Understanding governance through the management of traffic flow in Singapore

Learning PointsLearning Points

Identify the methods that the Identify the methods that the government used to control government used to control traffic flow in Singapore which traffic flow in Singapore which are:are:

1.1. Area Licensing SchemeArea Licensing Scheme2.2. Electronic Road PricingElectronic Road Pricing3.3. Park-and-Ride SchemePark-and-Ride Scheme

Why is there a need to Why is there a need to control the flow of traffic in control the flow of traffic in S’pore?S’pore?Singapore needs to manage the use of Singapore needs to manage the use of land carefully as:land carefully as:

Small land areaSmall land area

Increase in population Increase in population → → increase in demand of land for increase in demand of land for roads roads

& other uses (housing, & other uses (housing, infrastructure, infrastructure,

working space)working space)

Measures to control Measures to control traffic flowtraffic flow

1.1. Area Licensing SchemeArea Licensing Scheme

2.2. Electronic Road PricingElectronic Road Pricing

3.3. Park-and-Ride SchemePark-and-Ride Scheme

Area Licensing Scheme Area Licensing Scheme (ALS)(ALS)

In 1970s, rapid growth in population In 1970s, rapid growth in population → → increase in traffic in city area especially increase in traffic in city area especially during peak hoursduring peak hours

ALS introduced to control traffic flow in ALS introduced to control traffic flow in Central Business District (CBD) from 730am – Central Business District (CBD) from 730am – 930am930am

Motorists had to pay for the use of certain Motorists had to pay for the use of certain roads enclosed within areas called “Restricted roads enclosed within areas called “Restricted Zones” Zones”

Area Licensing Scheme Area Licensing Scheme (ALS)(ALS)

Gantries set up at the boundaries of city Gantries set up at the boundaries of city areas to monitor the vehicles that drove areas to monitor the vehicles that drove into “Restricted Zones”into “Restricted Zones”

To support ALS, the following measures To support ALS, the following measures are introduced: are introduced:

- improving bus services- improving bus services

- increasing cost of parking in the city - increasing cost of parking in the city areasareas

- providing part-and-ride facilities- providing part-and-ride facilities

How successful was ALS?How successful was ALS?

Volume of traffic flow Volume of traffic flow going into CBDgoing into CBD

BEFORE June 1975BEFORE June 1975 32, 500 vehicles32, 500 vehiclesAFTER June 1975AFTER June 19757,700 vehicles7,700 vehicles

Effects of Area Licensing Effects of Area Licensing Scheme (ALS)Scheme (ALS)

Motorists were unhappy Motorists were unhappy about the increased costsabout the increased costs

BUT overall ALS was BUT overall ALS was successful in ensuring smooth successful in ensuring smooth traffic flow in CBDtraffic flow in CBD

Replacing ALS with Replacing ALS with Electronic Road Pricing Electronic Road Pricing

(ERP)(ERP) ERP replaced ALS in 1998 due ERP replaced ALS in 1998 due

to improved technology which to improved technology which allows more efficient ways of allows more efficient ways of controlling traffic flowcontrolling traffic flow

Serve the same purpose as Serve the same purpose as ALS but is more effectiveALS but is more effective

What is the guiding

principle of governance

in action here?

Electronic Road Pricing Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)(ERP)

Electronic system of road pricing Electronic system of road pricing based on pay-as-you-use principle based on pay-as-you-use principle where motorists are charged when where motorists are charged when they use the road during peak hoursthey use the road during peak hours

ERP charges are automatically ERP charges are automatically deducted from the CashCards deducted from the CashCards inserted in the In-vehicle Units (IUs) inserted in the In-vehicle Units (IUs) of vehicles when they pass through of vehicles when they pass through the gantrythe gantry

Locations of Electronic Locations of Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)Road Pricing (ERP)

Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE)Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE)Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) Central Business District (CBD)Central Business District (CBD) Dunearn Road (DR)Dunearn Road (DR) East Coast Parkway (ECP)East Coast Parkway (ECP) Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE)Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) Orchard Cordon (OC)Orchard Cordon (OC) Pan-Island Expressway (PIE)Pan-Island Expressway (PIE)

No. of ERP gantries & No. of ERP gantries & ChargesCharges

55 in Jan 200855 in Jan 2008 60 in April 200860 in April 2008 65 in July 2008 65 in July 2008 71 in November 200871 in November 2008

Example of charges (along Stevens Road)Example of charges (along Stevens Road)

0700-0800 $0.000700-0800 $0.00

0800-0830 $0.500800-0830 $0.50

0830-0855 $1.000830-0855 $1.00

0855-0900 $0.500855-0900 $0.50

0900-2230 $0.000900-2230 $0.00

Aim of Electronic Road Aim of Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)Pricing (ERP)

Motorists are encouraged to Motorists are encouraged to decide whether to drive, when decide whether to drive, when to drive and where to driveto drive and where to drive

Smoother trafficSmoother traffic

Effects of ERPEffects of ERP Motorists are unhappy about the charges and the Motorists are unhappy about the charges and the

number of gantriesnumber of gantries Motorists still find themselves getting caught in Motorists still find themselves getting caught in

slow traffic, despite fine weather and with no slow traffic, despite fine weather and with no accident in sight accident in sight

Reason: Reason: More vehicles on the roads as motorists are also More vehicles on the roads as motorists are also

earning more these days earning more these days Current charges are just not hitting motorists' Current charges are just not hitting motorists'

pockets hard enough to keep enough of them awaypockets hard enough to keep enough of them away

Government solution: frequent increases to ERP Government solution: frequent increases to ERP ratesrates

Park-and-Ride Park-and-Ride SchemeScheme

Introduced at the same time as ALSIntroduced at the same time as ALS

To control traffic flow in CBD by To control traffic flow in CBD by having fewer vehicles in CBDhaving fewer vehicles in CBD

Motorists to park their vehicles at Motorists to park their vehicles at specific car parks outside CBD and specific car parks outside CBD and then take shutter transport into then take shutter transport into CBDCBD

Park-and-Ride SchemePark-and-Ride SchemeUNSUCCESSUL in the UNSUCCESSUL in the

1970s1970s

Motorists took public transport Motorists took public transport directly or they drove into the directly or they drove into the CBD before 730amCBD before 730am

Felt that it was not worthwhile to Felt that it was not worthwhile to leave their cars outside CBDleave their cars outside CBD

Result:Result:

Millions of dollars wasted Millions of dollars wasted

Land used for building the car parks Land used for building the car parks wastedwasted

Shuttle bus companies set up for the Shuttle bus companies set up for the scheme could not survivedscheme could not survived

Park-and-Ride SchemePark-and-Ride SchemeUNSUCCESSUL in the UNSUCCESSUL in the

1970s1970s

The scheme is still in use todayThe scheme is still in use today

As time passes, the habits of As time passes, the habits of people change. Measures that people change. Measures that did not work in the past might did not work in the past might work nowwork now

Park-and-Ride SchemePark-and-Ride SchemeSUCCESSUL NOWSUCCESSUL NOW

Vehicle Quota Vehicle Quota System (VQS)System (VQS)

WHY implement this policy?WHY implement this policy?

SHARP increase in car ownership in the 1990s as SHARP increase in car ownership in the 1990s as more people can afford to buy carsmore people can afford to buy cars

VQS was implemented to control the car VQS was implemented to control the car populationpopulation

Under this system, Land Transport Authority Under this system, Land Transport Authority decides the no. of new vehicles allowed for decides the no. of new vehicles allowed for registrationregistration

Certificate of Entitlement Certificate of Entitlement (COE)(COE)

COE is one of the methods of VQS which places a COE is one of the methods of VQS which places a limit on new cars that can be purchasedlimit on new cars that can be purchased

Under the system of COE, a specific number of new Under the system of COE, a specific number of new cars are issued based on the quota set by the LTAcars are issued based on the quota set by the LTA

Car buyers must bid for the COE before buying a car Car buyers must bid for the COE before buying a car LTA sets the quota of the no. of new cars for the LTA sets the quota of the no. of new cars for the

month and the quota premium based on the bids month and the quota premium based on the bids received for the COEreceived for the COE

Successful bidders will pay the quota premium to Successful bidders will pay the quota premium to get the COEget the COE

COE will last 10 years and car owner needs to renew COE will last 10 years and car owner needs to renew the COE if he wants to continue using the carthe COE if he wants to continue using the car

Certificate of Entitlement Certificate of Entitlement (COE)(COE)

January 2009

Category Quota Quota Premium ($)

A Car (1600cc & Below) 1,839 2,693

B Car (Above 1600cc) 1,099 200

C Goods Vehicle & Bus 268 2,900

D Motorcycle 411 900

E Open 758 3,200

Learning PointsLearning Points

Methods that the government Methods that the government used to control traffic flow in used to control traffic flow in SingaporeSingapore

1.1. Area Licensing SchemeArea Licensing Scheme2.2. Electronic Road PricingElectronic Road Pricing3.3. Park-and-Ride SchemePark-and-Ride Scheme