SPEECH - 14 July 2008

Speech by Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs at the Opening Ceremony of the 9th Intelligent Transport Systems Asia-Pacific Forum & Exhibition on 14 July 2008

Distinguished guests and delegates

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

1. It is my pleasure to be with you today for the Opening of the 9th Intelligent Transport Systems Asia-Pacific Forum & Exhibition. Let me first extend a warm welcome to all of you, especially to our overseas guests and distinguished delegates.

2. Singapore is honoured to host the 9th ITS Asia-Pacific Forum and Exhibition. The forum provides a good platform for the sharing of experiences and exchange of ideas, and I am confident that the insights provided will be useful in your quest to leverage on technology to better meet the transport challenges of the future. We are happy to share our experiences, and we hope to also learn from the experiences of other countries.

3. Singapore is a small city state, where 12 per cent of our land is already used for roads. Our economy is still growing, but with limited scope to expand our road network, it is important that we make the best use of our available scarce road space, including the use of technology.

4. With advances in technology, we can pursue innovative solutions to improve the operational efficiency of our road network. The same road space can carry more vehicles, closer to the design capacity of the road. We will also be able to serve our road users better. Hence, we have been adopting ITS technologies in our approach to managing road usage and ensuring smooth-flowing roads.

Optimising Our Road Network

GLIDE

5. If you take a drive down our roads today, chances are you will find yourself driving along a “green wave” of traffic lights. This is because our traffic junctions are coordinated using a computerised and dynamic traffic light system called GLIDE[1]. GLIDE taps on a network of detector loops placed underneath the roadway at traffic junctions, and the real-time traffic data collected is then used to optimise the “green” durations for motorists and pedestrians. Not only will this result in time savings for road users but it also translates to greater optimisation for the road network as a whole.

EMAS and J-eyes

6. Incidents on our expressways and major traffic junctions are closely monitored by the Intelligent Transport Systems Centre (or ITSC) 24 hours a day throughout the year, through an extensive network of EMAS[2] cameras and Junction Eyes (or J-Eyes) cameras. This is much like an air traffic controller, who has a bird’s eye view of the skies surrounding the airport. For example, if a car breaks down on an expressway, the ITSC will be able to detect this and respond to the incident by deploying services to clear the obstruction quickly. This helps to ensure traffic on the expressway returns back to normal as quickly as possible. A study on the effectiveness of EMAS concluded that there is an average time savings of 24 minutes per incident. With shorter delays on our expressways, this translates to a cost savings of about $40 million per year.

Parking Guidance System

7. More recently, we have put in place a Parking Guidance System in the Marina Centre area. Drivers travelling to Marina Centre are able to drive into the area knowing where the available parking spaces are. The information is provided real-time and drivers can make informed decisions on where to head towards to find parking. This helps to distribute parking demand and lessen traffic circulating on our city roads.

Dynamic Route Navigation System

8. Apart from traffic updates on the radio, LTA is also working with the industry on the development of a dynamic route navigation system that will allow motorists to access real-time traffic information. I understand that a prototype of this navigation device is on display at the Exhibition.

Public Transport

9. Technology applications are not just limited to the management of traffic and road usage. In Singapore, we use technology to also improve the provision of public transport services. For example, we have recently installed real-time bus arrival information panels at selected bus stops to provide commuters with the estimated arrival time of the next bus. Commuters have found this service useful as it helps to better manage their waiting time and transfers. LTA has also recently worked with Transitlink to launch a Public Transport Journey Planner that integrates travel routes across basic bus and rail services. The Journey Planner is an on-line travel advisory tool that allows commuters to plan their journeys on public buses and trains better.

New ITS Initiatives

10. Earlier this year, we launched the Land Transport Masterplan, which will transform Singapore’s land transport development over the next 10 to 15 years. The use of technology is a key enabler to achieving the strategic thrusts in the Masterplan. Today, I am pleased to announce three new ITS initiatives that the LTA will be rolling out.

Expansion of EMAS to Major Arterial Roads

11. We have received feedback from many drivers that the EMAS system on the expressways has helped them in planning their journeys. Therefore, we will be expanding the coverage of the EMAS system to major arterial roads, with the first phase to be in place by 2010. The expansion will ensure smoother traffic on our network of major arterial roads.

Second Generation In-vehicle Unit

12. Technology can also be used to facilitate e-payments in the transport sector. LTA has been developing a second generation In-vehicle Unit (IU) that rides on the Contactless E-Purse Application Standard (or CEPAS in short). This standard was introduced as a common standard across e-payments cards. This new IU will offer motorists more choices in the payment of ERP charges. In addition to the existing NETS cash cards, motorists with this new IU will be able to use new CEPAS-compliant contactless smart cards when these are released. The second generation IU will be launched in phases, starting with motorcycles in August, and moving on to cars and other vehicles later from early 2009.

Symphony for e-Payment

13. A new e-payment system for the public transport system will also be launched later this year. Developed by LTA, the Symphony for e-Payment, or SeP in short, is a new ticketing system that complies with CEPAS. With SeP, commuters will have more choices as multiple card issuers can come on board to issue cards for the payment of public transport fares. The SeP is also compatible with second generation IUs, thus giving users a common card for e-Payments made for transport purposes.

Conclusion

14. Singapore has made concerted efforts to leverage technology to enhance our land transport system. By sharing our experiences, I hope they can serve as a useful platform for discussions and deliberations, and delegates will find them useful and beneficial.

15. I wish all of you a fruitful discussion over the next three days and a pleasant stay in Singapore.

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[2] Expressway Monitoring Advisory System (EMAS)