Singapore ERP Rates & Gantries Massive Hike

"Taking the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) scheme into the heartland will ease an expected islandwide traffic gridlock and make residential estates more liveable, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said yesterday.
Mr Lim said the money would go towards funding various government programmes for Singaporeans, including public transport and road projects."

Central Expressway (CTE) has been in traffic gridlock for years even though ERP were implemented, but never see any road expansion nor double-deck road is built. I can only see one more exit opened up at Pan-Island Expressway (PIE)which will cause more traffic gridlock soon.

On the other hand, I saw many government-funded new buildings emerged everywhere, eg. National Library(Bugis), HDB Hubs (Toa Payoh), SIR Building (Lavendar), Esplanade (Cityhall), etc.

I think we are somehow “funding” the maintenance fees for these luxurious buildings everyday.

If you said that Government encourages people to ride public transport,
but why didn’t the government returns the balance of unused COE cost if one decided to let go their car ownership?

Here, they allow to sell more cars; there, then engaging to set up more ERP gantries to collect more money.

Ultimately, it is a matter of their income (MONEY)!

“We are like an animal in Zoo, living in a cage, leaving all mosquitoes to prick generously”.

Singapore attractions too pricey for families

By Daryl Tan, June 9, 2008. The Straits Times

THEY are the crown jewels of Singapore attractions, drawing thousands of visitors each day.
Yet parents say that high admission fees and miscellaneous charges at spots like the Night Safari or Singapore Flyer are pricing them beyond a regular family's reach.

A check of 10 main attractions here found that a day out would set a family of four back by $125 on average.

For example, an outing to the Underwater World or the Singapore Flyer, or taking a Duck Tour will cost a typical family between $127 and $164.

Topping the list is the Singapore Night Safari. Taking into account a meal and souvenirs, a trip there could burn a $230-hole in the pocket.

Spokesmen for the attractions said that the quality of the experience and cost of upkeep justify the pricing.

Ms Isabel Cheng, a spokesman for the Singapore Zoo, Jurong BirdPark and Night Safari, said that admission rates are 'relatively low' compared to similar attractions in Australia and the United States, and that the experience one gets is worth the money.

Singapore Underwater World, for example, said it will be offering tickets to its Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon at a 30 per cent discount until June 22.

The Singapore Discovery Centre and Escape Theme Park are also offering discounted packages for families.

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My Conclusion:

(1) Singa-rean love to do comparison with those well-developed modern countries when talk about the cost of living(money), but they forgot(refuse) to evaluate these well-developed countries' people are actually drawing much higher salary than us here.

(2) These attractions are ONLY welcoming local families DURING school holiday.