Motorists may be charged for the distance they drive, and not only at fixed points, under a next-generation Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system being studied by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
If implemented, the new ERP system — whose working name is ERP2 — will be “fairer and more equitable” to motorists, said Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew yesterday.
He said: “ERP2 will give us the option of charging for congestion based on distance, and not only at discrete points. This will be fairer and more equitable to motorists as the charges will be proportional to the distance they travel on a congested road, in other words, proportional to how much they actually contribute to the congestion.”
Motorists driving the same vehicle type passing under an ERP gantry now pay the same rate, regardless of their distance travelled.
Under the new system, some motorists may pay more while others will pay less, depending on the distance they travel on the congested road, Mr Lui said.
The Transport Minister, however, stressed that the new system is still “several more years” from being rolled out. If it does, it will start off only on roads currently priced by the ERP system, and that it will continue to be used as a “congestion management tool” to be used “only where and when there is congestion”, he added.
ERP2 will not, he assured, be something that “charges the minute (motorists) leave home or start their engines” and drivers will “generally have the same paying experience”.
Mr Lui also noted privacy issues expressed by some Singaporeans and stressed that the Government would “safeguard the confidentiality of motorists”, such as by anonymising any data collected and developing privacy safeguards.
The new system, which uses global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) technology, works with an On-Board Unit (OBU), which will replace the existing In-Vehicle Unit (IU). The OBU will link up with the satellite systems to check how far a vehicle travels along ERP-active roads. This would detect if drivers use only 50m or 500m, and charge accordingly.
“As it makes do without large physical gantries, it will allow us to respond faster and more effectively to tackle congestion, and is also likely to be cheaper over its life cycle compared to the current system,” said Mr Lui.
Highlighting Singapore’s land constraints, the Transport Minister said during his visit to the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) yesterday that “it is unlikely that we will be able to build many more massive projects like the MCE”.
“Given the constraints to building more roads, we will need to rely even more on vehicle ownership and usage restraint measures to manage traffic congestion,” he said, but stressed that the Government will “take a balanced approach”. Public and stakeholder views will be welcomed, he added.
Singapore was the first country in the world to implement congestion pricing in 1974, and has served as a model for places such as London and Stockholm.
Experts welcomed the potential move, as they felt that distance-based systems to be one of the fairest in terms of addressing traffic congestion. Adjunct Associate Professor Gopinath Menon of Nanyang Technological University’s Infrastructure Systems and Maritime Studies noted there are three types of possible pricing systems to choose from — location, time and distance-based, of which the current ERP utilises the first.
Assoc Prof Menon, who was previously LTA’s Chief Transportation Engineer, pointed to how GNSS technology is used on Germany’s autobahns, the country’s national motorway. The key difference, he said, being autobahns is “toll-based”, while Singapore’s ERP system is “congestion-based”.
While a GNSS-based ERP system may face challenges here — such as losing satellite signals when driving underground or through high-rise buildings — these “can be overcome”, said Assoc Prof Menon.
Beacons could be embedded on lamp posts to help correct the signal, said Associate Professor Lee Der Horng of the National University of Singapore Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who noted that accuracy in urban areas “is the major limitation” to the system.
There you go, it is really happening; a GPS based ERP system, but only a few more years down the road. Let's not let this news cloud the main news of the Marine Coastal Expressway opening its roads by this year end. I for one can't wait to travel in it and skip the jam plus hassle of going up the Sheares Bridge just to get to AYE from KPE.
This should be able to relief some traffic volume on the ECP along the stretch of road and less cars will be using the Rochor exit now that the MCE provides an alternative exit to the Marina City area.
The driver of a blue Honda caught on camera for refusing to give way to a private ambulance has been penalised by the Traffic Police.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said in a written reply to Arthur Fong, MP for West Coast GRC, that the driver has fined $160 dollars, and incurred four demerit points to his driving record.
The driver of the Honda was captured on video refusing to give way to an ambulance, despite the ambulance's blaring siren and flashing red lights.
The video was taken on Mar 14, and uploaded to YouTube a day later. It then went viral on the Internet.
In the video, a blue Honda car is seen staying on the right lane in front of an ambulance. Even as the two vehicles drove down the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), the blue Honda stayed in front of the ambulance and did not give way.
Later, the ambulance driver slowly filtered left and edged out to the neighbouring lane. The ambulance driver then wound down the window and started gesturing towards the driver. He then drove off rapidly after that.
A Stomp contributor said what the driver did was illegal, according to the Public Order Act.
The contributor wrote:
"Under the Public Order Act, Chapter 257A, Part II: Public assemblies and processions. #18 Obstruction to free passage of any ambulance states that the person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both."
Good job done by the authorities. Such actions should never be pardoned. Singaporean drivers are an ungraceful bunch, even when it's an emergency vehicle at its mercy.
To further ease traffic congestion, the Ayer Rajah Expressway will have four more ERP gantries come mid-2014.
Three new gantries towards the city between Jurong Town Hall Road and Clementi Road will be operational during the morning and evening peak hours on weekdays.
The first gantry will be located just before Clementi Avenue 6 exit, while the other two gantries will be located at the slip roads into AYE from Clementi Avenue 6 and Clementi Avenue 2.
The fourth gantry located just before the Clementi Road exit towards Tuas (between North Buona Vista and Clementi Road) will be operational only during the weekday evening peak hours.
The Land Transport Authority said over the past one and a half years, traffic speeds at both locations have dipped, going as low as 35 kilometres per hour.
This is below the optimal speed range of 45 to 65 kilometres per hour for expressways.
Traffic conditions along the corridor are also expected to worsen when traffic demand goes up with future developments such as the Jurong Gateway.
Construction of the ERP gantries will start in the later part of this year.
LTA said it will announce the operating hours and charges closer to the implementation of the gantries.
LTA said motorists who wish to avoid paying the ERP charges can make use of alternative routes including the West Coast Highway and Commonwealth Avenue-Tiong Bahru Road corridor.
Public transport alternatives in the west will also be ramped up for motorist who wants to make the switch.
From the third quarter of 2013, commuters in Jurong West will have a City Direct bus service during peak hours.
LTA is also looking at having a similar service from Clementi.
Another reason for westsiders to cry about this time next year when four new gantries will be erected to charge you for contributing to congestion. The result will be pushing more traffic to Westcoast Highway and we shall see how long will LTA take to erect a gantry there just like what they did to Nicoll Highway. Happy paying, drivers.
I don't see encouraging better behaviour working even with cameras mounted. It will just serve as an evidence for the stunts such drivers resort to to claim insurance when it is actually their fault.
To spread car ownership more evenly, the government is considering levying a surcharge on individuals who wish to own more than one car.
Engine power could also be factored into the categorisation of cars under the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system.
Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew spoke about these suggestions when he visited the site of the upcoming Marina Coastal Expressway on Thursday.
The current COE categories are based on engine capacity.
Traditionally, mass-market cars (small cars of 1,600cc and below) are in Category A.
But the car industry has evolved, and now higher end options are also in that category.
Such luxury cars took up about a third of Category A registrations last year, compared to just 7 percent in 2010.
Mr Lui said: "Models such as Mercedes C180 Kompressor and Audi A1 have an open market value and engine power that is significantly higher than those of more mass-market models such as Toyota Corolla Altis and Honda City.
"While this is a reflection of increasing affluence and consumer preferences, we also want to make sure that Category A, which is intended for buyers of smaller budget cars, retains its original purpose."
Hence, to better delineate Category A, engine power - which determines the performance of the car - could be used as an additional criterion.
Honorary Secretary of the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association Raymond Tang said that categorising COE on engine power alone will be fairer to buyers from the middle income groups.
He said: "Cars, for instance MPVs, Honda Stream, Toyota Wish, they are in Category B because of their cc (cubic centimetres).
"But in terms of their horse power and in terms of (buyers), it should be for those lower and middle income people. So if they are in Category B, it causes a stress to them, because they are challenging those 'big boys'."
Another option is to have an individual who wants to own a second car or more, fork out more cash upfront on top of COE.
Mr Lui said: "I am open to considering sensible options that could possibly take the form of, for example, levying a surcharge for the second, third or more cars owned by the same individual.
"The rationale would be that in exchange for the privilege of owning several cars, these owners should pay proportionately more by way of levies."
Mr Lui acknowledged that there are downsides to such a policy.
For example, some owners could circumvent the rule by registering the car in the name of a relative or family member.
If implemented, the surcharge will not apply to existing multiple-car owners. Commercial vehicles and motorcycles will also not be affected.
The public and industry players will be consulted on the proposed changes, before a decision is made later this year.
Changes to the COE system has been long overdue, especially now that the luxurious brands are spreading its range of cars into the Cat A sector. With less than 10% in 2010, luxurious brands now cover close to half of Cat A bidders. That is a big cause for concern as Cat A is supposedly catered for less budget car buyers. Another change is charging extra for individuals owning more than one vehicle. Well, if he/she is rich enough to own more than one car, what is this extra cost to him?
Coda Automotive, one of what had been a promising crop of electric car startups, filed for bankruptcy protection this month, and said it would reorganize around the electric storage market.
High-end electric car maker Fisker Automotive, which has had financial woes for months, announced meanwhile it was laying off 75 percent of its workforce, raising the prospect of defaulting on US government loans.
Electric cars are still coming to market from luxury maker Tesla, and from major automakers such as General Motors, Nissan and others, but the outlook has become murkier.
Analysts are divided on the outlook, but few believe President Barack Obama's goal of getting one million electric cars on the market by 2015 will be met.
"It's not like people are clamouring for these vehicles," said Rebecca Lindland, analyst with Rebel Three Media, and member of a committee studying barriers to electric cars for the National Academy of Sciences.
Lindland said her view that Americans "just don't see how an electric car can fit into their lifestyle. We continue to be risk-averse in investing in new technology in our cars."
Mike VanNieuwkuyk of the research firm JD Power & Associates said more people are aware of the electric cars on the market "but there is still a low number of consumers who say they would purchase an electric car."
A report by JD Power and its partner LMC Automotive found battery-powered vehicles' share of US auto sales was just 0.08 percent in 2012, and predicts this will reach only 0.47 percent by 2015.
Only about three percent in the survey said their next vehicle would likely have a battery-electric powertrain.
VanNieuwkuyk said consumers are held back by a lack of plug-in charging stations, concerns about the range of the vehicle before it needs recharging, and especially the high cost.
At the same time, the analyst said, gasoline-powered cars "are improving enough to meet the needs of the consumer," without the price tag of electric cars.
Jason Kavanagh, engineering editor at the research firm Edmunds.com said recent surveys suggest pure electric vehicles are unlikely to get past one percent of the US market, even by 2040.
The lack of range and long recharging times are key factors.
"Sitting around for eight hours waiting for your (Nissan) Leaf to charge up is not exactly a selling point," he said.
More importantly, said Kavanagh, is that the US electric power system cannot support large numbers of electric vehicles which need constant charging.
"The US power grid is not capable of supporting that," he told AFP. "You would need a multitude of small nuclear power stations to support that recharging."
Chevrolet cut production of its Volt last year amid soft demand, and is reported to be working on a less expensive version. Toyota and Honda also scaled back plans for all-electric vehicles for the US market.
Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne said recently the company stands to lose $10,000 on every battery-powered Fiat 500 it sells in California.
There are a few bright spots, however.
Tesla Motors posted its first-ever quarterly profit, of $11 million in the first quarter as revenues rose 83 percent from the prior quarter.
Tesla is banking on its Model S, which sells for upwards of $60,000, by offering special financing and leasing deals with a guaranteed resale price. The car, which has an estimated range of more than 200 miles (320 kilometres), was given a top rating by Consumer Reports.
Nissan has boosted sales of its all-electric Leaf to over 5,000 in the first quarter, overtaking the Chevrolet Volt, which has seen sales sputter.
Brett Smith, analyst at the University of Michigan's Centre for Automotive Research, said he is not surprised by the slow progress in the electric car market.
"There was enormous electric vehicle hype," he said. "In a way that was good because it helped push the technology."
Smith said it is clear that battery-powered cars "are not a near-term mainstream product" but still believes in the value of the technology.
"There is a pretty good chance something positive will come out of this," Smith told AFP.
"Whether or not we get a cost-competitive electric vehicle in the next 10 years, the good news is there is lot of development which crosses over to other vehicles."
Kavanagh of Edmunds.com said beneficiary of the trend will likely be hybrids, which use both gasoline and electric power, and charge during driving.
"We're going to see a big jump in hybrids, which can take advantage of the infrastructure we have," he said.
Kavanagh said he expects hybrids may become more attractive in the coming years "because they will become more capable in range and more cost-effective."
As always, the disadvantages of electric cars continue to plaque its practicality on real environments and it is putting a strain on car makers, questioning them hard on how are they going to find solutions for them. Right now, there is none.
The parking crunch at Tanjong Katong Road has been eased after URA expanded parking space in the area. This is in response to requests for more parking lots to be provided.
The expanded Tanjong Katong Road car park is temporary as the space is on vacant state land, which is being reserved for future development.
Previously, the car park had 75 lots. Another 51 lots have been added, bringing the total number of lots to 126.
Some added lots to ease the parking problems of driving food hunters. Indeed, finding a space to park the car is a pain in this area, ended up many resort to parking illegally and jamming up the roads.
Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices for vehicles closed mixed on Wednesday in the first bidding exercise for May.
The COE for smaller cars continued to rise, surpassing that for bigger cars.
The COE premium for small cars rose S$502 to end at S$62,999, while that for the Open Category also increased by S$301 to S$62,301.
However, the premium for big cars above 1,600cc dropped to S$61,700, down S$300.
Meanwhile, the COE price for commercial vehicles fell S$1,451 to end at S$57,051.
For motorcycles, the premium dipped S$91 to S$1,700.
Since the car loan restrictions came into effect in February, COE prices have been generally on a downward trend.
Car dealers Channel NewsAsia spoke with said premiums are expected to dip further in the next bidding exercise.
Cobin Ng, manager of Leco Automobile, said: "(They) should drop further because it's back to the shorter week, two-week bidding. So hopefully (they) could drop another 5-10 per cent."
As night begins to give way to dawn, 40 high-performance cars pull up on an empty Hong Kong backstreet. While the city sleeps, their revving engines fill the air with a heavy smell of petrol.
The drivers huddle together to set the route, always at the last possible minute. One of them spots the red and blue glare of police lights and they scramble to their cars, regrouping a few miles away to continue the race.
By day, Eva is a nurse. For one night each week she is also an illegal street racer -- one of hundreds in Hong Kong who are bound by their addiction to breakneck speed.
With the engine of her black Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII modified to generate maximum power, the 25-year old is only the second woman to join an illicit club whose members include teachers, businessmen, lawyers, and even a Taoist priest.
Most of them would not even cross a pedestrian walkway on a red light in the day -- jaywalking is an offence in Hong Kong -- but the rules of a normally ordered city are put to one side in this twilight world of street racing.
Tearing along public roads at speeds of up to 200 kilometres (124 miles) per hour, Eva is fiercely proud of her secret identity as an illegal racer -- one that she never plans to reveal to her parents.
"They cannot imagine what racing is because I'm a girl and I'm a little girl in their eyes... So I will not tell my parents. I don't want to bother them."
While illegal street racing is a global phenomenon, rife in cities from Los Angeles to Sydney and Kuala Lumpur, in Hong Kong it is as much about being part of a racing community as it is a battle on the road.
"Every day we do the same thing, the same time. And then suddenly we can have our time to drive together," says Alex, 27, who has been racing for four years.
Blazing down a clear road normally clogged with traffic unleashes the tension of living in an overcrowded city, he explains.
All other cars are obstacles "when you're driving at 250 kilometres an hour", the jewellery trader says.
"All of them are walls. I'm the one who can win, win the road... I'm king of the road."
Alex didn't overtake anyone on this particular morning, after noticing an unmarked police car following friends ahead, but drove at more than 200 kilometres per hour on a road where the speed limit is 70.
"A dangerous, selfish act"
The potentially devastating consequences of racing are far from the minds of the drivers comparing cars after the "morning drive" -- the seemingly innocuous term they use to describe breaking the rules of the road.
"When I'm driving very fast, I feel I've combined with the car. The car is part of my body. I am in control," says one 36-year-old, even though like most racers she knows at least one person who has had an accident while speeding.
Hong Kong police said there are no figures on injuries caused by illegal racing and there have been no related deaths in recent years, but stress that one fatal case would be one too many.
"Road racing is a highly dangerous and selfish act that puts other members of the public in severe danger... What we want to try and do is to make sure that the road is safe," Inspector Ngai Chun-yip, who heads the illegal road racing unit in the northern territories of Hong Kong, told AFP.
Last year there was an eight percent rise in the number of illegal racing complaints compared to the year before. Ngai led 291 anti-racing operations, increasingly using online videos uploaded by racers to help track them down.
Richard was one of the 1,700 people prosecuted in the crackdown.
Back at the winding road where he was caught speeding, he points at the bushes in which police rigged speed cameras. After 120 hours of community service and losing his driving license for a year, the 41-year-old says he rarely races anymore.
"If I really want to drive fast, maybe I will go to China (and use) the racing track. But not on the roads in Hong Kong."
He added that if arrested again he may face jail and would lose his job as an English tutor.
Police describe racing in the city as an ad-hoc rather than a large-scale or well-organised activity. The racers gathered for breakfast paint a different picture.
Morning or midnight races take place every week in several different parts of the territory, while there are also more spontaneous contests when drivers eye a willing competitor on the street or simply take a chance to rip down highways alone.
Beneath the racing community's camaraderie lurks an undeniable sense of the status that cars and racing bring.
"There are too many rich people in Hong Kong. All my friends race, all own sports cars. Most of it is to show off," says Nick, who owns a Porsche and a Ford Focus rs500.
With the cost of cars and modifications -- faster wheels and engines or louder exhausts -- running into hundreds of thousands of dollars, it's an expensive as well as a risky way to make a mark.
Amateur racers have long been lobbying for an official race track in Hong Kong which they claim will stop people racing illegally on the streets.
Some already cross the border into mainland China to use a circuit where two races over a weekend can cost as much as US$10,000.
Others admit a track will never replace the thrill of racing on public roads. "You cannot match the excitement," says Nick. "Some people will always race on the streets."
So it's all real, those HK films in the 1990s namely The Legend of Speed and Full Throttle. Street racing do exist in a congested city like Hong Kong. While it may sound cool and exciting, and every speed lover will be eager to take up the challenge of maneuvering those the public roads in high speeds, but the consequences often happen to be fatal. It's good to hear there hasn't been any fatalities in these illegal races for the past few years, but why risk it?
