WP’s Gerald Giam gets LTA help to ease traffic congestion

Singapore — Hougang Capeview residents may have an easier time and face less traffic congestion in the morning after Workers’ Party (WP) MP Gerald Giam had a word with the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

LTA has already made changes on the ground within two weeks of a letter from him, according to Mr Giam, one of the five Workers’ Party MPs representing Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in Parliament.

“I thank LTA for their openness to suggestions and speed in implementing these solutions,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Mr Giam, who represents the Bedok Reservoir-Punggol Division of the Aljunied GRC, had gone down to Hougang Capeview on March 11 to check the morning traffic following complaints from residents.

In the week following his on-site assessment, the MP proceeded to gather more feedback and suggestions from residents on how best to improve the situation. He also consulted MP Dennis Tan Lip Fong of Hougang SMC. A number of residents along Upper Serangoon View also shared concerns regarding the heavy traffic leading to the junction at certain times of the day.

“We had to ensure that solving one problem in Aljunied GRC would not create another problem in Hougang SMC!” he shared, expressing his concerns about the surrounding areas being affected by this problem.

Mr Giam then wrote to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on March 27 to suggest extending the yellow box at the junction so that more vehicles could exit Hougang Capeview onto Upper Serangoon View at any one time, easing the flow of traffic from the Capeview car park.

LTA informed him a week later that they had taken note of the residents’ concerns and took up his suggestion to lengthen the yellow box. The works were completed last week. They went a step further and increased the green time for traffic exiting Upper Serangoon View during the morning peak hours. This way, residents would have more buffer space to turn from the car park into the main road.

Mr Giam hoped these measures would reduce the waiting time for residents leaving for work or school in the morning.

Some local residents  thanked the MP for his help in their comments on the post.

Denise Teh is an intern at The Independent SG. /TISG