PAPee Soln to RECESSION: More ERPee!

[makapaaa]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Wake up earlier to save ERP costs? No, say motorists
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Gracia Chiang
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>




<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Sales manager Seah Poh Siang is not waking up earlier to try to save a dollar.
Tomorrow, a new Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantry on the west-bound Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) becomes operational. The gantry before Eunos Link will charge $2 between 7am and 7.30am, and $1 from 7.30am to 8am.
While no one likes to incur more costs, many motorists said they are unable to alter travel plans to avoid payment.
Mr Seah, 46, for instance, is used to leaving his Tampines home at 7.30am and paying only 50 cents at the Kallang Bahru gantry to get to his Jurong East workplace. He does not intend to start his journey earlier to avoid paying $1 by the time he drives past the Eunos gantry.
'I will have to wake up at 6am to leave my house before 6.40am. It will be crazy,' he said, adding that it is also pointless to arrive at work way before his clients do.
The Eunos gantry will be the second to begin operations at 7am. The other one is at the Central Expressway (CTE) between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and Braddell Road.
Such early start times have made drivers like engineer Seow Joo Heng, 42, feel that their efforts to get on the road earlier - and not contribute to peak-hour traffic from 8am to 9am - are not appreciated. 'Being on the road at 7am is admirable, considering the amount of family time motorists have sacrificed,' he said.
Other motorists felt they were being unfairly penalised along with those who used the PIE to make short trips from Simei to Paya Lebar. 'How can you just put one net that catches all the fish? Some are innocent,' said service manager Gregory Quek, 41. He suggested that the new gantry should be sited at the Paya Lebar exit.
In response, a Land Transport Authority (LTA) spokesman said that the gantry is not meant to specifically discourage those travelling from Simei to Paya Lebar.
'Any motorist who uses that stretch of the west-bound PIE will contribute to congestion and hence should pay the ERP charge.'
The LTA noted traffic speeds were deteriorating, falling below 45kmh between 7am and 8am.
Motorists said they will have to live with the new charges.
Starting their journey later would pose other headaches because the Kallang Bahru gantry charges $1 after 8am and $1.50 between 8.30am and 8.55am.
Taking other routes such as East Coast Parkway would mean a longer ride and higher petrol bill. ERP charges also apply.
Said undergraduate Marcus Lim, 24, who commutes from Bedok to Boon Lay: 'Probably the only thing I can do is to plan my timetable to make sure my lessons start as late as possible next semester.'
Additional reporting by Zureena Habib Rahiman

Will you wake up early to avoid paying ERP charges? Send your feedback to [email protected]<
Will this new ERP gantry affect your travelling habits? Have your say at straitstimes.com

 

[Neh_Neh_Pok]

At this unstable period the Pees still want to increase somemore

 

[makapaaa]

Cos the Familee is 100% confident that the 66% goondus would return them to power regardless!

 

[Neh_Neh_Pok]

Cos the Familee is 100% confident that the 66% goondus would return them to power regardless!

The Pees really think the 'Lee Dynasty' will sit there forever, they don't realized the % is gonna drop

 

[sherrry]

We should expect them to be installing ERP gantry for passenger lifts in all HDBs very soon.

 

[depeche]

Huat ah...Pee...Peee...Peeee...

 

[The_Latest_H]

Within the next few years, I wouldn't rule out them putting an ERP gantry right next to Changi Airport.

Then you'd have to pay double, triple or even quadruple to get into town through the roads and expressways. Even a return to your flat in Simei, Pasir Ris, Siglap and Marine Parade would cost you in a few years time.

 

[depeche]

Within the next few years, I wouldn't rule out them putting an ERP gantry right next to Changi Airport.

Then you'd have to pay double, triple or even quadruple to get into town through the roads and expressways. Even a return to your flat in Simei, Pasir Ris, Siglap and Marine Parade would cost you in a few years time.

It's instead a real genius to come out with the idea of gantry...pee...pee...pee...who's idea is it? Mah BT???

 

[lifeafter41]

We should expect them to be installing ERP gantry for passenger lifts in all HDBs very soon.

Reminds me of the movie, Money Not Enough 2, where each individual will be issued with a IU for deduction.

 

[JohnTT]

ERP stands for 'Every Road Pay' according to 1 ex-PAP & ex-Legislation speaker Tan.

In time to come, more roads will have ERP & traffic condition will likely remain the same, except for LTA, who will rake in more revenue. Very sad......

 

[eQuipment]

very soon, they will integrate ERP gantry with traffic light system at every traffic intersection. cut cost on installing the poles, just plant the green, amber & red lights on the ERP post.

then road users very soon, no need to listen radio, cos traffic congestion is island-wide. the only music they hear is the *beep beep beep* of the IU

 

[silverspoon]

very soon, they will integrate ERP gantry with traffic light system at every traffic intersection. cut cost on installing the poles, just plant the green, amber & red lights on the ERP post.

then road users very soon, no need to listen radio, cos traffic congestion is island-wide. the only music they hear is the *beep beep beep* of the IU

Seriously...how long before pple really get fed up?

they purposely bring in so many FT to make the whole place so congested than purposely up the ERP ...then purposely up the electricity....then still TELL YOU IT IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD while they draw million dollar salary while they lose our money to those stupid foreign investments

best government in the world

 

[R4g3]

initially they say only few gantries, and only certain period they will charge to ease traffic congestion, so that traffic will be smooth during peak hour.

then they set up more and more gantries, increase the charges and extend the hours.


the point is never ever let them start any of these blood sucking thing like GST, ERP or the coming Electricity tax in the 1st place, they seems to be a little in the beginning but then keep increasing as times go by, only up no down.

how to stop them? GE, wake up please, GE is the only chance.

 

[The_Latest_H]

Well, I'd believe that because of the bottomline, and with more s'poreans being educated, there could be a strong possibility of the PAP's popular vote eroding in 2011, especially if there's a longer recession than what is currently expected.

 

[silverspoon]

Well, I'd believe that because of the bottomline, and with more s'poreans being educated, there could be a strong possibility of the PAP's popular vote eroding in 2011, especially if there's a longer recession than what is currently expected.

by the time election come....they will tell you they are the best government in the world because they led singapore out of the crisis....

without them....singapore will sink already.....it is because of the massive talent they had in the government. They will also ke ke give our ang pow again to show the economy has progress again and it is their credit....all the good news will come during that period.

then alot of stupid pple will be so grateful to them and vote them back to screw everyone again

 

[Jade Rabbit]

Did not vote for them the last round and will continue not voting for them. Bunch of FAT CATS too removed from the ground to know anything.

 

[johnny333]

Within the next few years, I wouldn't rule out them putting an ERP gantry right next to Changi Airport.

All the airport tax already making flying from Changi expensive. Harbor taxes for taking ferrys also very expensive. Only cheap way out of Spore is by the causeway or 2nd link.

Unsurprising that tourist numbers are down.

With increasing bus fares, ERP,... making transportation more expensive expect PAP created inflation. This is at a time when theres a worldwide recession. PAP is the best lah, right?

 

[halsey02]

We should expect them to be installing ERP gantry for passenger lifts in all HDBs very soon.

Every bona fide Singaporean will soon be inserted a microschip that records his/her details DNA, ID, Bank Acct number(s) etc.

A mini gantries will be erected on every staircase entrance/exit, lifts exits, so that his/her movement will be monitored, and like you have mentioned, be billed for the usuage of the lifts/stairs, in which the monies collected will be credited to the Town Councils.