The
opening of the Downtown Line was supposed to bring more options to commuters
traveling to and from the city. It is also touted as the good news for the
future, to lesser dependence on the convenience of cars and private transport.
So, go forth and spread the good news. With so many train lines criss crossing
the island, going anywhere would now be a breeze and super efficient. This
would lead to more car owners leaving their cars behind or not even wanting to
pay for the cut throat prices of car ownership. Singapore
Last
Tuesday and Wednesday morning saw the East West Line slowing to a crawl during
morning peak hours. Many commuters were late for work. Thursday morning, the
new Downtown Line was disrupted in less than a week from its test run. Lateness
has become a new normal, due to train stoppages, slowdowns or breakdowns. We
cannot expect to push a button and everything works anymore.
What
are the options when the most important public transport is no longer reliable
and cars are so super expensive? Walking and cycling. These two modes of moving
from place to place will become the alternative to public transport. Singaporeans
must be prepared to use their heads, oops, I mean use their legs, to move
around.
It
is time to promote healthy living by walking from one end of the island to the
other end, from Changi Point to Tuas and vice versa, from Woodlands to World
Trade Centre and back. It is good for
Singaporeans. It will not affect their quality of life. In fact they will be
more healthy and fit, like the coolies of the 1940s and 50s. Just get use to it
and pretend it is good for health, healthy living, quality lifestyle. Better
still, promote it as the new aspiration of Singaporeans. Condition the
Singaporeans to love walking and bicycles and to sneer at car ownership as
something bad. Stop all the promotions and advertisements on driving posh cars
just like stopping the advertisements on cigarettes.
And
to make sure the good news of lesser cars in this city becomes a reality,
introduce an additional lifestyle tax of $100k for car ownership. That would
leave only the multi millionaires and billionaires to be the only people able
to own cars. And when the population of cars has fallen, there will be no need
for all the ERP gantries or car parks in HDB, freeing more space to increase
the population to 10m or 20m.
Singaporeans
must be rejoicing at the good news on how good life will be going forward,
without cars and with so many train lines to bring them to wherever they want
to go.
Rb // Lateness has become a new normal, due to train stoppages, slowdowns or breakdowns. //
ReplyDeleteIs this new normal sustainable?
Rb // Thursday morning, the new Downtown Line was disrupted in less than a week from its test run. //
ReplyDeleteTechnically, looking at the starting route of DTL2, it is serving predominantly CCK and Bt Pj?
Now look at the population of these 2 estates. ....
DeleteAssuming just 1/3 of them take DTL2 during the morning peak period of 6am to 8.30 am.
DeleteGiven the passengers load of the trains in DTL2, assuming they can absorb one hdb block of residents if sardined to the brim.
Delete1/3 of the population in CCK and Bt Pj is roughly about the population of 300 blocks of HDB flats?
DeleteTo clear just the commuters staying in CCK and Bt Pj, DTL2 needs to run a total of about 300 trips one way between 6am to 8.30 am?
DeleteThat is about one train every 30 seconds?
DeleteIf the peak hour rush is really "bad", every train moving off from the Bt Panjang terminal on DTL2 would likely be sardined to the brim?
DeleteMeans what?
DeleteMeans the commuters at the next few stations such as cashew, hill view, beauty world, kap etc have no chance of boarding the trains at all during the peak, peak hours of say 7.30 am to 8.30 am?
DeleteNow if YEW are the residents staying in hill view, bearing with all the inconveniences, road diversions, noise pollution, dust pollution etc for the past few years and end up staring at packed trains after trains every morning zooming past with no chance of boarding them at say hill view station, getting late for work, what is the feeling inside?
DeleteNow, how about joining the queue at the terminal station further north at the starting point then?
DeleteSo a 10-station journey to say Bugis becomes a 14-station journey with an added at least 15 minutes?
DeleteHow about commuters further south say in the middle of DTL2?
DeleteShould they also take opposite direction and join the Q at the northern terminal starting station to have a ( fighting ) chance of boarding the train?
DeleteHypothetically if a resident near KAP station does that, her 8-station journey to Bugis doubles to 16-station with about 21 to 23 min added to her journey?
DeleteNow go to CCK, Bt Panjang and the nearer CCK side of Bt Batok?
DeleteHow many ( BTO ) flats were launched in the past few years?
How many cranes ( in the various new HDB construction sites ) can YEW count in these 3 HDB estates?
What do all these portend ( for DTL2 ) when tens of thousands of new flats are completed, come on stream and filled with new residents in 1 to 3 years time?
DeleteIs the planning and ( carriage ) capacity of DTL far-sighted?
DeleteIs there any difference between a labour agent who housed 50 workers in an overcrowded quarter with 1 solitary toilet and an elite who planned and spent tens of billions but with yet another overcrowded MRT line?
DeleteWith an (ever) increasing (foreign) population, should not train carriages capacity be catered for more, not less commuters?
DeleteThe odious Downtown line is yet another showcase of PAP plundering public monies to subsidize the rich. Dont take me wrong, I am not saying Downtown line is bad, but there are more urgent priorities MRT lines.
ReplyDeleteIf we look at the current opening of western stretch Downtown Lines, it serve the Bukit Timah areas, a place where 100% of the families own a car, and the MOST affluence estate of Singapore. I expect DT line utilization to be very small.
The Eastern DT Line which runs along the HDB heartlands will be open in 2017 if everything is on schedule.
The western DT Line clearly do not merit priorities over the eastern DT Line.
And in my opinion, there are even more higher priorities MRT expansion that is not even on the horizon. We need 2 more line running parallel with East-West and North-East Line, the main arteries of MRT, to serve as a backup for breakdowns as well as serve as a line for express train.
In all fucking PAP transport planing, the KPI is to make monies and never about citizens. Someone who need travel from Bedok to NTU daily, takes more than 3 hours to commute (excluding feeder), and that is 1/8 of his entire life.
A substantial number of Singapore population have their life wasted on MRT because train stop at every station. If there are Express Train, a lot of time will be free up for family.
2 lines running in parallel with existing NS and EW line will make all disruption in train breakdown history, as existing train service can also be migrated to the Express Line.
The reason of Japan realiable Railway is not that Japanese system do not breaks down, but that Japan rail system have backups.
But with DT Line, I see Bukit Timah people properties going more closer to stratosphere. Huat ah.
Since the MRT keeps breaking down;
ReplyDeleteit's better if PAP promotes a train-less lifestyle.
Walk, cycle or drive.
But don't use the trains.
But even if PAP screw up on the MRT, 70% still think opposition as govt will not do any better, maybe worse, tio bo?
ReplyDeleteLucky Hsien Loong, for screwing up and yet PAP can still win big every election.
Is the planning and ( carriage ) capacity of DTL far-sighted?
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:52 am
Even if not far-sighted, what can Sinkies do, besides kpkb?
Aiyo .....
DeleteWhat it portends, more commuters for the train operators and more profit.
ReplyDeleteSeems that DTL rolling stock Bombardier MOVIA C951 is made in China, which is a good choice. China has the most advance rolling stock technology in the whole world.
ReplyDeleteIn the future, China should open more MNC in Singapore, hire our fucking local graduates and banana to work for them, so to kill the ignorance of locals that goods from China are lousy.
Is there any difference between a labour agent who housed 50 workers in an overcrowded quarter with 1 solitary toilet and an elite who planned and spent tens of billions but with yet another overcrowded MRT line?
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:55 am
Yes there is a difference. The labour agent saved money despite a bad outcome for the workers.
Whereas PAP spent billions on MRT and yet with a bad outcome for no money to buy car Sinkie commuters.
Aiyo ......
DeleteMajority of Sinkies have no cars and have to use public transport, and hence have to bear with the inconvenience of MRT screw ups caused by PAP.
ReplyDeleteMajority of Sinkies, and increased to 70% some more, also voted for PAP in GE 2015.
Swee bo (wonderful or not), for PAP?
Go electric, man.
ReplyDeleteIt's much cheaper and more energy efficient.
In 2035, Singapore can have 100% Electric Vehicles on the road.
Read how simple this can become a reality:
http://miko-wisdom.blogspot.sg/2015/10/singapore-combats-climate-change-future.html
Cher you are from school of EEE although you dont teach EEE.
ReplyDeleteElectric car is green if the power source is non-fossil. Today combustion engineering efficiency is around 35% which is roughly the same as power plant.
The latest super-critical plant can hit 40% but we still we have transmission line and step down voltage conversion loss.
So you dont save much, other that we are using natural gas cleaner and greener than using gasoline.
How about Solar? You need a large space for pannel which we dont have. Next is we go nuke.
So not much saving if we go EV.
Not to forget, charging of rechargeable battery is lossy also. I am not too sure if efficiency can hit 90%.
ReplyDeleteMy take is there is still a possibility if we want to go EV. The entire Indonesia and Malaysia Borneo hydro potential is around 50 GW. But Borneo has no customer.
ReplyDeleteSingapore consume around 5 GW.
So if Singapore can fund a undersea transmssion line.
But wait long long to build dam in Indon and Malaysia and to propose a transmission line connecting Singapore.
Things that can be done in China cannot be done with these folks.
Rb, if u are doing a survey on young graduates u will notice that they have been conditioned that they are not supposed to own a car with the pathetic salary that they have unlike their parents generation.
ReplyDeleteThe way to solve car ownership problem is by some sort of car pool. By 2030, there will be driverless car. In fact, car ownership is going to dissappear. Car can be rented out just by keying in source and destination, time to arrival in the PC, and it will arrive at doorstep, take you to desstination without a driver.
ReplyDeleteUber having problems with amateur driver robbery is looking at implementing driverless fleet.
So our PM prophecy of no car ownership is in a way true.
Car is still a status symbol in Sinkieland lah. If not, except for the wayang transport minister, why other ministers don't take public transport?
ReplyDeleteWalking and cycling is good for health. The government is doing a good job by encouraging exercise for health improvement. Redbean should not poo poo such incentives. Cars in Singapore is a luxury and only to be possessed if one needs it. Singapore has one of the best public transport system in the world. Most people do not need cars. The PAP government is doing a fantastic job providing this efficient public transport system. Good job PAP. Way to go......
ReplyDeleteCar ownership was easily accessible to the average Singaporeans before. Who screwed it up and made car ownership only a privilege of the very rich? And why silly sinkies so happy to accept this fate?
ReplyDeleteBecause there are only sheeples in Singapore!!!!
ReplyDeleteAiyo .....
DeleteRb // Singapore is working towards a car light city.//
ReplyDeleteRb, from the point of view of tax revenue, this is "pure TKSS"?
The tax receipts from COEs, ERP tolls, vehicles import excise duties, road tax, fuel taxes etc make up more than 20% of sinkieland's yearly tax revenue?
DeleteIf demand for cars hypothetically dropped by 50% due to commuters switching from private to public transportation mode, YEW think what would happen to the yearly government budget balance?
DeleteRb // This would lead to more car owners leaving their cars behind or not even wanting to pay for the cut throat prices of car ownership. //
ReplyDeleteAgain this is another "impossibility" .......
If hypothetically 50% of the car owners do that, the public transportation network likely could be "paralysed", especially during peak hours? It is not built for that capacity, not even in the next 10 to 20 years?
DeleteAnd the elites have spent about tens of billions in recent years to upgrade/ expand major high ways .......?
DeleteSignificant portion of that precious resources would have gone down the drain should this occur?
It would lead to an imbalanced outcome ....?
DeletePublic transport overused and roads underused?
DeleteOn the other hand, those working in downtown areas especially places that priced carpark lots in terms of "gold" per sq inch, and those people are more or less desk-bound or limited to internal meetings and around or near their working premises, then leaving their cars behind may not be a choice but a necessity?
ReplyDeleteThat's a reality when the costs of parking per hour in some buildings could worth several meals at a food court for the average employees. .....?
Rb // It is time to promote healthy living by walking from one end of the island to the other end, from Changi Point to Tuas and vice versa, from Woodlands to World Trade Centre and back. //
ReplyDeleteThis is no "laughing matter" .....
The private transport "pricing" could eventually put many working in downtown out of reach?
DeleteAnd for some people, public transport is not an option for its uncertainty element as well as overcrowding. ...?
DeleteFor the fitter folks, a radius of 15km is still within reach daily to and fro via the bicycle mode .....?
DeleteThis could be the trend for some given the present price trend in private transport and uncertainty / overcrowding in public transport?
DeleteAs for walking becoming a daily routine and mode of commute to work, it could become a "reality" for those within a 5 km radius, .....maybe 8km with some stretching. ...?
DeleteAnother mode not often thought of is "scooting" ...... literally. .....
DeleteIt seems getting "more popular " these days ......
Finally, for the younger generation especially fresh graduates and young adults below 30 years old, some may resort to roller blading as yet another mode of commute ( to work )?
DeleteBut for those older workers, especially twice the age or more, roller blading is an option that they should give it a miss .....?
DeletePerhaps, legislating to allow older workers such as oldies to commute via "motorised" wheel chairs at some stage could be a reality, especially within a radius of 5 to 8 km?
DeleteAs a start, allowing the PG to do so ( in some form of trial pilot project )?
DeleteAs for rb's suggestion of walking from Changi to Tuas or woodlands to harbour front, in economics there is such thing called "geographical immobility" in terms of factor mobility. ....?
DeleteSinkies are thought to be daft by some elites but hopefully not that daft .....?
DeleteHow many people including young adults ( and not just oldies ) would find it efficient to commute from one end of sinkieland to another to work unless YEW are working in certain sectors such as oil refinery and staying in the east and therefore no choice but to commute from East to Jurong Island to work?
DeleteLikewise for students, how many "kongcum" primary, secondary or JC students ( or parents ) there are who stay say in Pasir Ris but enrol themselves in schools say in Jurong?
DeleteRb // In fact they will be more healthy and fit, like the coolies of the 1940s and 50s. //
DeleteUncle RB, are YEW suggesting the elites ....... they ....... they ...... may be thinking of the transportation mode of ....... the 40s ....... and ...... 50s .....?
Are YEW suggesting the elites ....... they ...... they ...... might be thinking ......... of ....... of ....... rickshaws. ......?
How about oso using ancient mode of transport of buffaloes?
DeleteHeard about bullock carts .....?
DeleteHa ha ha ha ha .....
My maternal grandpa lived till 90s as bumboat slave on singapore river.
ReplyDeleteMy late mum at also 90s.
Now we have youngsters at aged 30s already kaput
Must go back to walking and bulllock carts.
Aiyo .....
DeleteMy early bird commentators, thank you for raising those points. No need to worry, our forward looking, proactive govt have everything thought out. They are exceptional in planning ahead, like our world class transport system, housing system, our medical school producing doctors, and the universities producing our next generation of bankers that they will be rolling out in 30 years time.
ReplyDeleteHave faith. God is omniprescient.
Aiyo .....
DeleteRb, lastly to make "马路" ( literally means horse roads ) "名副其实", another alternative is horse?
ReplyDeleteDonkeys oso can?
The first time I took the LRT, I think it is one lousy, inconvenient idea ever thought of in our transport system. If you are not staying around any LRT station, taking the LRT is far, far more inconvenient than taking feeder buses.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the LRT is one big stupid idea. Was this white elephant thought of by the white elephants just to show we have arrived?
Just like sinkies must learn to adapt having many foreigners around, business must also learn to adapt having worker reporting late for work. Reporting late for work should be a norm and a right.
ReplyDeleteBus number
ReplyDelete