Downtown Line costs soar by more than 70 per cent

A spike in construction cost has contributed to the MRT Downtown Line bill rising by more than 70 per cent from an original estimate of $12 billion to $20.7 billion.

Half of this $8.7 billion increase was attributed to a sharp rise in construction cost, with the other half linked to a number of changes to the project.

This was revealed to The Straits Times by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), which also said it is taking steps - like inviting more firms to bid for projects - to rein in prices.

The Downtown Line will link the north-western and eastern parts of Singapore to the Marina downtown, with the first stage due to open next year, and two other stages in 2015 and 2017.

When the line was announced in 2008, the LTA said that it would cost $12 billion. The latest price tag appeared in this year's Budget statement.

The changes adding to costs include expanding the capacity of the depot in Gali Batu near Woodlands, more stringent safety and regulatory requirements, and more connections to nearby developments to make the line more accessible.

For example, Downtown Line Stage 3's Tampines and Expo stations will each have an additional entrance.

The project is also slightly longer than when it was first announced in 2008. It is 42km long, with 34 stations - from the original 40km and 33 stations.

But construction cost remains the single biggest factor for the cost spiral. LTA deputy chief executive Chua Chong Kheng said that the increase in construction cost from late 2007 to mid-2008 was "quite significant".

He attributed this partly to the deluge of infrastructural projects locally as well as overseas - especially in China - which caused a shortage of building materials, equipment and manpower.

No taxis? Some offer extra cash to get a ride

It is raining and there are no taxis anywhere. The taxi hotlines are busy. A desperate SMS to other booking services returns the message: "Sorry, there is no taxi available now."

Most commuters caught in this situation will either wait, or opt for the bus or MRT.

But for at least the past year, a number of people have been using an illegal service that lets commuters offer extra money to cabbies for a ride.

Taxi drivers and passengers familiar with the service - which is not authorised by taxi companies and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) - said this improves the odds of getting a taxi when demand is high, such as during peak hours and public holidays.

It is also a way to earn a bit of extra income, the cabbies said.

This is how it works: Apart from the taxi companies' official hotlines, there are at least nine other independent service operators that help passengers book taxis using an exclusive radio network subscribed to by cabbies, sources told The Straits Times.

Commuters call these numbers - some are listed online, others are passed around only by word of mouth - and ask for a taxi. This service itself is not illegal, but it becomes illegal when the operators agree to connect customers who offer a premium to the metered fare.

In such cases, the customer's offer is paged to the network of drivers, who decide if a deal can be made. Offers start from $5 and can go up to $20 depending on availability.

The total fare paid at the end of the ride is the metered fare plus the premium agreed on.

Cabbies said that there are at least 1,000 drivers here who subscribe to these radio operator networks.

They include workers from all seven taxi companies here with authorised booking hotlines. Drivers pay a monthly fee of $100 to join these networks, generally organised by neighbourhoods.

Taxi drivers who are part of these networks declined to go on the record, fearing censure by their companies. The Straits Times contacted three radio operators this week to test the system. Only one - Lake View Radio Taxi Service - took the illegal booking.

The service operator could not be reached for comment yesterday, but on the booked ride, the cabby said customers can offer up to $20 above the metered fare to avoid a long wait.

"It's very popular especially when it's raining and they can't get through the normal booking numbers," he added.

When asked about this, taxi companies and the LTA said the practice was unauthorised and illegal. LTA said it would take action against drivers caught accepting fares above the metered rate.

Penalties include fines and demerit points that can lead to their licences being revoked.

Asked how this practice differed from limousine groups that charge flat fees, LTA said such bookings are made through the companies' call centres and authorised limousine counters.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan, a member of the Governmental Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport, said the illegal service was unfair to commuters as fares would not be transparent.

But GPC vice-chair Seng Han Thong said: "This is the reality on the ground where some passengers prefer a personalised service... It's a happy buyer, happy seller situation."

National Taxi Association president Wee Boon Kim said such networks were a response to market demand.

Professor Lee Der Horng, transport researcher at the National University of Singapore, said he was "puzzled" that the authorities considered such transactions illegal. "After all, it's agreed upon between the driver and the passenger. And it is the passenger who is initiating this transaction."

SMRT fined S$2m for December train disruptions

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will impose the maximum fine of S$2 million on transport operator SMRT for the two train disruptions along the North-South Line on December 15 and 17 last year.

Over 200,000 commuters were affected during the disruptions.

LTA said its investigations have found that SMRT had failed to meet its licensing obligations for the North-South and East-West Lines.

It has failed, among other things, to exercise due diligence and vigilance expected of a public transport operator, and to maintain its network in good and efficient working condition.

In both incidents, SMRT was also found to be in breach of the Operating Performance Standards for the North-South and East-West lines.

Under Section 19 of the Rapid Transit Systems Act, a public transport operator can be fined up to S$1 million per incident if it fails to comply with the Operating Performance Standards and other regulatory requirements.

In assessing the penalty amount, LTA said it considers the facts of the case, severity of the incident and any relevant mitigating factors that may apply. It will also consider any representations which the operator may make.

A statement from LTA said the S$2 million will be donated to the Public Transport Fund to help needy families with transport fares.

The penalty comes on the back of the Committee of Inquiry's report, which was submitted to the Transport Minister on July 3.

Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, Cedric Foo, felt LTA is imposing the maximum fine as the disruptions had massive impact on commuters and occurred in quick succession.

He said "The disruptions in December has massive impact on commuters. They occurred in quick succession and the COI found they were preventable. That, I felt was why LTA meted out the maximum fines under the framework."

Others felt the fine will send a clear signal to operators.

Associate Professor Lee Der-Horng of the National University of Singapore said: "Imposing the penalty is definitely the last option. I'm sure SMRT will receive a very strong signal that they would definitely have to improve -- right from the fundamentals to improve their service to ensure that in the future, a similar incident will not happen again."

LTA is now reviewing the current maximum penalty amount following the disruptions, to strengthen its regulatory regime.

Dr Park Byung Joon, Head of Urban Transport Management at UniSIM's School of Business, said: "What I want to see from the LTA now is whether they are going to introduce another fine for less major disruptions. Is LTA going on a case-by-case basis like now? Or are they going to introduce a more structured fine scheme?"

In a separate statement, SMRT said it has been informed of the fine, and added that the investigations into the incidents have provided the company with valuable insights into enhancements needed in its previous maintenance regime, which was regularly validated by LTA.

SMRT said since the two incidents, it has been implementing various initiatives to prevent a recurrence, and improve service reliability and incident response in collaboration with LTA.

The operator said it will implement further improvements and work closely with the LTA to enhance its reliability and service levels for the benefit of commuters.

An analyst said that the penalty will send a message to operators that such incidents should not be repeated.

The disruptions have already cost the private operator some S$4.4 million in additional costs for financial year 2012. Part of this money went towards legal and professional fees.

The company also reported a lower full-year net profit of S$119.9 million for its fiscal year ending March 30, 2012, which is 25.6 per cent lower than the previous year.

About 13 per cent fewer COEs in the next 6 months

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) today said that 3,226 certificates of entitlement (COEs) will be available per month over the next six months.

This is a 12.7 per cent drop from the last six months.

The cut comes largely from the small cars category (Cat A) which records a drop of 36.6 per cent and will now have a monthly quota of just 786, down from the current 1,239.

The Open Category (Cat E) also saw a large cut of about 21.4 per cent which translates to a monthly quota of 485, down from the current 617.

Drivers bidding for certificates for cars of 1,601 cc and above in Cat B will have a slightly larger monthly quota of 701 to bid in. This is up from 699.

An increase is also seen in the goods vehicles and buses category (Cat C) of about 12.85 per cent. The monthly quota has been raised to 360 instead of the current 319.

For the motorcycles category (cat D), the monthly quota is increased to 894 from 820.

The bidding under the new quotas will begin with the August 2012 First Open Bidding Exercise.

LTA said the changes in quota is based on two components including the provision for 1 per cent vehicle growth based on the vehicle population as at Dec 31 last year and the replacement COEs for vehicles de-registered between January and June 2012.

In May 2012, LTA said that it will reduce vehicle growth rate to 1 per cent from August instead of 0.5 per cent as previously announced.

The percentage will then be further reduced to 0.5 per cent from February 2013 to January 2015.

This move comes as an attempt to ease the rising prices of certificates of entitlement (COE).

The next COE quota announcement for the COE bidding period from February 2013 to July 2013 will be made in January 2013.

"My Grandfather Road" markings identified as vandal, woman arrested

SINGAPORE: Police arrested a 25-year-old woman who is believed to have painted "MY GRANDFATHER ROAD" on several roads in Singapore.

Between 17 and 21 May, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) found the words "MY GRANDFATHER ROAD" being painted on some roads along Robinson Road and Maxwell Road and reported the matter to the Police.

LTA also reported that circular stickers printed with captions were pasted on a pavement around Lau Pa Sat and on a road traffic sign along Robinson Road.

Officers from Central Police Division, with the support from Police Intelligence Department, investigated the matter and arrested the woman suspect at her home in eastern Singapore on Sunday.

The officers also found several paint-stained stencils and several pieces of stickers printed with captions.

These items were seized for investigation.

Police are investigating and are working with LTA on earlier reports of round stickers found affixed on other pedestrian crossings at various places.

A person who is convicted of vandalism shall be punished with a fine of up to S$2,000, or jail up to three years and caning.

Police said they take a serious view of such irresponsible actions and warned that offenders will be dealt with severely.

3 changes to ease COE crunch by August: LTA

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) today announced three measures it will take to ease the rising prices of certificates of entitlement (COE).

This comes after Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew asked LTA to possibly delay plans of implementing the 0.5 per cent growth cap, from the current 1.5 per cent rate, initially scheduled to begin in August.

In a statement to the media, the LTA said that it will reduce vehicle growth rate to 1 per cent from August instead of 0.5 per cent as previously announced. The percentage will then be further reduced to 0.5 per cent from February 2013 to January 2015.

This move will make available about 390 more COEs per month from August 2012 to January 2013 which is equivalent to about 10 per cent of the current monthly quota.

Secondly, the claw-back of over supplied COEs, which totals 4,789, made in 2008 and 2009 will be further deferred to July 2013 -  a delay of one year. Adjustments will resume from August 2013 to January 2013.

This change will make available 266 more COEs per month, or about 7 per cent of the current monthly quota.

Thirdly, LTA will reduce COEs in the Open Category (Cat E). Currently 25 per cent of COEs from each of the four other vehicle categories make up the supply in Cat E.

In an attempt to maintain a more stable supply of COEs in each category, this percentage will be reduced to 20 per cent from August 2012 and then to 15 per cent from February 2013.

This will redistribute more COEs from Open to the other categories.

The quota for the COE bidding period from August 2012 to January 2013 will be announced in July 2012.

LTA to change traffic light timings at Ferrari crash junction

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Monday evening that it would synchronise the timings of the traffic lights where two accidents occurred within a span of just two weeks.

A local news source reported that the traffic signals at the junction of Rochor Road and Victoria Street and the pedestrian crossing linking Bugis Junction and Bugis Village will now turn green at about the same time.

LTA said it was just an "added precautionary measure".

While LTA said it was implementing the change based on feedback from the public, it found no issues with the existing traffic scheme at the location.
 
The call for improvment to the traffic signals at the junction of Rochor Road and Victoria Street came in the wake of two accidents which claimed the lives of three and three others injured. 

The first accident on May 12 involved a speeding Ferrari, while the second accident on May 26 involved a Lexus. Both cars crashed into taxis.

Both accidents happened in the wee hours on a Saturday and involved cars travelling in the same direction.

Suggesting one theory on how the accidents might have happened is Dr Lee Der-Horng, associate professor of civil engineering at the National University of Singapore, who said the timing of the traffic signals might have been a factor in the accidents.

"One possibility is at the pedestrian crossing, maybe the driver tried to beat the yellow signal. 
"So after he travelled the 50, 60 metres, when he reached the major intersection, the traffic signal already turned to red," he said.

Dr Lee feels that the intersection is actually satisfactory from the safety's point of view.
But added that perhaps, overhead traffic lights would give drivers a better view of the signal.

After careful evaluation of the traffic signal configuration, LTA found that the traffic lights at the junction are distinct and can be clearly seen by the driver, whichever lane they are driving on.

LTA had deployed its traffic engineers to drive through the junction of Victoria Street and Rochor Road during the day and in the middle of the night to film the line of sight from a driver's perspective.

 "The traffic planning engineers have conducted a careful evaluation of the traffic signal configuration, and assessed that there are no issues with the existing traffic scheme at that location," LTA said.
The Singapore Road Safety Council also weighed in and said it will consider the need to tighten specific road safety measures, after police investigations into the two accidents are completed.

New crash sparks calls for action on junction

In the wake of yet another collision at the junction of Rochor Road and Victoria Street last Saturday morning, this time involving a Lexus and a taxi, transport bodies and motorists are calling for the authorities to step in to ensure that the junction is safe.

Members of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport whom my paper spoke to yesterday urged the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to look into the matter.

Mr Ang Hin Kee, a committee member and adviser to the National Taxi Association, said: "Following these accidents, the LTA should ensure that there are adequate safety measures in place, and that the road conditions and set-up are safe for all users."

Last Saturday's accident comes two weeks after a Ferrari allegedly beat the red light on the morning of May 12 and crashed into a taxi, resulting in three deaths.

The Lexus in the latest case - the eighth reported at the junction in the past month - also allegedly beat a red light and hit the tail end of the taxi, causing the cab to spin.

The driver of the Lexus, a 30-year-old Singaporean man, was arrested for suspected drink driving and dangerous driving.

Mr Ang also suggested that the authorities should consider getting taxi companies to make taxis safer by installing airbags and conducting routine mainte- nance checks on cabs.

"A safer road for taxis is also a safer road for other motorists, and will be beneficial for all."

On whether taxi drivers needed more training in road safety, he said that was not necessary as there were no mistakes made by the cabbies in both the latest accident and the Ferrari crash, where their driving skills were concerned.

He supported calls for a separate licensing and competency test for drivers of "supercars", as "the capacity and performance (of a supercar) are very different from those of a normal sedan, and drivers may not know how to handle that kind of horse- power".

Fellow committee member Gan Thiam Poh said it was the responsibility of motorists to help prevent accidents and that safety should be a priority.

Mr Gerard Ee, chairman of the Public Transport Council, said that the roads at the junction are wide and, coupled with the lighter traffic conditions in the wee hours, drivers may be more likely to speed.

"The focus of the accidents should not be on the cars, but on the recklessness of the drivers.

Motorists should comply with traffic regulations to prevent accidents from happening," he reiterated.
Other motorists also urged for more to be done.

Undergraduate Marcus Tan, 24, said: "The LTA should identify any blind spots that make the junction prone to accidents, and correct them as soon as possible, before another fatality happens."

A netizen said on citizen-journalism website Stomp yesterday that there appeared to be a surveillance camera with a "perfect vantage point" installed at the junction, and suggested that the authorities use the footage captured to further probe the accidents.

Govt studying measures to cool COE market

SINGAPORE: More Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) may be made available in the coming months.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is studying measures that may contribute to higher COE supply for the next six-month period from this August.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew revealed this on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony of Tuas West Extension on Friday.

Car buyers have been feeling the heat in recent months, as prices have soared due to supply tightening.

The latest bidding round alone saw COE prices reaching record levels.

Prices for big cars went past the S$90,000 mark, while those for smaller cars breached the S$60,000 mark.

But there may soon be some relief.

Minister Lui said he has asked the LTA to study two measures.

One is to possibly delay cutting the vehicle growth rate to 0.5 per cent from the current 1.5 per cent by August this year.

"I think if we proceed with the plan as we envisaged earlier, it would be quite a significant squeeze on the vehicle quota numbers. While 0.5 per cent is indeed the target we want to achieve, we will study very carefully whether we can exercise flexibility in this area," said Mr Lui.

Another possibility is to defer the claw-back of COEs which has been underway since April 2010.

The claw-back is to counter an oversupply of COEs due to over-projections in vehicle deregistrations between 2008 and 2009.

Industry players said if the measures are implemented, higher quota numbers will cool the COE market. But they do not expect the reduction in COE prices to be very significant.

Michael Wong, vice president of Motor Traders Association, said: "If these deferred adjustments had been much earlier, then of course the numbers would be quite significant.

"We are at the last phase of the claw-back. The total number is still good-sized, but on its own will not significantly impact the total volume of COEs available."

Still, some potential car buyers hope the measures will be implemented.

"The move is good, (it will) enable more people to buy cars," said a member of the public.

Others felt boosting the COE supply would not be sustainable.

"Singapore is too small a country to have many vehicles. Improve our public transport (and) make sure that it is good quality," said another.

LTA is expected to complete its study on the possible measures by the end of the month.