13 May 2008
Straits Times
English
(c) 2008 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

[by\Tan Quee Hong Director, Pollution Control Department National Environment Agency
 
[by\Eunice Chu (Ms) Deputy Director, Corporate Communications Division for Commissioner, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority

WE THANK Madam Teo Lay Khim for her letter, 'Marsiling's marathon migraine' (May 3).

Singapore's land checkpoints are among the busiest in the world. At the Woodlands Checkpoint alone, total traveller volume last year was about 90 million. Motorcyclists make up an estimated 30 per cent of total traveller volume cleared.

To facilitate expeditious immigration clearance of travellers without compromising on security at the borders, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) opened an additional clearance zone for motorcyclists at the Woodlands Checkpoint from July 5 last year. This mini checkpoint has helped to spread the load of daily motorcyclists arriving for immigration clearance during peak hours from 5am to 11am, Monday to Saturday.

With regard to exhaust emission and noise created by motorcyclists while queuing for immigration clearance, ICA has placed signs along the drive paths leading to the immigration counters to remind motorcyclists to turn off their engines while in the queue, so as to reduce the exhaust emission and noise. The motorcyclists have generally been cooperative in doing so.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) also has a daily enforcement programme at the checkpoints to book smoky motor vehicles. Motor vehicles caught emitting smoke are fined on the spot.

Nonetheless, motorcyclists are also reminded to abide by traffic rules and observe lane discipline.

While waiting in the queue, they should remain patient and refrain from sounding their horn.
NEA monitors ambient air quality in Singapore via a network of monitoring stations throughout the island.
 
The results show the ambient air quality in all parts of Singapore is generally good and within ambient air quality guidelines set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Marsiling's marathon migraine
3 May 2008
Straits Times
(c) 2008 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

[by]teo Lay Khim (Mdm)) 
 
AT LEAST 70,000 to 100,000 motorcyclists from Johor commute to work in Singapore daily and this affects residents living in Marsiling Causeway View estate (from Block 210-218).
The blocks affected the most are 214, 215 and 216, which face the checkpoint roughly about 600m away.

Residents have to bear with the engine noise of thousands of motorcycles, on top of the honking and shouting which starts when the motorcyclists vent their frustrations when they are caught in a jam.

This daily Marsiling migraine starts as early as 4am and continues off and on through the day and into the early hours of the following morning. This adds up to an average of 16 hours of noise daily.

On Sunday nights, traffic jams will worsen from 10pm onwards when many workers return to Singapore to prepare for work on Monday mornings. The jams and noise will last till 2am.

Apart from the noise, residents also have to bear with the pollution from the engine emissions of thousands of these motorcycles.

I hope the authorities will take stringent measures to curb such inconsiderate behaviour. More police officers should also be deployed to control the traffic.

This problem needs to be solved urgently so that residents can have some peace and quiet again.