2. Transport
A feature of cities is their
rapidly increasing
population, either due to
natural increase or rural-
urban migration.
As cities become more crowded,
commuting can become a challenge.
If traffic is not well-managed, it leads
to traffic congestion, causing
economic loss and environmental
pollution.
Managing traffic congestion is
an important task. Some cities
have chosen to solve the issue
by building more roads and
highways, and an efficient
public transport system.
Singapore faces challenges, such as
limited land supply and a growing
population. Hence, we need to
consider carefully some ways to
improve the traffic situation.
3. INVESTIGATING TRANSPORT
How can we keep
people moving?
- What is traffic congestion?
- Where is traffic
congestion found in
the city?
- Why does traffic
congestion occur?
- How do some cities
manage traffic
congestion?
- How does traffic
congestion affect people
and the environment?
4. ACTIVITY 1
• Look through the previous slide
• Develop as many questions you can about ‘Transport’
• You would attempt to answer these questions as we go through
the slides
5. What is Traffic Congestion?
- Definition
- Characteristics
Where is Traffic Congestion
found in the city?
- Describe Distribution
Why does traffic congestion
occur?
- Explain the causes
How does traffic congestion affect people and
the environment?
- Describe Impact
- Show concern for people who are affected
How do some cities manage traffic
congestion?
- Describe and explain strategies
- Describe benefits and challenges of
various strategies
- Appreciate challenges faced by planners
in managing transport issues
6. WHAT IS TRAFFIC CONGESTION
• Characteristics of urban transport
-Cities have a wider variety of transport modes, higher
density of transport networks and better quality
transport infrastructure, compared to rural areas
• Traffic Congestion
- More vehicles than the road can handle
7.
8. VARIETY OF TRANSPORT MODES
• Modes of transportation refer to the types of transport used to facilitate
the movement of people or goods from one place to another.
• Modes of transportation can be classified as either private or public.
• Private transport refers to transport owned by individuals, such as
motorcycles and cars.
• Public transport refers to transport provided by the government or
private companies, such as buses, trains and taxis.
10. DENSITY OF TRANSPORT NETWORKS
• A transport network refers to a system of transport routes connecting a
set of nodes
• A node refers to a place where lines in a network cross or join
• The nodes are junctions and terminals
• A route refers to the connection between two nodes
• The number of routes and nodes determine the density of transport
networks
• The greater the number of routes and nodes, the greater the network
density.
11. DENSITY OF TRANSPORT NETWORK
Nodes Routes
• Place where lines in a network
cross or join
• Connection between two nodes
A dense transport network is one which is highly
developed and well-connected
Such a network makes it easier for people to get around
the city.
13. QUALITY OF TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
• Transport infrastructure refers to facilities such as roads,
railway tracks and bus terminals.
• The quality of transport infrastructure can be measured by
indicators such as capacity, efficiency, reliability, safety
and comfort level.
• Examples : well-paved and well-lit road with many lanes
• Example : road with potholes
14. Large Capacity
Able to move large numbers
of people at one time
Characteristics of a
high-quality
transport
infrastructure
Efficient
Frequent services to move
people quickly
Comfortable
Clean travelling environment
allows for a comfortable
commute
Safe
Little danger of car
accidents, bus collisions or
even train derailing
Presence of safety features
such as track barriers and
emergency buttons on trains
Dependable and
Reliable
Transport system can be
depended upon to move
people constantly, on time
and with few interruptions
15. QUALITY OF TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
Good Quality Bad Quality
• Well-Paved, Well-Lit Roads
• Multiple Lanes
• Allows vehicles to move
quickly
• Poorly-maintained road
• Narrow Lanes
16. REVISION
• Take out a piece of foolscap paper
• Answer the questions
• 1. Define traffic congestion.
• 2. Describe the characteristics of traffic congestion.
• You would be given 5 minutes to attempt each question
17. Q1 DEFINE TRAFFIC CONGESTION
ANS :
Traffic congestion is a situation where there are more
vehicles than the road can handle. Roads are
overcrowded with too many vehicles, leading to traffic
congestion.
18. Q2 DESCRIBE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF
TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
ANS :
The characteristics of a traffic congestion are slow travelling speeds,
longer-than-usual travelling times, vehicular queues of more than 15
minutes and vehicles that are not moving. Traffic congestion also tends to
occur during peak hours, which is the time of the day when many people are
on their way to work or on their way home from work. In bad traffic
congestion, the travelling speed of a vehicle may be as slow as 10 kilometres
per hour in comparison to a normal speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour.
Due to the slow travelling speeds and vehicular queues, vehicles take several
minutes or hours more to reach their destination
19. WHERE IS TRAFFIC CONGESTION FOUND IN
THE CITY?
• The CBD, Central Business District
• It is the commercial centre where businesses such as financial
institutions are concentrated in the city
• Hence, the CBD has to be readily accessible to everyone
• The CBD is thus the most well-connected part of the city to
cater to large pedestrian and vehicular flows
• There is high flow of traffic on the roads within the CBD
because many people commute to and from the CBD
20. CAUSES OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION
• Separation of work and residential areas
• Movement from one part of the city to another to
obtain or provide goods and services
• Inadequate transport infrastructure and poor provision
of transport services
21. SEPARATION OF WORK AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS
• People often work and live in different parts of the city
• Places of work are often located far away from housing areas
• This results in the need for people to commute to work
Commute
To commute means to travel some distance between one’s
home and place of work on a regular basis
22. CASE STUDY : SINGAPORE
• People work in the CBD (Central Business District)
• However, many people live in the west of Singapore,
namely Jurong, Clementi, Choa Chu Kang etc
• There is a need for transportation so that people can
arrive on their workplace on time
• Some take public transport, such as buses and trains
• There are some buses that link residential areas to the
CBD, however, these bus services take a long time and
people might prefer the faster option of taking the train
23. SEPARATION OF WORK AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS
• Commuting can be done via
• Public Transport
• Private Transport
• Most people would prefer to drive a private vehicle
because it is convenient and allows for flexibility
• This leads to an increase in car ownership
Car ownership is a number of cars per 1 000 inhabitants;
passenger cars refer to motor vehicles other than two-wheelers, intended
for the carriage of passenger and designed to seat no more than nine
people (including the driver).
24. PRIVATE TRANSPORT VS PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Private Transport Public Transport
- Fast
- Convenient
- Comfortable
- Greater Mobility
- Greater Connectivity
between train and bus
services
- Generally Reliable
- Allows Passengers to Rest
- Higher cost of
maintenance
- High usage of private
vehicles will result in traffic
congestion
- Carbon emission
- Limited Mobility
- Uncomfortable
- Passengers would also be
affected by traffic congestion
(though impact is reduced
through the implementation
of bus lanes)
25. MOVEMENT FROM ONE PART OF THE CITY TO ANOTHER
TO OBTAIN OR PROVIDE GOODS AND SERVICES
• People may need to move about within the city to obtain
goods and services
• They may need to purchase goods from specialised stores
or attend classes in a different part of the city
• People may also need to travel within the city to provide
goods and services
26. INADEQUATE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND
POOR PROVISION OF TRANSPORT SERVICES
• Inadequate transport infrastructure means that a city’s
transportation facilities are not capable of handling the
amount of traffic it receives
• For eg : roads with inadequate lanes, poorly connected
transport network
• Buses and trains which do not arrive on time can also
cause poor provision of transport services
30. HOW DOES TRAFFIC CONGESTION AFFECT
PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT?
Impact on People
• Reduced Productivity
• Stress on Physical and Mental Health
Impact on the Environment
• Air Pollution
• Noise Pollution
WHAT? JAM AGAIN?
I AM GOING TO BE LATE
FOR WORK!
31. IMPACT ON PEOPLE : REDUCED
PRODUCTIVITY
• Productivity refers to the rate at which goods or services are
produced.
• It is measured in output per unit of labour.
• Traffic Congestion reduces productivity because people have to
spend more time commuting.
• This wastes time that could be spent on productive work.
32. IMPACT ON PEOPLE : STRESS ON HEALTH
Physical Health
• General Condition of a person’s
body
Mental Health
• Psychological state of a person
Long travelling times can lead to
- Fatigue
- Loss of concentration, falling asleep
for drivers
- Exposure to fumes from idling
vehicles. Fumes contain particulate
matter which can penetrate deep into
lung tissues, causing inflammation.
- Long term exposure to fumes has
been linked to several health
problems, including asthma and lung
diseases.
Traffic Congestion can have negative
impacts on people’s mental health
Due to spending more time on the road,
people may become prone to
- Stress
- Frustration
- This increases their chances of being
involved in accidents and fights with
others
35. IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Air Pollution Noise Pollution
• Traffic Congestion increases the
pollution level of a city
• In USA, more than half of the air
pollution is primarily caused by cars
• Car emit greenhouse gases such as CO2
• These gases cause the Earth’s
temperature to rise because they trap
heat
• When vehicles remain stationary in
traffic congestion, or brake and
accelerate in stop-start traffic, wasted
fuel will increase air pollution
• Cars also produce other harmful air
pollutants which contribute to poor air
quality such as smog
• The biggest cause of noise pollution in
UK is road traffic
• In a traffic congestion, drivers are more
prone to honking due to frustration
• However, each honk is usually more
than 65 decibels
• This is higher than the lawful limit of 55
decibels
• Excessive noise could harm health and
interferes with people’s daily activities
• It can disturb sleep, causes cardio and
psycho effects, reduce performance and
provoke annoyance responses and
changes in social behaviour
36. MEASURES TAKEN TO MANAGE TRAFFIC
CONGESTION
• Since we know the causes, origins and impacts of
traffic congestion, we should move on to finding
solutions and measures that could be taken to reduce
traffic congestion (or at least its impacts)
37. MEASURES
• Making Public Transport a Choice Mode
-Integrated Public Transport System
-Bus Lane Schemes
-Expansion of Rail Networks
-Increased Capacity and Frequency of buses and rail
• Managing Road Usage
-Road Pricing (better known as ERP)
-Increased Parking Fees
-Enhanced Traffic Monitoring
• Other Measures
-Telecommuting
-Cycling
39. MAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT A CHOICE
• One way to manage traffic congestion is to improve the public
transport system by making it more convenient and accessible
• People might then be encouraged to make public transport a
choice mode
• Buses and trains can carry more passengers than cars, so
taking public transport can help manage traffic congestion
40. ACTIVITY 2
• Students, who rely on public transport to commute TO AND
FRO school, should put up their hands
• Teacher would ask these students to describe their experiences
when taking public transport
• Make sure that there is a share of both positive and negative
answers!
41. KNOWING OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM
• Singapore’s Public Transport System is made up of :
• MRT – operated by SMRT and SBS Transit
• Buses – operated by SMRT Buses and SBS Transit
• Taxis – operated by SMRT and other taxi companies
• Do you know that the ez-link card you are holding is part of a
scheme to make public transport a choice mode?
42. INTEGRATED TRANSPORT SYSTEM
• Trains, buses and taxis should be well-linked – Integrated
• For example, Clementi MRT and Bus Interchange could be said as an
Integrated Transport System
• The MRT Station is connected to the Bus Interchange via a shopping
mall
• Another example is the Boon Lay MRT and Bus Interchange
• Boon Lay is a major residential area in Singapore and its Bus
Interchange is the largest in Singapore and boosts of 31 bus services
• The MRT station and Bus Interchange are connected by Jurong Point
Shopping Centre
43. INTEGRATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM
• Trains and Buses are connected
• Fares are consistent and fare cards can be used for both trains
and buses
• Consistent Frequencies of trains and buses (no delay)
• Boosts accessibility
44. IN SINGAPORE…
• Buses and Trains are Connected by Retail
Activities
• This, as a whole, is called a
• Transport Hub
• Ez-Link card – a contactless smartcard
that boosts of the same ticketing system
between buses and trains
46. INTEGRATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM
Advantages
•An integrated public transport system is
more convenient, accessible and efficient.
People can make use of different modes of
transportation to get to a place quickly
Disadvantages
•An integrated public transport system
requires extensive planning and costs.
Therefore, it may not be feasible in all
countries
47. BUS LANE SCHEMES
• Bus Lanes are lanes that are specially set aside for private and
public buses on specific days and times
• With bus lanes, buses are able to enter and exit bus stops
smoothly and quickly
• Thus, this provides faster and uninterrupted journeys for
commuters, while improving bus speeds and reliability
48. BUS LANES
Normal Bus Lanes Full-Day Bus Lanes
• Driving within normal bus lanes is not
allowed for private cars, taxis and
motorcycles during
• Weekday Peak Hours
• Driving within full-day bus lanes is not
allowed for private cars, taxis and
motorcycles from
• 7.30am to 8pm, Mondays to Saturdays
49. BUS LANE SCHEMES
Advantages
• Bus Lanes allow buses to move quickly so buses would
not be held up during traffic congestion
• Buses will arrive on schedule more often even during peak
hours. This will make travelling by bus more appealing
Disadvantages
• The success of bus lane schemes depends on the
compliance of drivers
• Allocating a lane for buses takes away precious road
capacity for other drivers. As such, designated bus lanes
may lead to traffic congestion for private car users
50. EXPANSION OF RAIL NETWORK
• Increasing the number of locations that trains can
reach
• 1. More tracks can be laid out to ensure that the rail
network covers a large area
• 2. More stations can be built so that more locations
have access to trains
51. IN SINGAPORE…
• Land Transport Master Plan 2013
-Build more MRT Lines
• Cross Island Line
• Jurong Region Line
-Build more MRT Stations
• Extensions to Circle Line, Downtown Line and North East Line
By 2030, Rail Network will span about 360 lm
8 in 10 homes will be located within a 10 minute walk from a train station
52.
53. EXPANSION OF RAIL NETWORK
Advantages
• Trains have high capacities and can transport more
people each time
• People can travel to more destinations via train, some
of which were previously accessible only by car or bus
Disadvantages
• Building rail networks is expensive
• Proposed rail lines may cut through housing estates
and buildings. Affected residents and businesses may
have to bear the construction noise or give up their
property to make way for new lines. This causes
inconvenience for residents and businesses in that area
54. ACTIVITY 3
•Can you identify the mode of transport and its
company?
•Hint : SBS Transit and SMRT are the 2 major
operators of public transport in Singapore
55.
56. SBS Transit
Volvo B9L Wright (double decker)
SMRT Buses
Alexander Dennis (double decker)
59. • How much do you know about our Public Transport System?
• Singapore’s Public Transport System has been hailed as one of
the best in the world
• However, there has been some negative feedback about our
system, such as
• Long Waiting Time
60. INCREASED CAPACITY AND FREQUENCY OF
BUSES AND RAIL
• To help relieve traffic congestion, bus and rail systems
can be upgraded to carry more people and arrive more
frequently
• Transport operators can also put systems in place so
that buses and trains arrive at scheduled times
61. IN SINGAPORE…
• The Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) has
been launched by the government and bus operators
• The programme is expected to reduce waiting times
for buses throughout the island
63. IN SINGAPORE…
• Trains have also been added to existing lines
• According to LT Master Plan 2013, more trains will be added
to these lines starting from 2014
• The train signalling system would also be upgraded
• This would allow trains to arrive safely every 100 seconds
and carry 20% more passengers
64. INCREASED CAPACITY AND FREQUENCY OF
BUSES AND RAIL
Advantage
• More people can be transported to
places and within a short time
Disadvantage
• Increasing the frequency and capacity of
buses and trains may be costly
65. MANAGING ROAD USAGE
• A strategy to mange traffic congestion is to manage road
usage, which helps to reduce the number of cars on the road
• Some ways to manage road usage include
• Implementing road pricing
• Increasing parking fees
• Enhancing traffic monitoring
66. ROAD PRICING
• Road pricing refers to a traffic management measure that
charges drivers when they use certain roads
• Commonly, drivers are required to pay more during peak
periods in order to discourage the use of certain roads
• In Singapore, the ERP is implemented
• 72 ERP gantries have been set up across Singapore as of 2012
67. ROAD PRICING
Advantage
•The higher costs discourage driving
during peak hours. Drivers may then use
alternative modes of transport such as
public buses and trains
Disadvantage
•Traffic is diverted to other roads
because of drivers avoiding the ERP.
This may lead to congestion elsewhere
68. INCREASED PARKING FEES
• Parking fees can be increased to manage road usage
• This would increase the cost of driving, especially
within CBD
• It would also encourage people to take public
transport instead
69. INCREASED PARKING FEES
Advantages
• High parking fees add to the cost of
owning and using a car, hence
discouraging private car ownership
Disadvantages
• Drivers may resort to illegal parking to
avoid paying high fees. The illegally
parked car may block traffic or even pose
a danger to drivers
70. ENHANCED TRAFFIC MONITORING
• Cities can make use of technology to monitor traffic
• Traffic monitoring can alert drivers of traffic congestion and
they can avoid travelling on that road
• Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System (EMAS) ensures
that information will be made available to drivers on the roads
about the current road situation
• They may choose to take an alternative road
71. IN SINGAPORE…
• Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System - EMAS
• Green Link Determining - GLIDE System
• Computerised traffic light signalling system which detects
vehicles, pedestrians and major road junctions, then adjusts
the green time according to traffic conditions
• Drivers are also able to drive from one junction to another
without stopping
72. ENHANCED TRAFFIC MONITORING
Advantage
• Drivers can avoid places with traffic
congestion
Disadvantage
• Traffic Monitoring only encourages
drivers to drive elsewhere and does not
reduce the number of vehicles on the
road
73. OTHER MEASURES
• Traffic congestion can also be managed by changing work
arrangements, and encouraging alternative modes of transport
• Telecommuting
• Encourage Cycling
74. TELECOMMUTING
• Telecommuting refers to a work arrangement where employees work
from home or at a location near their home and thus do not have to
travel to the office
• Telecommuting is made possible by technology such as Internet
connections, computers and telephone lines
• People are then able to stay in contact with their colleagues even though
they are not physically in the office
• This eliminates the need for people to commute to and from their
workplaces, thus reducing the number of vehicles on the road and traffic
congestion
75. LINK!!!
• Home-Based Learning, or e-Learning
• Prescribed by teachers during emergency when school is closed
(in the event of haze etc)
• Can you think of advantages and disadvantages of HBL?
• They would be rather similar to that of telecommuting
76. TELECOMMUTING
Advantage
•People do not need to travel out of their
residential areas to go to work. This
reduces the number of drivers and
public transport passengers during peak
hours
Disadvantage •-
77. ENCOURAGE CYCLING
• Bicycles are environmentally friendly and a convenient
mode of transport because of mobility and flexibility
78. IN SINGAPORE…
• Singapore encourages people to cycle to MRT Stations
-Added bicycle racks at MRT Stations
-Allowed foldable bikes on buses and trains (off-peak
hours)
-Cycling Paths
79. ENCOURAGE CYCLING
Advantage
•Cycling is a mode of transport that provided
flexibility and mobility
•Cycling is environmentally friendly and
sustainable
Disadvantage
•It may be dangerous for cyclists because cycling
lanes are very near to motor vehicles on the
road
•Some cities are not suited to cycling because of
the layout, traffic conditions and topography
80. • Traffic congestion is an issue in many cities
• Poor management of the traffic situation will lead to congestion
• People, the economy and environment will then be negatively impacted
• Different cities have tried to address this issue by making public transport a choice
mode and managing road usage
• With public transport, more people can be transported to places within a short time
• To manage road usage, cities may make use of technology to monitor traffic and
implement road pricing
• Cities can also explore other measures such as cycling
• Each of these measures has its benefits and challenges
• To mange traffic, cities should consider its situation and adopt a combination of
measures
• Cities should also continually review the measures in order to adapt to the changing
environment and challenges
