Move to ease traffic congestion at Sengkang, Punggol to kick in end-September - Channel NewsAsia

Over the past year, residents have complained about the bottleneck in traffic at the Sengkang-Punggol exit, which was the result of two bus lanes that opened in 2014. 

SINGAPORE: From end September, drivers entering Sengkang and Punggol towns from Tampines Expressway (TPE) can enjoy smooth travel, even during peak hours, according to the Pasir Ris-Punggol and Punggol East Grassroots Organisations and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Friday (Aug 28).

Over the past year, residents have complained about the bottleneck in traffic at the Sengkang-Punggol exit, which was the result of two bus lanes that opened in 2014. The bus lanes serve two bus stops and 11 bus services, while motorists currently travel on the other two lanes.

The bottleneck issue was brought up to the Chairperson of the Public Transport and Traffic Committee for Punggol North Loke Choon Wai, and Chairman of the Punggol East Citizens' Consultative Committee Raymond Lye.

"When the bus stop opened in August last year, I think what became apparent very soon was that the traffic flow changed, because there were two dedicated bus lanes and there were two car lanes," said Mr Lye. "So when the bus stop opened, I think the bus users were very happy because the bus stop was generally clear all the time for the buses, so the buses had a very smooth journey.

"But for the car owners, they realised that the traffic flow became worse. Jams started to build up, and during peak periods the jam could go all the way back to the KPE exit into the TPE." 

Mr Lye went on to explain that they had received feedback that the bus lanes were sometimes relatively empty while motorists faced congestion in the other two lanes during peak hour.

“I think some of the car owners got a little bit frustrated when they were caught in the jam, and they started driving into the bus lane,” he said, adding that when there appeared to be more unhappiness when traffic enforcers took photos of motorists who drove through the bus lanes.

“It's like, 'look, the car lanes are congested, the bus lanes are empty, so when I use the bus lanes, I'm not causing any congestion for the buses, so why are you doing this?'” said Mr Lye. 

After months of discussions with the LTA, motorists will be able to travel on the outer bus lane, although they must still give way to buses when on this lane. The lane will feature a second Mandatory Give-Way To Bus road marking.

This will benefit buses exiting the first bus stop at the exit, before they continue straight on to TPE or turn right towards Punggol Town. It is expected to ease traffic congestion, and ensure commuters can continue enjoying smooth rides while travelling on public transport.

Mr Teo Ser Luck, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, and Vice Chairman of Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council Janil Puthucheary, who lobbied for the enhancements to improve traffic at the exit, welcomed the approval of the proposed solution.

"This new bus lane enhancement is actually quite useful, because it gives the bus the right and also a path that is clear to bring our residents home," said Mr Teo.

- CNA/kk/ek

• By Liyana Othman
• POSTED: 28 Aug 2015 16:12
 
• UPDATED: 28 Aug 2015 23:37
• Source: Channel NewsAsia

NDR 2015: SIT to get a new centralised campus - Channel NewsAsia

The Singapore Institute of Technology's new centralised campus in Punggol will be integrated with a JTC-built creative industry cluster said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) will get a new centralised campus located in Punggol, announced Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally on Sunday (Aug 23).

Currently, SIT - Singapore's fifth autonomous university which provides applied-learning pathways for students - has a main campus at Dover Road, with branch campuses in all the polytechnics. "We will bring all the branch campuses together," said Mr Lee.

Across the road from the new campus, JTC will build a creative industry cluster which SIT will be integrated with. Students will be able to "easily go from classroom to workplace and apply what they learn", said Mr Lee. At the same time companies can cross the road to approach SIT with any problems that need solving.

SIT will also be integrated into Punggol Downtown and HDB's upcoming Northshore District - the first new public housing estate to test-bed smart technologies. The community will share SIT's facilities, such as its classrooms, workshops and multi-purpose hall.

"So we have Punggol 21 plus, and with SIT it will now be Punggol 21 A-Plus!" Mr Lee said.

SIT was established in 2009. It awards its own degrees as well as degrees in collaboration with overseas partners such as the Culinary Institute of America and DigiPen Institute of Technology. It is expanding its intakes, to 2,000 students this year and 3,500 by 2020.

- CNA/yv

• POSTED: 23 Aug 2015 20:53
 
• UPDATED: 24 Aug 2015 01:27
• Source: Channel NewsAsia

Bumper crop of shoebox units to come in 2017 - AsiaOne

High Park Residences in Sengkang has enjoyed roaring sales in recent weeks, but investors in its smaller units may have trouble leasing them out.

Many shoebox units are coming onstream, peaking around 2017, according to data from R'ST Research. Most will be in District 19 - Hougang, Punggol and Sengkang - with at least 700 of them set for completion over this period, based on caveats lodged.

Leasing demand is untested but supply is rising and fewer foreigners here may be able to afford them.

"Increasingly, many (overseas nationals) can't even afford renting a single shoebox unit, but would instead rent a room in an apartment... Rents will be under further pressure," said Savills Singapore research head Alan Cheong.

In District 19, projects with shoebox units completed last year and in the first half of this year include A Treasure Trove in Punggol Walk and Bartley Residences in Lorong How Sun. 

Others due this year and next year include The Promenade@Pelikat in Hougang, Parc Centros in Punggol Central and River Isles in Edgedale Plains. Later projects include Jewel@Buangkok and La Fiesta in Sengkang Square.

Other shoebox hot spots are District 14, with Eunos, Geylang, Kembangan and Paya Lebar, with at least 527 units; and District 12, including Balestier, Moulmein, Novena and Toa Payoh, with at least 383 units on the way.

In the suburbs, District 17, which takes in Changi, Loyang and Pasir Ris, will have at least 224 units, while District 22, covering Boon Lay, Jurong and Tuas, will have at least 151 units, said R'ST Research.

Overall, shoebox units account for an estimated 18 per cent of new sales for projects completing in the second half of this year and next year, according to SRX Property.

Prices of some newly-completed shoebox units in the Guillemard to Changi Road area in District 14 and 15 were about $1,350 per sq ft in 2013, rising to over $1,400 psf for new completions late last year and this year, said Savills' Mr Cheong.

But rents for a 41 sq m shoebox unit have fallen from $2,600 a month in 2013 to about $2,000 to $2,200 now, taking the gross yield from about 5.2 per cent at end-2013 to about 4.1 per cent now.

Most owners have holding power, preferring to keep a unit rather than sell at a low price, so yields have further room to fall to the mid-3 per cent level for shoebox units in more accessible areas like District 14, with rents below $2,500 a month. "Once we venture into the new developments in the outlying HDB estates, the market is untested. There, yields may tend closer to 3 per cent or even dip below that," Mr Cheong said.

Overall, prices of completed small units have fallen about 10 per cent from their last peak in August 2013, according to flash estimates for the NUS Singapore Residential Price Index. 

They slipped an estimated 1.1 per cent in June from May. But R'ST Research director Ong Kah Seng said while prices will keep falling owing to rising supply, the shoebox apartment remains relevant. "These tend to be occupied by younger tenants or owners, who will bring energy to the development and area - especially important for newer residential areas like Bartley, or those undergoing rejuvenation like Hillview and Lakeside."

Still, for those on a low budget, suburban shoebox units are not a persuasive proposition, said Century 21 chief executive Ku Swee Yong. One with about $2,000 a month can opt for much larger three-room flats in city fringe areas like Ang Mo Kio, Geylang or Toa Payoh, according to HDB's second-quarter housing data.

Mr Cheong noted that many people possess the liquidity or equity to stomach the total debt-servicing ratio, and even the 50 per cent loan-to-value ratio for a second housing loan. "Even if rents collapse, households feel that real estate is something tangible and are more interested in deploying their capital, rather than looking at fundamentals... (Yields) will be challenged in some areas."

This article was first published on August 13, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Thursday, Aug 13, 2015

Rennie Whang

The Straits Times

Source: AsiaOne