ERP rates must double to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for Singapore.

ERP rates must double to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for Singapore.

(And parking rates too).


This is because roads are a major cause of flooding and urban heat and by extension, unhappiness in Singapore.

Roads occupies 12% of land area in Singapore https://www.mot.gov.sg/About-MOT/Land-Transport/Motoring/Road-Network/ (all buildings only occupy 13%) and many buildings are now green meaning that they are covered with planters and thus recycle rain water for plant use.

Roads however are black, absorb and radiate much heat and are a big cause of flooding because they are designed to drain off surface water quickly to prevent vehicles skidding and are often served by large drains due to their wide girth which may be up to 5 or more lanes across, especially along certain expressway regions in just one direction.

Roads are also a large source of global warming vs carbon emissions as well as highly pollutive from disel and other fossil fuel burning.

Roads are also a source of unhappiness because they block the otherwise straight paths which cyclists and pedestrians may take, make the weather hot and uncomfortable and reduce tree shade for pedestrians because most roadside trees are severely pruned. Drivers are also inconsiderate to cyclist and frequent overtake without adequate safety distance and also fail to give way at zebra crossings and also ignore red light signals. More policemen patrolling the road on bicycles should rein in such errant motorist behaviour.

More 24 hours bicycle-bus lanes should thus be requisitioned so people can exercise and commute 24/7 at zero cost at all. E-scooters should be allowed to use these lanes like cyclist provided their devices are inspected and users properly licensed and all vehicles able to share bicycle-bus lanes shall have LTA provided, tamper proof cameras installed (police, public bus etc) so any accidents or disputes with cyclist can be readily resolved.

Expressways can be reduced by one lane to facilitate building of an additional walking /bicycle path which will be raised and accommodate many more trees and greenery to keep the city cool and give pedestrians and cyclist a rainforest travel experience whilst limiting flooding of lowland areas since surface run off is minimised with narrower paths (the soil below paths sustains tree roots and absorbs rain water).

The provision of a significant network of bicycle paths is also for national security reasons besides cooling the city and reducing the flood problem. Even if MRT use is disabled either due to terrorist attack or highly infectious disease outbreak (like the present COVID-19 situation where government is giving each taxi and PHV driver a subsidy of $20/day https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...ckage-help-taxi-private-hire-drivers-12431086 ), the citizens will remain resilient since they are confident of using personal means of transport to most places in Singapore within 20 kms to and fro since 40km is the usual range of e-scooter technology at this current time, or use the bicycle as an even cheaper and much healthier option, whether by bicycle path or with reasonable safety on bicycle - bus lanes which shall operate 24 hours on normal roads (single file cycling allowed however during public bus operating hours).

In conclusion,
Bicycle-bus lanes and increased ERP charges are the silver bullet to all of Singapores challenges and problems. It will reduce diabetes rates as citizens fitness is improve as they cycle everywhere in Singapore, it will solve the flooding problem with reduce space occupied by roads, it will achieve LKY air con nation dream by reducing ambient temperatures by 6 degrees C (rainforest conditions) with more plant greenery.

As a bonus, tourism will increase as Singapore will be a must visit place for tourist who want to experience a modern lifestyle in joyful harmony with nature: able to cycle on major roads 24/7 and access amenities a cosmopolitan city has to offer, feeling the rejuvenation associated with exercise and the ectasy of unlimited hawker food of which calories they would healthily burn off en route on bicycle to their next tourist destination. Naturalist will flock to Singapore to learn our biocentric model of urban planning and renewal and gather in Singapore for MICE events where the global fight against climate change is coordinated and led. Citizens work productivity will sky rocket as people feel empowered and lines of inequality broken since everyone rich or poor can now cycle anywhere at zero costs at all. Exercise is also an antidepressant and fitter employees are definitely more productive at work. Birth rates will also increase as fitter people experience fewer impotence related problems and fitter females have much fewer fertility problems.

Doubling the ERP rate is a critical first step to save Singapore and for humanity not to be drowned and mired in climate change, social inequality, chronic lifestyle disease (exponential public health care costs) , etc and other modern day national problems.

And even tourist will flock to Singapore to checkout what true happiness and bliss is about.

Glossary:
ERP: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Road_Pricing

Pictures :
Bicycle-bus lanes (prototype for Singapore (unobstructed by motor vehicles causing congestion) ) :


Naturally very cooling environment inside 'Rainforest Trail' at Singapore Botanic Gardens:
from https://youngnautilus.com/gallery/rainforest-trail/

Reckless taxi driver knocked down cyclist on left lane along (empty) Road at 6am (would have been avoided if 24/7 bicycle lanes were in operation at that time)
https://youtu(dot)be/TU_nYvZu7ns
[youtube]TU_nYvZu7ns[/youtube]
 news report: https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...t-in-braddell-road-jailed-banned-from-driving