ERP rates are going up again with 5 new gantries to be switched on along the Singapore River (Water taxis anyone?).
As a public citizen, I thought some of the arguments were a little weak and needed further rationalisation and explanation.
1. LTA has claimed that things like the ERP rates are excluded from the freeze (due to bad economy) and that traffic congestion, left unchecked, will have a negative effect on the economy.
Questions: I wonder how traffic congestion increases with a worsening economy - would people buy more cars? When fuel prices are getting higher, would people drive more? Is there any *proven* correlation that the economy is affected by traffic congestion?
2. Traffic in the CBD is slowing down, claims LTA. So LTA came up with a new way to measure speed - the 85th percentile method - this is when motorists experience smooth traffic at least 85 percent of the time on roads that have ERP gantries.
Questions: Knowing that traffic congestion in CBD is increasing, why on earth are we building our IR and enlarging the Marina Bay office area? Given ceteris paribus, there would be a greater number of vehicles going into and out of the CBD once these mega-projects are completed. But then again, u.urban planning is not LTA's problem right?
Prediction: Since ERP has been already implemented on East-West bound roads such as ECP, Esplanade Drive, Eu Tong Sen, North Bridge, we'll expect River Valley Road to be next.
Luckily, I'm not affected as I have taken the Government's advice into mind and take public transport.
Unfortunately, with the increase in ERP rates, it is likely that motorists would shift to take MRT to work (thereby increasing waiting times and greater frustration when taking public transport).
Can LTA also adopt the 85th percentile method for passengers of public transport as well? This should be the standard that supports passengers to find seats 85% of the time.
Trains/buses should also arrive punctually 85% of the time set according to time schedules (eg. arrive 8am at specified bus-stop - arrive 8.15am at interchange - take 8.25am MRT train, reach office at 8.45am) rather than interval schedules (bus coming in 10mins, MRT coming in 4 mins).
I googled and found an interesting article - will write a bit more about it later - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_congestion
