Businesses, motorists will be worse off in long run if ERP eased

[Garlic]

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin.../360266/1/.html

 

 

Businesses, motorists will be worse off in long run if ERP eased

By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 July 2008 1858 hrs

 

SINGAPORE : Easing up on congestion charging on Singapore roads will be detrimental to both motorists and businesses in the long run, according to Transport Minister Raymond Lim.

 

His comments on the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) followed complaints by motorists and businesses over higher ERP charges and added gantries.

 

New gantries along the Singapore River were put up a week ago. Mr Lim said initial reports have shown that traffic speeds have gone up and vehicle volume has decreased.

 

While some businesses within central Singapore, like in Clarke Quay, have argued that it is driving customers away, Mr Lim noted that not having ERP will be even more detrimental to retailers.

 

He said, "If you look at the experience in London, they have the same concern - the retail establishments. But after congestion charging was put in, their business over time actually improved. It became easier to get into London, to the restaurants there, to shops there. Similarly, the experience we had in Orchard Road was the same."

 

And on comments that evening ERP charging is taking a toll on family life, Mr Lim said the alternative would be to get stuck in traffic and still end up getting home late.

 

He said, "I think the critical decision for us as a people is that whether as a people we are willing to take sometimes difficult decisions, painful decisions, that we know will benefit Singaporeans as a whole. Or do we postpone difficult issues, difficult measures, do the popular thing and store up bigger trouble for ourselves in the future.

 

"We have not taken the populist road. We have said if this is the right thing to do and the situation calls for it, we would do it and in the case of congestion charging, I know it's difficult, it's an unpopular measure, motorists who are affected are unhappy, but it is something that is necessary - something that we will do so as to ensure that Singaporeans continue to enjoy living in a city, in a garden, and not a city in a carpark!"

 

The reality is that as cars try to avoid ERP, other roads get congested and more gantries are put up on arterial roads. So really there is no avoiding ERP.

 

The Transport Minister said the alternative is to take public transport.

 

The next phase of electronic road pricing will also see vehicles fitted with new In-vehicle Units (IUs).

 

The new devices are smaller and reflect not just the amount deducted from one's CashCard but also one's CashCard balance.

 

The dual-mode IUs will be fixed on new motorcycles starting next month, while new cars, taxis and other vehicles will have the device fixed from early next year. The cost of the new IUs is S$150, the same as the current ones.

 

Owners of existing vehicles can continue to use the old IUs. Motorists who wish to change to the new device may do so at LTA (Land Transport Authority) Authorised Inspection Centres. They will have to bear the full cost of replacing the IUs.

 

A next generation e-payment system for public transport is also coming up. All new stored-valued cards are expected to be made Contactless ePurse Application (CEPAS)-compliant.

 

These new generation smart cards will allow for automatic top-ups, so one will never be penalised for having insufficient funds in one's CashCard.

 

Funds can be deducted from various payment modes - for example, through GIRO or credit card.

 

Some 10,000 frequent public transport users will test out the new EZ-Link CEPAS-compliant cards between mid-August and mid-October.

 

Meanwhile, LTA will be extending the Expressway Monitoring Advisory System (EMAS) to 10 major arterial roads. This is to be phased in over the next four years.

 

A study has shown that EMAS has been effective in cutting delays on expressways, with average time savings of 24 minutes per incident. The shorter delays translate to cost savings of about S$40 million a year. - CNA/ms

[Tigershark1976]

short term already die liao.... who cares abt long term?

[Bearbear1494]

Aiyah, only can say one thing : KONG JIAO WEI (talk cork). Million-dollar-a-year pay package people say better to pay than kena jam. Peasants (most affected of whom are business people) pooh-pooh idea. Costs go up, everything else also heads north as diesel fuel skyrockets (with no aid in sight from the elites), inflation sets in. Pay for peasants cannot go up or inflation will worsen, but elites still carry on taking home big pay package with ever bigger increments. Cannot vote for other people because they incompetent, so should stick to current management. Don't do die, do also die. Elites everyday eat fish & Kobe beef, peasants grow grass at home to eat. STEADY LAH!!

 

 

P.S. Mr Raymond Lim Sir, you try taking public transport like the rest of us for one month without any escort. Squeeze like the rest of us. You can take it & dare to switch to MRT/bus full-time, give up your nice comfy car, WE FOLLOW YOU.

[Apollo]

based on his skewed thinking.. less congestion = better biz. i suggest he move his house and stay and CCK cementry. confirm his investment will pay off immediately.

[Bearbear1494]

I don't know about the rest of us here, but I'm sick & tired of reading all these propaganda in the media (no prizes for guessing who has the leash on them) that reflects the view of only the well-heeled. I hardly ever see them interview those true peasants who are struggling in the real world, to solicit their views. Once in a while they'll bring in some paid flunky posing as sibeh lor-lan type & yet this fella will say this policy good that policy good.

 

I want to see real action from the upper management. Want to combat inflation? Take pay cut or forgo bonus lor. Help to offset industrial costs by waiving diesel fuel tax for the interim until the situation stabilises lor. Want to convince people our public transport world-class & is a real, viable alternative, switch to public transport also lor. Live the life of a low-to-average income class citizen & lead by example lor. Everyday sit in office come up with all sorts of reasons & justifications for implementing unpopular policies, send press packages out etc, but no action.

[Apollo]

simi management.. they either waiting for street protestors or more pple jumping into mrt tracks. until tat happen, nothing happen.

 

too bad, so many big spenders around, showing big purchases during computer show, tourism fairs, COE still rocking high... got pple spending big tix of cos economy must b good.

[Bearbear1494]

 

Which is why if their research is based on such things as shopping fairs to determine economic health instead of spending time digging around in the real world, we also can do this job..... for HALF their pay. This kind of job, tiang buay hiao cho?

[Zakuii]

All these benefit the rich and the elites only. With the common folks not going to pay erp, so the restaurants are near to empty. therefore the rich and elites can at any time get a place in the restaurant they wish to dine in. erp is bull. it benefits only the rich and elites, because only them are able to afford the erp. peasants like us have to go squeeze on other roads, or dun drive at all.

[RadX]

eh pls hor....my clients dun want such company....

 

[Bearbear1494]

So must tell my children next time die die also must get into gahment. Failing that, migrate to China grow rice & veggie better. Either be good enough to enjoy the good life in SG, or live a simple, no-frills life elsewhere. This is a land of the rich & famous, even better than Malibu or Hawaii.

[Bearbear1494]

Simi? If he really move there, he'll get lawyers to start serving eviction notices to the "residents" there. Make it an exclusive neighbourhood.

[Rncw]

he ish ministar, not like us peasants..you ask him to take public transport? he ish more important than any of us peasants, cos he's in the gahment earning big fat salary just to tok cork sing song.

 

those bunch of elites, i wonder do they feel the pinch at all.

 

Aiyah, only can say one thing : KONG JIAO WEI (talk cork). Million-dollar-a-year pay package people say better to pay than kena jam. Peasants (most affected of whom are business people) pooh-pooh idea. Costs go up, everything else also heads north as diesel fuel skyrockets (with no aid in sight from the elites), inflation sets in. Pay for peasants cannot go up or inflation will worsen, but elites still carry on taking home big pay package with ever bigger increments. Cannot vote for other people because they incompetent, so should stick to current management. Don't do die, do also die. Elites everyday eat fish & Kobe beef, peasants grow grass at home to eat. STEADY LAH!!

 

 

P.S. Mr Raymond Lim Sir, you try taking public transport like the rest of us for one month without any escort. Squeeze like the rest of us. You can take it & dare to switch to MRT/bus full-time, give up your nice comfy car, WE FOLLOW YOU.

[Sfhuang]

F**king propaganda. Pui!

[Maxus-MIFA9]

"New gantries along the Singapore River were put up a week ago. Mr Lim said initial reports have shown that traffic speeds have gone up and vehicle volume has decreased."

 

 

 

Yup...... most of the Ministries are located in and around City Hall area.......

 

for sure traffic speed up or they will be late for office....

[Chongster]

"The reality is that as cars try to avoid ERP, other roads get congested and more gantries are put up on arterial roads. So really there is no avoiding ERP."

 

this sentence is as good as saying that ERP does not work, because it always go back to square one.

 

only way then is to limit vehicle population through COE.

[Kingcopa]

Yes. Part of the reason for the traffic congestion at that area is due to the commencement of the down town line. Screw up the whole traffic flow there. Then they announce "speed limit go down, must put erp" bloody hell.

 

ERP to control car population..... who they try to kid? Put up COE as last time 20-30k, see still got some many new cars on the road or not. Isnt it much better in controlling traffic condition

[Boyboy]

simi management.. they either waiting for street protestors or more pple jumping into mrt tracks. until tat happen, nothing happen.

 

too bad, so many big spenders around, showing big purchases during computer show, tourism fairs, COE still rocking high... got pple spending big tix of cos economy must b good.

 

some pple street protest, kena jail/fine

 

pple jump onto mrt track, quickly clean up the mess, media blackout.

 

how? U say "until that happen".. that has ALREADY happened

 

must give them tight slap at 2011. like mm lee say, vote wisely. i heard that much from him

[Felipe]

Aiyah, only can say one thing : KONG JIAO WEI (talk cork). Million-dollar-a-year pay package people say better to pay than kena jam. Peasants (most affected of whom are business people) pooh-pooh idea. Costs go up, everything else also heads north as diesel fuel skyrockets (with no aid in sight from the elites), inflation sets in. Pay for peasants cannot go up or inflation will worsen, but elites still carry on taking home big pay package with ever bigger increments. Cannot vote for other people because they incompetent, so should stick to current management. Don't do die, do also die. Elites everyday eat fish & Kobe beef, peasants grow grass at home to eat. STEADY LAH!!

 

 

P.S. Mr Raymond Lim Sir, you try taking public transport like the rest of us for one month without any escort. Squeeze like the rest of us. You can take it & dare to switch to MRT/bus full-time, give up your nice comfy car, WE FOLLOW YOU.

 

absolutely. Talk the talk. walk the walk.