World Cities Summit Issue, Jun 2008

Designing Urban Journeys
Yam Ah Mee

In Singapore, we adopted the hub-and-spoke model for our public transport network. This essentially means relying on buses or Light Rapid Transit (LRT) to serve as feeder services, bringing commuters to MRT stations or bus interchanges. The rail network will remain as the backbone of our public transport system given its higher speed and capacity. To increase its coverage and availability, the rail network will be doubled by 2020 where existing lines will be extended, and new lines added (Figure 2). This will benefit commuters in areas currently not served by the MRT.

FIGURE 2. EXISTING AND FUTURE RAIL LINES BY 2020

While the hub-and-spoke model is more efficient in land-scarce Singapore compared with direct services for every origin and destination, transfers are inevitable in such a system. Today bus routes are planned by the two public transport operators: the SMRT Corporation Ltd (SMRT) and the SBS Transit Ltd. Being profit-driven companies, their decisions are largely based on commercial considerations. There is little integration between the systems run by the SMRT and SBS Transit as there is no incentive for them to do so. This has led to a situation where buses are less frequent than they should be, and feeder buses run long and circuitous routes before getting to the MRT station or bus interchange. This results in longer waiting and transfer times for commuters. Thus, to enhance the hub-and-spoke model, the LTA has decided to take over the planning of bus routes so that a more commuter-centric approach is taken when bus routes are planned, with due consideration given to other transport infrastructure such as the rail and road network. With better integration between bus and rail, commuters will be able to experience an overall improvement in journey time.

While public transport has to cater to the masses, we recognise that commuters have different needs. For example, some prefer taxis which provide personalised door-to-door service. More can be done to attract those who have higher expectations of the public transport system. LTA will be working closely with the public transport operators to offer more public transport choices to this group of commuters. It will also be promoting and facilitating niche services such as the premium bus services, which provide greater comfort and more direct journeys to those who are willing to pay a higher price.

MANAGING ROAD USAGE
Roads are the arteries of our economy. Everyday, nearly 9 million journeys are made, with about 40% in private vehicles—and this number is growing. Our roads have to remain smooth-flowing to support economic activities so that goods and people can reach their destinations on time. If demand for road usage is not managed well, traffic congestion will become commonplace, as seen in other major cities in Asia. Road congestion results in economic loss as well as externalities such as noise and air pollution. Quality of life will be affected if daily commute turns into long, arduous journeys with constant gridlock amidst noise and air pollution.

Congestion needs to be managed in a holistic manner. While improving public transport is key to managing demand on our roads, this alone is not sufficient. Where feasible, the road network will be expanded to serve new developments but we are mindful that additional lanes and new roads inevitably attract more traffic which eventually leads to congestion. At the same time, technology will be leveraged to maximise existing road capacity. The LTA is expanding the coverage of electronic Junction Eyes³ and the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System (EMAS)⁴ to more junctions and arterial roads. These surveillance systems allow LTA to monitor traffic conditions on the roads and deploy measures to rectify causes of traffic congestion expeditiously. Some people have argued that these measures are enough to manage congestion and that road pricing is unnecessary. However, after studying the experience of other cities, it has shown that even with a first-class public transport system, people will continue to drive unless there are measures (for example, implement high parking charges in the city) which discourage them from doing so.

In Singapore, we rely on policy tools such as the Vehicle Quota System to control the growth in vehicle population, and the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP)⁵ system to manage demand on congested roads. We have found that ERP is by far the most effective and direct means of managing congestion because it requires motorists to take into account the cost of congestion to others as a result of their driving. The aim of the system is to influence the motorist’s decision, so that he may consider driving during off-peak hours or even motivate him to use alternative modes of transport.

The ERP scheme has remained largely the same since it was introduced 10 years ago. As part of the development of the Land Transport Master Plan, the LTA also conducted a review on the ERP system to enhance its effectiveness so that it is more responsive to changing traffic conditions. As a result of the review, it was decided that the method of measuring traffic speeds on ERP-priced road would be refined to assure that at least 85% of motorists travelling on these roads will be assured of smooth travel; the ERP rate structure needs to be updated in order for it to make a significant difference in influencing motorists’ behaviour; and the congestion in the city area have to be managed through the introduction of additional ERP gantries.

Yet, even through the enhancement of ERP, the current vehicle growth rate of 3% is not sustainable and we will lower it to 1.5% from May 2009.

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