The untold story of LTA's unsuccessful bid

Singapore was bidding to host a prestigious event – the 2011 UITP World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition. The biennial congress is highly regarded as a platform to showcase best practices. It is public transport conference that host close to 2,000 public transport professionals from all over the world. UITP, the organising body, is considered the international authority on public transport issues and opinions.

There are a multitude of reasons why Singapore was bidding to host the event. Part was to support Tourism Board's aim of growing tourism arrivals to 17 million by 2015. Part was to grow the MICE sector. But the bulk of it was to showcase Singapore's land transport system to the world.

To garner support for their bidding, LTA drummed up quite a fair bit of publicity. First, there was a news release (attached below). Then, they reported the visit by UITP assessment officials in their newsletter (page 5).

It is quite rare for LTA to create such publicity when they are not declared a winner. Maybe they have insider news that say they are the fore-runner in the three-legged race that saw them compete against Dubai and Melbourne.

Despite all the effort, the bubble burst. Singapore lost the bid.

Dubai won.

Singapore Bidding To Host Prestigious UITP World Congress And Exhibition On Public Transport

UITP Officials In Singapore for Host City Selection

LTA is pleased to announce that Singapore is shortlisted as the potential host for the 2011 UITP (Union Internationale de Transport Public) World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition, a highly prestigious event within the international public transport industry.

UITP officials are currently in Singapore for the host city selection process. They arrived today for a 2-day site inspection visit.

UITP is the worldwide network of public transport professionals, representing over 2700 urban, local, regional and national mobility actors from more than 90 countries across all continents, and covering all modes of public transport. It is considered the international authority on public transport issues and opinions, and its various studies and conclusions are traditionally viewed as the benchmark for public transport standards, and therefore highly valued. Its recent report, ‘Mobility in Cities Database’ published in 2006, benchmarked Singapore with over 50 world cities, and consisteistently placed Singapore among tre among the top three cities, alongside Vienna and Helsinki, with the most striking successes in efficient and enjoyable public transport.

Started in 1889, the UITP World Congress and Exhibition on Public Transport, is held every two years, with various cities bidding for the honour to host this significant event, attended by leaders and decision makers from public transport sectors the world over.

“This event is an opportunity for Singapore to showcase its excellent public transport system, as borne out by the UITP’s own studies, and for its members to experience the system for themselves. They can then bring their experiences back with them for further thought, and their feedback would, as always, help us to improve further. Also, the cutting edge exhibits to be presented at the event will give Singaporeans a sneak peak into the exciting future of public transport. For these reasons, and more, we hope that Singapore will host the UITP World Conference come 2011,” said LTA Chief Executive, BG (NS) Yam Ah Mee.

Mr Aloysius Arlando, Assistant Chief Executive, Business Travel &l & MICE Group, Singapore Tourism Board, in supporting Singapore’s bid, says:

“The Singapore Tourism Board fully supports the bid to attract UITP World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition to Singapore in 2011. Given the opportunity to host this prestigious transportation industry event, Singapore will receive a further boost in our efforts to showcase our MICE capabilities and exciting tourism offerings while promoting Singapore as a leading MICE destination in Asia. This event will also strengthen Singapore's profile as a key global transportation node highlighting our integrated public transport infrastructure and our seamless access to the world's major and growing economies.”

The 59th UITP World Congress in Rome, in 2005, was attended by more than 2300 delegates and over 300 exhibitors from 80 countries.

The results of the host city selection process will be announced in May 2007 at the 2007 UITP World Congress in Helsinki. The other candidates are Melbourne and Dubai. The 2009 UITP World Congress will be held in Vienna.

Source: LTA (5 January 2007)

Dunearn Road ERP vs NUS Bukit Timah Campus peak hour surcharge

Motorists driving past Dunearn Road, take note!

I know most of you are irritated by the Dunearn Road ERP gantry which charges between 50 cents and $1 on weekdays between 8am and 9am. It is not expensive, but little amounts do add up.

As such, some motorists who wish to save on the ERP charges do not mind a longer route via NUS Bukit Timah car park to bypass the Dunearn Road ERP. Even though NUS charges a parking rate is $0.02 per minute (i.e. $1.20 per hour), they offer a grace period of 15 minutes. Effectively, motorists are not charged any amount since they time lapse between entry and exit is much less than that, so motorists are using the bypass for free (please refer to map below).

Legend: Direct route (blue) Bypass route (orange)

Things will change from 20 August 2007 (Monday) onwards.

To deter bypass traffic which is adding unnecessary traffic to NUS Bukit Timah, a $1 surcharge will be imposed for vehicles entering Bukit Timah Campus via Kheam Hock Road and exiting via Evans/Cluny Road during weekdays 8am to 9am. The surcharge rate is comparable to Dunearn Road ERP, if not more expensive. As such, the shortcut will not be attractive anymore.

Time Period	via Dunearn Road (blue route)	via NUS Bukit Timah (orange route)
0800 to 0830	$0.50	$1.00
0830 to 0855	$1.00	$1.00
0855 to 0900	$0.50	$1.00

Motorists, get ready for a more congested Dunearn Road.

Implementation of $1 Peak Hour Charge (For Non-Season Parking Holders)
With effect from Monday, 20 August 2007, National University of Singapore (NUS) and National Parks Board (NParks) will be implementing a peak hour charge on all passing vehicles that enter from Kheam Hock Road and exit at Evans/Cluny Road during the peak hour of 8am to 9am.

Peak Hour Charge
A $1 peak hour charge is applicable from 8am to 9am on Mon to Fri (except public holidays) for vehicles entering Bukit Timah Campus and exiting via Evans/Cluny Road.

There will be no change in parking rates. Please refer to the following for more information.

• For Public
• For Staff and Students
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Source: NUS Office of Estate and Development (23 July 2007)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trivia of the month:
This is not the first time that an ERP loop hole is plugged by artificially marking up the parking charge. Can you give details of other similar instance(s)?

A mystery prize in the form of a memorabilia will be given to the fastest reader who gives the most accurate and comprehensive answer. To participate, please input your answer in the comment and supply your email (for notification purpose if you win). Closing date: 17 August 2007, 2359.

Answers and results will be announced in sgtransport.blogspot.com on 20 August 2007 (Monday).

Trivia of the month (Results):

Alas! No one attempted to win the prize, though some readers answered through informal channel (i.e. other than posting a comment on this blog). As such, no one is a winner of the memorabilia. It'll roll over to the next trivia of the month (probably with increased value).

The answer that I had in mind is the Handy Rd ERP. After Cathay Building restoration was completed and opened to public, some motorists attempted to avoid the Handy Rd ERP gantry along Orchard Road by using the carpark as a bypass (very similar to NUS Bukit Timah carpark problem). If you study their carpark rate, Cathay management filter out such bypass traffic by tweaking the parking charges as well.

The moral of the story? Erecting more ugly gantry and place them at strategic locations will solve the problem, albeit at a very high cost.

Do you guys have any other answers?

Top management of LTA, SBS Transit and SMRT

After the Nicoll Highway incident that claimed three lives and delayed Circle Line project, LTA welcomed a new CEO Mr Yam Ah Mee. Except for a few minor reorganisation to ensure more safety, LTA's top management was pretty stable. However, there had been some turbulence over the past year. Two top management left in late 2006. Now, another two left. The latest departure is reported in an article by Straits Times (attached below).

2 more directors quit

THE Land Transport Authority, beset with top-level resignations in recent months, has lost two more group directors.

Group director of roads Tham-Lee Siyou Kim, who is in her 50s, has quit. So has Ms Rebecca Teo, 47, group director of corporate services. Both left in May without new jobs. They were among nine top managers reporting to chief executive Yam Ah Mee, 49.

In January, deputy chief executive Low Tien Sio and director of policy and planning Eng Sok Yong quit.

Mr Low, 60, is now with a team building the Sentosa integrated resort, while Ms Eng, 39, is with corporate development at transport group SBS Transit.

Other LTA honchos who have left include former chief executive Ho Meng Kit, 50, and director of projects Rajan Krishnan, 56, who left soon after the Nicoll Highway collapse in 2004.

With the latest departures, Ms Maria Choy, in her late 50s, is the only 'old guard' LTA group director remaining. She heads the vehicle and transit licensing unit.

Source: The Straits Times (17 July 2007)

Unless we have insiders' news or the press decided to investigate further, we would not know the reasons of their departure. It just quite bewildering that top management people are leaving a company without a job. I do reckon they could be retiring early. However, that contravenes the government's effort in promoting a more elderly workforce.

For SMRT, all the old guards of former bus company TIBS had left, with the exception of Mr Morris Piper. The departure were inevitable for a merged company as it is usual that the staff in the acquired company leave. The only surprise is the departure of former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Mr Patrick Lau, who left in 2006. He is now heading a company reproducing famous art works.

For SBS Transit, Executive Director Mr Ong Boon Leong left in April 2007 to heed higher calling. There are no other departures.

Out of the three organisation, SBS Transit seems to be the only organisation with stable top management. In fact, they manage to rope in former LTA high-flyer Ms Eng Sok Yong to join as Senior Vice President (Corporate Development). With her experience in LTA, she now oversees the departments in the support area, with key focus on finance, human resource, information technology and corporate communications.

Personally I feel that such drastic movement is unhealthy. Especially in this times where the land transport industry is at an important juncture. LTA is currently undertaking a review of the industry, and it is better to have people who understand the land transport industry. Nevertheless, having new blood could bring fresh perspective to this industry that had seen little progress in recent years.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

A story of an old Angsana tree

Photo source: TODAY

Since antiquity, there is an old Angsana tree in Singapore. It is a valuable tree. So valuable that it has earned itself immunity: it was ruled that the tree is not to be chopped down if it is in the way of construction; instead it will be moved and transplanted under the guidelines issued by the authority overseeing trees.

This old and valuable tree sits in the middle of Braddell Road, overlooking Raffles Junior College. Many years have passed and the surroundings have morphed many changes, but the old tree remains just as it was fifty years ago. It still sits faithfully on its spot and continues to provide its service and shade to the people who reciprocated with much love and appreciation.

However, things took a twist of turns a few years back.

The traffic authority decided one day that a new viaduct connecting Lornie Road and Braddell Road would be necessary to alleviate the perennial traffic congestion (it was part of the Outer Ring Road System actually). Unfortunately the old Angsana tree sits right at the centre of the road diversion arising from the new viaduct. The construction company lamented at how ‘suay’ (colloquial slang which means ‘unfortunate’) it is. Already faced with rising construction costs, it needs to cough up another huge sum of money to transplant the tree under authority’s guidelines.

Then came along a brilliant idea. Why not get the authority that oversees tree to waive the requirement? That is, to chop the tree down. Nope, not successful.

Then came another brilliant idea. Why not a fork road (technically known as bifurcated road)? The traffic can go round the tree. Eureka! The tree is saved, traffic flow resumes, everybody is happy. This is not new in Singapore: there is also a forked road at North Buona Vista Road that goes around a MRT column due to Circle Line construction.

After numerous attempts to convince the traffic authority that safety would not be compromised, the forked-road scheme finally got the blessing to go ahead. It is not a cheap sum mind you. It is a whopping $200K. But considering how much moving a tree would cost, this sum pales in comparison.

And so everybody is happy. The authority looking after the trees is happy that the tree gets to survive; while the authority overseeing traffic is happy that it is paying a lesser sum for variable order (a technical term in construction that refers to any contingency work that went beyond the contract agreement).

It seems everyone is happy with the odd arrangement, until a few important passers-by happened to pass by the area.

“Unsafe” was the verdict.

This simple six-letter word was all it takes to throw the forked-road scheme away. Tussle followed.

In the end, after a brutal fight, the tree has to go. By this Sunday (15 July 2007).

If you happen to pass by the area, take a few moments to mourn for the tree.

So much for the guidelines.

Braddell Road Angsana Tree To Be Removed

1. An Angsana tree that stands in the middle of Braddell Road will be removed this month to ensure motorists’ safety.

2. Usually, in its construction projects, LTA undertakes to conserve the greenery and minimise the impact of its construction activity on the surrounding environment, often working with NParks in these efforts. When the construction for the new Lornie-Braddell Road Interchange began in 2005, LTA and NParks had opted to save the Angsana tree by bifurcating the slip road around the tree. This was done after LTA’s studies showed the bifurcation design – or splitting of the road around the tree – would be a safe option if motorists were to drive within the stated 40km/h speed limit.

3. As a precautionary measure, LTA had drawn additional road markings and placed additional signs to remind motorists driving along this stretch to keep within the speed limit. To further ensure safety for motorists, the chevron markings in front of the tree were extended and a double white line was painted on the road before the tree.

4. In the two years since the bifurcation design was implemented, LTA has continued to monitor traffic conditions around the Angsana Tree. Despite the additional measures, LTA’s ongoing monitoring has revealed that many motorists do not drive within the 40km/h speed limit, and consequently, run the risk of colliding with the tree, resulting in injury or worse. It was also observed that, in not staying within the safe speed limits, many motorists are unable to keep to their lanes. We have also received feedback from motorists involved in ‘near accident’ situations along this stretch of Braddell Road.

5. Ms Karen Loh, a businesswoman, who drives pass the stretch occasionally told LTA: "When I come to this road, I have to make a split second decision on which lane to take. I also found it difficult to slow down. While I applaud the authorities' efforts to conserve the tree, many drivers don't realise the need to slow down to manoeuvre the curve in the alignment of the road.''

6. Based on LTA’s observations and the public feedback, LTA and NParks came to the conclusion that removing the tree is the most prudent course of action to prevent any future accidents.

7. The removal of the tree and the realignment of Braddell Road will take place from 15 July 2007. To facilitate the removal, there will be lane closures along Braddell Road from 15 July 2007 to 7 August 2007.

8. With the removal of the tree, a straighter three-lane carriageway will be constructed along this stretch of Braddell Road.

Source: LTA (11 July 2007)

[This post is not possible without John's contribution. He helps to improve the story flow and added a human touch to the writing. Thanks John.]