Chpt 2: Management of traffic flow

2. Management of resources: Management of traffic flow for the management of land-use.

Q: Which of the following approaches is the most effective way to manage traffic flow? Explain.

v  Area Licensing Scheme

v  Electronic Road Pricing

v  Park and Ride

v  Vehicle Quota Scheme

Factor	Explanation – Why each method is a good way to help ensure that Singapore’s roads do not end up congested	Link
Area licensing scheme	The Area Licensing Scheme à requires motorists to pay for a disc that must be stuck to their windscreen if they want to enter the CBD area. Deterred motorists from driving to the Central Business District(CBD) since they had to pay extra. By doing so, there were fewer cars on the road going in and out of the CBD and hence roads there would have been less congested à an effective way to control traffic in the CBD area.	Hence this is why the Area licensing scheme is a useful way to manage Traffic flow in Singapore.
Electronic Road Pricing	The Electronic Road Pricing scheme uses electronic gantries to charge motorists for using certain roads especially those going towards the city or coming from the city CBD area. This is an technologically advance approach to deter motorists from driving into the city area as they have to pay additional ERP charges. To avoid these charges à motorists will not drive into the CBD à road leading to CBD will be less congested.	Hence this is why the Electronic Road Pricing is a useful way to manage Traffic flow in Singapore.
Park and Ride Scheme	The Park and Ride Scheme refers to the creation of car parking space near MRT stations just outside the CBD. The aim is to prevent people from driving into the CBD by offering them an alternative means of getting into the CDB area. Drivers can park their cars in any of the 7700 car parking lots at designated areas. Drivers can then hop onto buses that will bring them into the CBD area or take the MRT into the city. This reduces the number of cars entering the CBD and hence this reduces the congestion along the roads.	Hence this is why the Park and Ride Scheme is a useful way to manage Traffic flow in Singapore.
Vehicle Quota Scheme	The vehicle quota scheme(VQS) is an effective way to help improve traffic flow because: The VQS requires Singaporeans who want to own a car to have a COE (Certificate of Entitlement). The COE costs money and the person who wants to own a car must bid for it. This makes it more expensive to own a car and this deters Singaporeans from owning a car and this helps reduce the number of vehicle owners à a lower Singapore vehicle ownership à fewer cars on the road à fewer jams à better traffic flow on roads.   Also, the VQS system reduces the car population by limiting the total number of cars allowed in Singapore. There is quota on the total number of new cars allowed each month. Once this quota is reached, the Land Transport Authority(LTA) will stop issuing COEs. Without the issuing of new COEs, there will be a limit to the number of new cars being bought and added to Singapore’s roads.  Hence, this is a direct way to control the car population and keep car numbers down since there is a quota that will limit the number of new cars being bought each month. With the ability to control the number of cars, there will a lesser road congestion and thus fewer traffic jams.   Finally, the VQS allows owners to own a car for a maximum of 10 years. After this period, the car must be scrapped.  This helps control the car population since cars which reach 10 years old have to be removed from the roads. With fewer cars on the roads, there will be lesser congestion and thus fewer jams.	Hence this is why the Vehicle Quota Scheme is a useful way to manage Traffic flow in Singapore.
Weighing	In conclusion, the most effective way to manage traffic flow is the VQS method that can actually control the total car population. The VQS sets a limit to the total number of cars in Singapore by issuing COEs based on a quota. Thus, by being able to control the car population directly, the total number of vehicles on the road can be controlled à hence traffic flow is effectively managed. On the other hand, the other 3 methods of traffic management do not actually control the vehicle population in Singapore but only deter motorists from entering the CBD or offer them an alternative to driving into the CBD area. Hence, as a means of controlling traffic flow in areas outside of the CBD, the ALS, ERP and Park and Ride are not effective. The VQS has a nation wide impact in preventing traffic congestion by directly controlling the vehicle population but not the other approaches.