SINGAPORE – The authorities are considering imposing Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges on the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) for the first time, in a move to ease congestion there.

The tolls could be implemented from as early as the second quarter of 2017.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Friday (Sept30) that traffic speeds along the KPE have “persistently fallen below the optimal speed range of 45kmh to 65kmh” during the weekday morning peak hours.

“This has led to significant and persistent traffic congestion,” it said in a press release.

It is currently evaluating whether to activate an existing ERP gantry situated just before the KPE tunnel entrance, after the Tampines Road entry slip road.

The LTA said it will review the traffic speeds in the next two quarters, before making a decision.

The authority added that it has been improving public transport options to cater to the growing population in the north-east of Singapore.

Residents in Punggol, for example, are currently served by City Direct Service 666, which started in February 2016, it said. This service brings them directly to and from the Central Business District during morning and evening peak periods.

From the fourth quarter of 2016, two new City Direct services will also commence, to serve those living in Buangkok, Sengkang and Hougang, the LTA added.

In addition, 15 new trains have been recently added to the North East Line, to help reduce crowding and shorten wait times, especially during peak periods.

This article was first published on September 20, 2016.
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SINGAPORE – The Housing Board (HDB) on Friday (Sept 30) embarked on an ultrasound inspection of the sunshades in four blocks in Tampines.

This comes after a concrete sunshade on the fourth floor of Block 201E, Tampines Street 23, dislodged on Sunday (Sept 25) and fell on the sunshade on the third storey.

No one was injured in the incident, and the cause is still under investigation. HDB engineers have also ascertained that the building is structurally safe.

HDB said it will be using ultrasound scanning equipment to check the sunshades at the affected block and three other blocks which have similar sunshades – Blocks 201A, 201B and 201D, Tampines Street 21.

The four blocks, which were built in 1985, are home to 181 households and have 73 sunshades.

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Concrete sunshade at Tampines HDB block collapses

Source:

The Straits Times

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HDB said the ultrasound scan “seeks to assess the condition of each sunshade, including the presence of reinforcement bars embedded within the sunshades as this is one of the areas of our investigation”.

The ultrasound scanner transmits magnetic waves into the concrete and detects the presence of metal reinforcement bars inside the sunshade.

Scaffolding and safety barriers have been erected at the site in preparation for the checks.

HDB added that it will work with the Tampines Town Council to repair the sunshade on the third storey, which was hit by the dislodged sunshade on Sunday.

The dislodged sunshade was taken to a laboratory on Sunday where more checks will be done.

“To get a complete and accurate picture of the cause behind the incident, we need both the laboratory investigation and site checks to run their full course,” HDB said, adding that it will share the investigation outcome and the follow-up measures.

This article was first published on September 30, 2016.
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SINGAPORE – The Zika cluster at Bedok North was closed on Friday, the second one to close since the outbreak began in Singapore on Aug 27.

There were five cases at this cluster which included Bedok North Avenue 3, Bedok North Avenue 2 and Bedok North Street 3.

Locally-transmitted Zika in Singapore

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

No new cases have been found in the area in the last two weeks.

There were no new Zika cases reported on Friday (Sept 30), said the National Environment Agency. The number of locally-transmitted cases for 2016 is now 398.

The first cluster to be declared closed was at Bishan Street 12 on Wednesday.

Fighting Zika: Which mosquito repellent to use

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, New Straits Times, Avon, Reuters, The Business Times, Ronnie Lim, Far East Flora

There are now seven remaining Zika clusters around the island. Six have not seen any cases in the last two weeks.

Only the Aljunied cluster has had five new cases. There are now 298 cases there.

This article was first published on September 30, 2016.
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SINGAPORE – A man was trapped under a bus after an accident on Hougang Avenue 9 on Friday (Sept 30).

The double-decker bus, service 72, knocked into the pedestrian at about 10.30am.

The 51-year-old man, dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of bermudas, was smeared with blood and had a look of pain on his face in photos submitted by a Shin Min Daily News reader.

There was a web of cracks on the bus’ windscreen and blood was left on the road after the man was freed.

A number of passers-by stopped to help, said Mr Bernard Chua, 45, who was walking to work when he witnessed the accident.

Mr Chua called the police and used his newspaper to shield the victim from the hot sun, he told Shin Min Daily News.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that the victim’s right leg was trapped under the bus.

The man was freed by SCDF and was conscious as he was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The hospital was alerted to be on standby to receive him, SCDF said.

SBS Transit is attempting to reach out to the victim and his family, said its senior vice-president of corporate communications, Ms Tammy Tan.

“Our priority is the well-being of the injured gentleman and we have been trying to get in touch with him or his family,” Ms Tan said.

“We were at the hospital earlier today but were unable to establish contact with any of them. We will continue to reach out. Meanwhile, we are assisting the Police with their investigations.”

A fire engine, a Red Rhino, two fire bikes, an ambulance and a support vehicle were sent to the scene.

Police said investigations are ongoing.

This article was first published on September 20, 2016.
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SINGAPORE – A public bus has ended up in an unlikely place – the second time this has happened in two days.

An SBS Transit bus was found in a tennis court next to Yio Chu Kang MRT station on Friday (Sept 30) evening. The bus, believed to be service 13, appeared to have crashed through a fence.

It hit a lamp post, and there were shards of glass all over the tennis court. No one was playing at the court when the incident happened.

A witness, who only wanted to be known as Marcus, told The Straits Times that the accident happened around 6.20pm.

The bus driver appeared dazed but was unharmed, the 56-year-old tennis coach said.

SBS Transit said it was “stunned”, but no one was hurt in the accident.

“We are stunned that this has happened and will certainly be launching an investigation into it,” said Ms Tammy Tan, senior vice-president of corporate communications.

“We are, however, thankful that no one was on the tennis court and no passengers were on board at that time.”

A reader, who wanted to be known only as Ricky, told The Straits Times that he was shocked to see the bus stuck in the fence.

The 54-year-old public servant said he had alighted from bus 162 on his way home at about 7pm when he came across the unusual sight.

He said he was concerned about the safety of the passengers and anyone who may have been playing tennis on the court.

There was no obstruction at the interchange as “two-thirds of the bus” was in the court, he said.

“If anyone was playing tennis there, it would be a sudden attack,” he said. “I’m worried for the lives and safety of others.”

The bus was towed away at about 7.45pm.

On Thursday, an SMRT bendy bus was stuck in a field at Kim Keat for 10 hours. After making a wrong turn at Kim Keat Avenue, the bus driver tried to make a u-turn on the field.

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2 public buses go on the wayward

Source:

The Straits Times

The New Paper

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The wheels and part of the body sank into the ground, and the service 67 bus had to be hauled away by a tow truck.

The Straits Times understands that the bus was off-service and heading to Kranji Depot.

This article was first published on September 30, 2016.
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