ERP, Congestion and Vehicle Usage

[Elfenstar]

Hi guys and gals. I have just emailed a letter to the straits times. I tried to think about it from various viewpoints, and although it's not all encompassing, it should cover some of the main issues for both the people and the government on viewpoints for the three issues. Let me know what you guys think of the ST-unedited version.

 

I have been reading with amusement the excuses LTA has given to increase the number of gantries and raise ERP rates. The fact is, many people still drive to work because of the lack of incentives not to do so, as well as improper use and lack of proper of dis-incentives. LTA should not be working alone, but in tandem with other government agencies to control congestion.

 

As the LTA (or ROV to be more precise) stated when it was first implemented, the ERP system was initially designed to even out traffic flow by spreading traffic out across the various routes. So why does the LTA erect more gantries and charge people when they change their routes? If the alternative routes start getting congested, then the charges at the main route should be reduced to

[Nolicense]

Good letter.. now i know why the ST editors are paid so much by their masters.. its kinda difficult to edit your letter to spin it in their favor.

 

then again they might not publish it after all.

[Elfenstar]

Thanks! I'll see how it goes. One of my job specifications is as a publicist and PR spokesperson, so i deal with SPH quite often . I've already had four of my PR/spin jobs in SPH papers over the last three weeks and I'm working with the Sunday Time on a new "lifestyle" segment. I should be able to push for my contacts at SPH to publish it if they don't do it by the end of this week.

 

If they still don't, I'll get my celeb blogger "managee" to post on her blog with her comments. Lets see if 15k-20k unique hits a day will get some response from the LTA Not to mention the huge readership base with MCF already

 

To be honest, I think it would be in favour of the govt to get this letter published and ideas like these implemented as they stand to earn more and satisfy us more than with with the way they use ERP.

Edited June 29, 2008 by Elfenstar

[Ronnchee]

Bro, you should head the country man.

[Elfenstar]

Cannot... dun have govt sponsored foreign education Might start up a Motoring Safety Issues Group later on though. I approached a few bro's here before, but didn't tell them the details on it, and didn't follow through as I got this new job and had no real time. Not to mention I'm underway with my preparations to start up a small biz as well. Edited June 29, 2008 by Elfenstar

[Cheekg98]

there's park n ride at kallang MRT station ...

 

signal of letter is not clear. u criticise LTA, yet praise them ...

[Kelpie]

Ok, lets see...

 

As the LTA (or ROV to be more precise) stated when it was first implemented, the ERP system was initially designed to even out traffic flow by spreading traffic out across the various routes. So why does the LTA erect more gantries and charge people when they change their routes? If the alternative routes start getting congested, then the charges at the main route should be reduced to

[Redplanet]

To TS: Elfenstar

 

Appreciate your effort and time to come up with this letter...

 

Its good.

 

Hope it gets the go-ahead with as little edition as possible. You did them the courtesy of balancing the negative points with a little pat on the back near the end. But bearing in mind some rather straightforward jabs, it would be really a miracle if your work gets published in its totality.

 

Cheers.

Edited June 30, 2008 by Redplanet

[Eversman]

erp is a flop from the start.

[Yaloryalor]

Thats the way! Jus like talking to your kids or subordinates. You would need to praise them first then can criticise them.

 

If jus only criticise then they will not publish it liao

[Kelpie]

Thats the way! Jus like talking to your kids or subordinates. You would need to praise them first then can criticise them.

 

If jus only criticise then they will not publish it liao

 

Then TS should praise LTA 1st not till the last .

 

Regards,

[Yaloryalor]

I like your letter! esp on the part you mentioned they erecting more gantries at alternative routes. Its like LPPL

Edited June 30, 2008 by Yaloryalor

[Silverkris]

Please, you have made good points, but the government final target is to push Singapore to Japan car ownership and usage situation.

 

In Japan, almost everyone can afford a car (no COE, high salary), but less than 40% of car owners are driving to work due to high parking charges and tolls fees.

Singapore is trying to copy this as well, trying to enhance car ownership (by lowering road tax) yet trying to restrict people from driving (by ERP).

Before we try all sort of means to ask the government why they din't do this and that to help the drivers, we must bear in mind what their final purposes are.

 

Government is encouraging people to buy cars (they have mentioned this is to fulfill people conception that having a car is status quo) yet have to restrict them from driving to the roads unless absolutely necessary. I think they are doing a good job by implementing ERP system if it is to get to their final target. Contratary to what people believe, the ERP system is NOT to make profits.

 

The ERP system, sooner or later, will make casual drivers quit from driving to work and take public transport. Oh, and it will not affect those that require their cars to work as the government believes that the company will have to adjust accordingly to the remuneration to the people needing cars to fulfill their work committments.

 

This way, due to car costs decrease, people will still buy a car to fulfill their needs when they need but not affecting the road conditions at the same time as those left driving will be those that are paid by the company, or the super rich where they dun mind paying.

 

There we have it, we got high percentage of car owners and low traffic flow.

Any other questions?

[Yaloryalor]

Edited June 30, 2008 by Yaloryalor

[Yaloryalor]

TS has his own style of writting. My english is powderful no powerful so I cant comment on this.

[Kelpie]

What you have not mentioned is in Japan, you need to invest in a parking lot. And how much is that?

 

You need to prove ownership of a parking space in Japan before you may buy a car in Japan and also submit certification of such known as shakoshomeishou to the TP. They can be very expensive depending on where you live. The rental of the space varies -- from

Edited June 30, 2008 by Kelpie

[Elfenstar]

They already made in clearly that it will be a progressive usage based policy. They will just erect more and more gantries in every main and aerial routes. After all, it will be a "catch all" system. The more we complain about the "uneveness", the more gantries you will see.

 

If they were charging to make the flow more even it would be fine, but as stated very clearly, the new gantries are to reduce congestion. They might as well tax fuel more instead as it would definitely be usage based. When used in conjunction with a properly utilised ERP system (for flow control rather than congestion control) and localised raised parking charges, this should serve to reduce congestion in those areas too.

 

For Kallang MRT, there is already a park-n-ride carpark nearby. Woodleigh MRT? Politically sensitive if you ask me. They probably hold till the next election.

 

The park-n-ride at Kallang gets full quite early. I was suggesting more space for it. Woodleigh has almost no housing surrounding it. They might as well use some of the space as s solution for people to drive the park at an MRT station instead of driving into congested areas. There are no park-n-ride areas along the NE line. The political issue would have been at potong pasir station which is already in use.

 

It was mentioned in those building advisory that future new CBD building will have lesser parking lots. What happened if more than 2 hours? wheel clamped or toll away? A businessman may choose to park in CBD and spend the whole day meeting clients and to discuss about business ventures there.

 

The limited-time lots are for "cheaper" HDB or URA parking in congested areas. For those who do not want to have time restrictions, they should park in a heavier taxed (i.e a more expensive) private parking space. For those who flout the time regulations, they will get fined. For the private car spaces, I am talking about increasing taxes on these operators till the rates hit $3 or $4 per hour.

 

I like this one, though I'm don't own an OPC. I think they did explain alot of businesses operating on the 1st half of Saturday so they don't to flood the roads with OPC.

 

Thats why, between the high hourly parking charges or slightly cheaper time limited parking in congested areas, together with free parking at parks and recreational areas, hopefully it will divert people to these cheaper alternatives. I have a few more ideas to increase costs and/or hassles without using ERP for congested areas but I would rather wait and see how they feel about these first.

 

You're going to see varaition in the kind of alternate fuel used, bio-diesel, electric, hydrogen, CNG, LPG...so how? The best is to still raise the barrier of entry. Also cutting quota and increase COE prices.

 

Its a variable tax for all automotive fuel. The problem would be electric cars, but those aren't viable at all in Singapore as there isn't any place to charge them unless you live in a private house.

 

What have they done so well that you need to praise them? Even someone like you who have common sense can do the job equally well too. You're probably giving them some face.

 

I give credit where credit is due. Even if it's simple and anybody could have thought of it, nobody did think of a COE like system before them. Other than prices being kinda in control by KM and BM due to their combined sales, its a very sound policy in controlling the vehicle population.

Edited June 30, 2008 by Elfenstar

[Elfenstar]

Thats the way! Jus like talking to your kids or subordinates. You would need to praise them first then can criticise them.

 

If jus only criticise then they will not publish it liao

 

Then TS should praise LTA 1st not till the last .

 

Regards,

 

PR style... you praise at the end as they will remember it more than praise at the beginning where they will only remember the criticisms I don't want to get thrown into ISD's prison k