Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan has stated that the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras has proven to be effective in reducing the number of illegal parking offences by as much as 90% at some locations in Singapore.
Mr Khaw was responding to questions filed by MP for Tanjong Pagar Ms Joan Pereira, who asked the minister how effective have the CCTV Monitoring Zones been in deterring motorists from parking and alighting passengers in places where they are prohibited to do so and how often are the CCTV footages reviewed for enforcement.
Via a written reply on 9 July, the minister also stated that Land Transport Authority (LTA)’s CCTV system will automatically detect parking offences from the recorded footage, which will then be further reviewed by LTA’s enforcement team daily.
Between April 2014 and 2015, 70 CCTVs were gradually installed island-wide. These cameras are said to have been effective in enforcing parking offences along roads where traffic was previously impeded by rampant illegal parking. LTA later announced that a total of 130 CCTVs were installed island wide by 2017.
Similiar to what Minister Khaw has mentioned, LTA notes that the daily average number of summonses per location has declined by 90%, from an initial 30 summonses per day to just three summonses per location in end-2015 since the implementation of CCTVs in April 2014.
LTA stated that traffic conditions have improved at many CCTV spots, including Collyer Quay, Jalan Pelepah, Selegie Road and Worcester Road. Bus commuters travelling on these routes have also benefited from the improved traffic conditions.
The authority also states that the cameras also help to improve road safety by deterring illegal parking. Inconsiderate illegal parking can obstruct and prevent vulnerable pedestrians, particularly young children, seniors, and users of mobility aids from crossing the road safely.