30 more automated lanes for motorcyclists at Tuas Checkpoint on weekday mornings
By diverting motorcyclists to automated lanes at departure zone, new move can save as much as 25 minutes to clear immigration
SINGAPORE — The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has expanded its automated clearance capacity for incoming motorcycles at Tuas Checkpoint, from 40 to 70 automated lanes on weekday mornings.
It said in a media release on Wednesday (16 August) that arriving motorcyclists can now use the automated lanes during peak hours between 5am and 9am on weekdays.
According to CNA, motorcyclists have said that new operation has allowed them to clear immigration up to 25 minutes faster. There has also been less congestion and fewer disruptions to other vehicles caused by growing motorcycle queues.
Route diversion to overcome infrastructural constraints
The expansion comes after a trial period from March to May. ICA also began a new route diversion in May, dubbed "Operation Sunrise", whereby arriving motorcyclists are diverted to automated lanes at the departure motorcycle zone to clear immigration.
This move "overcomes the infrastructural constraints at Tuas Checkpoint", ICA said in the media release.
Under the new expansion, ICA officers will divert some of the arriving motorcyclists from the Second Link to the departure motorcycle zone for automated immigration clearance every weekday morning. Following clearance, the motorists will exit Tuas Checkpoint onto the Ayer Rajah Expressway.
Main crossing for motorcyclists between Singapore and Malaysia
ICA said that Tuas Checkpoint is now the main crossing for motorcyclists travelling between Singapore and Malaysia during peak hours, with about 22,000 motorcyclists using the Tuas Checkpoint each weekday morning.
A total of 123,000 travellers cross Tuas Checkpoint daily, of which about 68,000 are motorcyclists. This is 3,000 more than the 65,000 motorcyclists who cross Tuas Checkpoint daily before the COVID-19 pandemic.
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