Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Increase in ERP charges

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Increase in ERP charges

The ERP (electronic road pricing) charges will be increased again.

It will cost $6.50 in ERP charges to drive from Ang Mo Kio to the city. That is a lot of money. You have to pay the high charges for parking your car as well. And it is no fun to drive in a congested road.

Taking a taxi is also expensive. You have to pay the taxi fare, a lot of surcharges, including the ERP charges.

What is the solution?

1. Learn to take public transport, like the bus or MRT
2. It is comfortable, even when it is crowded
3. It is relatively inexpensive.
4. Buy a ez-Link card and travel around Singapore. Use it on the MRT, bus or LRT. You will get familiar with the system.
5. Visit the Transit Link website and try the Bus Journey planner.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...: Mr. Tan,

I think you are missing the point. I am sure there are many people out there that would like to take public transport if given a choice, but in reality, car may not be an luxury item any more. For a family with both the parents working and the kids need to go to childcare/school, how can travelling in a Public Transport be comfortable? How are this parents going to carry this kids and toddlers on the train/buses while they are sleeping?

LTA should relook into other solution and not fault this parents who is trying to earn a decent living.; October 30, 2007 4:18 PM
Anonymous said...: Public transport is really a viable option if it is "comfortable, even when it is crowded", as you put it. But is it?

The public buses at peak hours are a pain to ride. Crowded is really an understatement.

As I see it, commuters like us who are already taking the public transport will have it harder when the drivers give up their rides.; October 30, 2007 4:45 PM
juz said...: Hi Mr Tan,

I agree that MRT is an efficient and fast way to get to town. Decently priced too. But I don't agree with it being comfortable when crowded, especially during peak hour traffic where everyone's literally packed like sardines!

If the situation could be improved somehow, I'm it'll benefit everyone.

As for buses on the road during peak hours, I find that bus lanes help a lot. Unfortunately, bus lanes don't exist everywhere, and in places where bus lanes are absent, buses are still subjected to being stuck in traffic.

If lanes could be designated as bus lanes only during peak hours, such that it takes a shorter time to get to work via public transport, I'm sure more people will start ditching their cars and taking the bus too!; October 30, 2007 8:20 PM
hongjun said...: Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates are going up again for the third time this year.

The goverment claimed that the introduction of the many previous ERP charges were to keep traffic congestion on expressways (particularly the CTE) in check. Despite many unhappiness and grievances by the public, the Singapore goverment still carry on with the move. After 3 ERP hikes in just 1 year and many additional ERP gantries installed, traffic on CTE never once see improvement.

This time round, yet another round of ERP hike will be introduced plus extra ERP gantries to be installed again. This latest hike comes just days after the opening of the new Kallang-Payar Lebar Expressway (KPE) Tunnel. I believe this new KPE will in some way ease CTE's traffic conditions and I see this round of ERP hike unnecessary! Is the hike meant to finance the construction of the new expensive KPE? Since the reason for ERP hike (as acclaimed by the Singapore goverment) is to control traffic, then does this mean ERP charges will be reduced if CTE's traffic is improved? I really doubt so! Everything goes up will never come down.

hongjun; October 30, 2007 8:51 PM
Anonymous said...: For public transport, it also depends on your home and work place. I am lucky that I have a bus seat everyday to and from work and half hour each way without need for feeder services which waste a lot of time and very crowded.; October 30, 2007 10:33 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: I have taken the MRT and the bus during the peak period. It was packed. I had to stand most of the way.

It is not exactly comfortable, but it is bearable.

In contrast, I find it more stressful to be driving in a congested road.; October 30, 2007 10:50 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Many people said that they need a car to bring their children to school.

Here are some alternatives for those who wish to try them:

1. Send your child to a nearby school. Take a walk to school.

2. Use a school bus.

3. Arrange with another parent to fetch your child, and share the expenses.; October 30, 2007 10:53 PM
hongjun said...: Everything is going up. Public transport fares, ERPs, oil prices, necessity items, just to name a few are all going north.

I really seriously doubt ERP hike will improve traffic conditions. Don't you all agree with me? The goverment should be more creative in solving the problem.

hongjun; October 30, 2007 11:10 PM
Anonymous said...: If only the world is so idea. I am writing based on what we are facing now.

(a) It's not that we don't want to send our kids to a nearby school but who is going to pick them up after school? There is no way we can reach home on time to pick them everyday. The only way is their school to be near to our workplace. We are not staying near our parents cos housing in mature estate our parents are staying is too expensive.

(b)How to put a 5 year old and a 2 year old in a school bus? Where is the pick up point? Let's assume at the grandsparent place, so everyday take public transport to school, office, office to parents place than back to own place? As it is, our day ends at around 11pm everyday and our kids got to leave house the next day with us before 7am. Public Transport?

(c)Everyone's schedule is not fix in this rat-race society, not to mentioned getting help.

LTA should give concession to parents with young children. This can ealiy be indentified on our cash card reader. The policy should not be blanket-cover type of policy.; October 31, 2007 10:25 AM
Anonymous said...: Buy a car and spend your weekend poishing up the car. Hold a competition for the shinesist car in yopur estate.
This was forewrned long time ago by a minister.; October 31, 2007 2:12 PM