[above: An array of slow and heavy vehicles plying all four lanes of the Pan-Island Expressway on Aug 25, 2009.]

FORUM LETTER

I REMEMBER that when I drove on expressways many years ago, most large and slow vehicles kept to the left lane. I also remember seeing Traffic Police officers on motorcycles patrolling the expressways at least once a week during peak hours.

Today, it is very rare to find a Traffic Police officer patrolling expressways during peak hours. I cannot remember the last time I saw an officer.

As the saying goes, when the cat's away, the mice will play. Now, particularly on West Coast Highway which I use every day during peak hours, trucks, prime movers and buses keep to the middle and right lanes all the time. This slows down traffic and makes the road more dangerous as cars overtake these slower-moving vehicles.

What has happened? Has the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) priority changed?

On West Coast Highway, near the Haw Par Villa MRT station construction site, there are always cones along the left lane and this narrows the highway from three lanes to two. Why are the cones not removed to ease peak- hour traffic and replaced after peak hours? Similarly, the cones slow down traffic and make the road more dangerous. Has LTA's priority changed?

Every morning along Pasir Panjang Road, there is heavy traffic from Clementi Road to Science Park Road. From Clementi Road to South Buona Vista Road, Pasir Panjang Road is a single lane, so why is there no other access road to Science Park Road? The heavy traffic makes it dangerous for residents to drive into Pasir Panjang Road from their homes. Has LTA's priority changed?

As my home is off Pasir Panjang Road, I can highlight only what I see on Pasir Panjang Road.

Gordon Yeo

Know of more areas that have the same problem? Send in your comments to a1admin@sph.com.sg

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