it an annual commitment! :devil: so the traffic volume stays more constant, will work well detering those getting into a long-term commitment on a whimp. maybe car rentals schemes could be tweeked for those weekenders?

currently those who benefit from car owners are our gahmen, 2nd-hand dealers, car showrooms (1st hand), insurance co, motor workshops & many down-the-line industries. but fair to say our road QC are among the best in the region.

with so many hands in the pie, i think gahmen oso kenna pressed quite hard. somemore those with $$$ clout wan... :devil:

 

[blazer_workz]

Change of habits like avoid meeting friends/eating/shopping/watch movie in town/CBD..neighbourhood estates can offer the same services..

We commoners make noise no use..its oni when the retailers/landlords KPKB abt bad business than they will do something..

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Change of habits like avoid meeting friends/eating/shopping/watch movie in town/CBD..neighbourhood estates can offer the same services..

We commoners make noise no use..its oni when the retailers/landlords KPKB abt bad business than they will do something..

Yeah. agree.... let's all avoid Orchard Road/Marina. See if the businesses can tahan sky-high rents and less business!

 

[Yappy]

It is never a easy to solve traffic problem when we get affluence. Everyone of us want to have a car as now we can affort it.

We dont have to goo too far. Look at the traffic jam in the early morning at the causeway and also the type of jam on weekends. Do you want to be in that situation?

 

[sORe-EyEz]

it'd be a sad day when emergency vehicles get stuck in heavy traffic arriving too late to save lives. and maybe its you or your relative who fell victim to a blaze or violent crime.

so folks, drink dun drive, think again better not drive. i surely do not like it if i am the 1 driving infront of such emergency vehicle (stuck in a jam) just becos its my aspiration to own a car for owning a car's sake... :sweat:

 

[entropy_h]

it'd be a sad day when emergency vehicles get stuck in heavy traffic arriving too late to save lives. and maybe its you or your relative who fell victim to a blaze or violent crime.

so folks, drink dun drive, think again better not drive. i surely do not like it if i am the 1 driving infront of such emergency vehicle (stuck in a jam) just becos its my aspiration to own a car for owning a car's sake... :sweat:

Good point.

In the US, when an ambulance/fire engine/police car comes blazing down the street with their sirens, EVERYONE pulls over to the side to let them pass.

People here don't give a ****. They continue driving like as if nothing's going on. Even better, some will follow the ambulance as it clears a path at high speeds so that they too can speed through heavy traffic.

 

[Big Kahuna]

There are no perfect system and there will be compromized to achieve the ultimate goal(whichever is set by the authority).

I own a car but I do not drive to my office although I would love to. On one hand I can save on the petrol bill and the heavy parking fees in CBD, on the other hand I can also conserve my energy and not loosing my cool early of the day in heavy traffic.

But I do sympatise with people who needs and must drive to town be it on business or on mission. E.g. cabbies....that mean extra cost if they are to enter CBD without passenger. My sole proprietor friend said his delivery business is hit too as he has to pass on the extra cost to customer. That contributed to the inflation of the already inflated market.

On the down side, I am taking MRT and occationally park and ride, I am fine with it as long as I can reach my office on time and comfortably. Unfortunately lately, the rides are no longer as pleasant with more crowds. On top of that commuters started became less civilize with Q jumping, space hogging, loud phone conversation, loud music from headphone etc. Sometime I will miss 1 or 2 trains and that affect my routine schedule.

So like it or not, it will affect all of us one thing or another and I sincerely hope that the relevant party to look at the problem in holistic manner rather than patching and fixing problem in piece meal basis :dunno:

 

[Tupi Guy]

Dun be surprise that in the future where you and me become fertilizer then singapore need to implant a "ERP" chip in their body. Where charges start the moment they leave the house and it will be easier for human control as now government also want to increase population in sg.

Robotic.........

This was a one of my sketch teaser idea for personal work. Anyone interested can give it a shot.

 

[cheeseme]

1st of all, who r the one creating the conjestions and jams? So the authority took the reason for an "ok-lah" solution, to create some revenue and reward those who dun take those roads with rebates.

I'm quite confident that if all those over careful, scare lose, inconsiderate and living in their own world drivers are removed from those usual conjected roads, the traffic flow rate would 100% increase.

 

[aeskywan]

There are no perfect system and there will be compromized to achieve the ultimate goal(whichever is set by the authority).

I own a car but I do not drive to my office although I would love to. On one hand I can save on the petrol bill and the heavy parking fees in CBD, on the other hand I can also conserve my energy and not loosing my cool early of the day in heavy traffic.

But I do sympatise with people who needs and must drive to town be it on business or on mission. E.g. cabbies....that mean extra cost if they are to enter CBD without passenger. My sole proprietor friend said his delivery business is hit too as he has to pass on the extra cost to customer. That contributed to the inflation of the already inflated market.

On the down side, I am taking MRT and occationally park and ride, I am fine with it as long as I can reach my office on time and comfortably. Unfortunately lately, the rides are no longer as pleasant with more crowds. On top of that commuters started became less civilize with Q jumping, space hogging, loud phone conversation, loud music from headphone etc. Sometime I will miss 1 or 2 trains and that affect my routine schedule.

So like it or not, it will affect all of us one thing or another and I sincerely hope that the relevant party to look at the problem in holistic manner rather than patching and fixing problem in piece meal basis :dunno:

Well remember how the transport minister said that passengers will be charged according to the distance they travel and no more via there will be no more extra charge for transfers between services?

The announcement just came out that they will be implementing it soon.

The GOOD
Passengers who transfer from train to bus, bus to bus, bus to MRT will no longer need to pay a transfer fee. Passengers that transfer make up 40 percent of all passengers.

The BAD
The loss in revenue from the transfer fees will be taken from the 60 percent of passengers that don't transfer.... hence expect a rise of 3 percent and beyond in October for all transport fares.

 

[blazer_workz]

Well remember how the transport minister said that passengers will be charged according to the distance they travel and no more via there will be no more extra charge for transfers between services?

The announcement just came out that they will be implementing it soon.

The GOOD
Passengers who transfer from train to bus, bus to bus, bus to MRT will no longer need to pay a transfer fee. Passengers that transfer make up 40 percent of all passengers.

The BAD
The loss in revenue from the transfer fees will be taken from the 60 percent of passengers that don't transfer.... hence expect a rise of 3 percent and beyond in October for all transport fares.

LPPL..vicious cycle begins!

 

[razor]

waht do i think???

It favours the rich, not the needful....

Anyway, I still do understand why taxis and other public transportation have to incur ERP. Without having to incur ERPS charges on these public transport, it is more logical to take a cab than driving own vehicle.

AS ERP is deemed not to be a revenue making exercise, LTA shouldnt be charging taxis and other public transportation ERP .