Traffic Police studying Tanjong Pagar speed issues after fatal crash
After crash that killed five people, they are considering measures to slow traffic, such as road humps
The Traffic Police are studying the situation in Tanjong Pagar in the wake of a car crash there that killed five people.
MPs for the area said they welcomed extra measures to deal with speeding, with residents saying that the roaring sound of speeding cars has kept them awake at odd hours.
The Traffic Police told The Straits Times that they would explore further enforcement operations in the vicinity, as well as road-calming measures.
This refers to measures to slow traffic down, including the use of road humps and speed regulating strips.
The accident that took place early on Saturday - the second day of Chinese New Year - saw a BMW slamming into a vacant shophouse along Tanjong Pagar Road and bursting into flames, killing all five people on board.
The speed limit along the stretch is 50kmh.
The Traffic Police also noted that enforcement operations are stepped up around the festive season, "consistent with past years", although the number of such operations was not disclosed.
Residents told ST that speeding cars have long been a disturbance.
A resident at Block 7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, a five-minute walk from the accident site, said: "Cars can usually be heard speeding from 1am onwards, and my sleep is often disrupted by the noise."
The 58-year-old retiree, who wanted to be known only as Mr Aung, has been living on the 22nd storey for about 30 years.
He added that the circuit breaker was a temporary respite, but noise levels have gradually returned since Covid-19 measures eased.
A woman living on the 10th storey, who wanted to be known only as Ms Siew, said her sleep has been disrupted with greater frequency in the past five years.
"I wake up to the noise, which usually happens between 1am and 2am, at least once or twice a week," said the 51-year-old business executive, whose bedroom overlooks Tanjong Pagar Road.
COMPLAINTS
Their MP, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah, said that the noise complaints about speeding or racing that she has received were mostly in the Cantonment Road vicinity.
She highlighted several solutions such as adding traffic cameras or including speed bumps to encourage drivers to slow down.
However, she pointed out: "You must remember that whatever you do, whether it is speed bumps or anything else, (it) affects all traffic at all hours."
She has asked the Traffic Police to look into the issue of speeding and work with the Land Transport Authority.
The crash site at 37 Tanjong Pagar Road falls within the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng ward in Jalan Besar, which Manpower Minister Josephine Teo is MP for.
"This is a tragic accident and I'm very saddened for the families. I hope they will remain strong in their grief," she told ST.
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