10/31/2007
Response to ERP rates
I watched a few interviews conducted by the media on TV last night. A couple responded in shock. How could it be, so high, it was going to affect their livelihood. Then another put it in another way. Too many cars on the road. And he recommended that the COE price should be raised to $80k. That would keep the car population down.
The latter response is more in line with my earlier post. You either make car ownership so costly or driving on the expressways so costly, otherwise the congestion problem is not going to go away.
But of course there are many other ways of minimising the problem and these will take time and cost. The raising of ERP charges or COEs are short term measures and have been short term measures for many years. The real solution is still awaiting to happen.
And the 6.5 mil population will only make things worst.
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4 comments:
Actually, its simple. Improve the bus services. The operators dont have to increase the service numbers, they just need to get more buses out during the peak hours.
Eg: 6-8am and 6-8pm, increase current bus frequency on crowded buses by 1.5times. Or get more of those budget 2 decker buses seen in operation on smaller roads. Those arent very fast (i think their normal speeds are 45kmh), nor is it very comfortable (rather cramped seats), but can seat lots of people which should be good during peak hours.
The high taxes on cars should go.
WHY?
Because cars are not the problem. It is lack of space at CERTAIN TIMES which is the problem.
For e.g. there is no traffic congestion at 3am. Therefore people shouldn't be penalised for merely having a car, but they should pay for the "rental" of the space required to drive it.
ERP pricing for peak hours is the way to go. Make the fast roads priced at a premium—say $50 upwards, and the slower roads a bit cheaper at $30—all this during peak periods.
This means people have to pay a lot even if they use the "cheaper" roads. And they should also be timed at $10 per minute in the ERP areas after a certain period—say 15 minutes. This means if there is a traffic jam during that time, and one spends LONGER than 15 minute in the ERP area, the motorist is charged $10 per minute, thus sending the message that if you use the roads at this time, you will be charged MORE if there is a traffic jam (which you were a part of, because you are driving at the time contributing to the VOLUME of traffic on the road, at the time)
Simple ban the Car, stop importing car to small red dot b'cos this tiny island run out of space & to cater for future 6.5 million populations must be a fat dream, Government wake up you idiot mind, stop denying that you all are just as simple as our ordinary people who doesn't worth that must may be $1k/month is still too much isn't it.
restructure the people's lifestyle.
daytime work. night time, including the wee hours in the morning for social activities.
working hours, make travelling in private cars extremely expensive. during social hours, free flowing. and make car ownership cheap.
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