I shall debunk all the facts here:
1) Some people do not own their cars as it is too
expensive
I would like to emphasise on this, some people would rather rely on
public transport to get to their desired destination. If people
would own a car even using it on off-peak or weekends, he/she will
have to purchase COE, Road Tax and Insurance, etc, on top of the
cost of the car alone. Besides that, if their petrol runs low,
he/she would have to spend time driving to the nearest petrol kiosk
to get their tanks fill up, paying for the petrol. As for the
Supplementary Driving License for Off-Peak Cars, one must log in to
the LTA One Motoring Website (ROV) to get the coupon online.
2) Most people do not rely on MRT alone, Bus is another
alternative option.
MRT do not cater to the needs of the people relying on public
transport. The set up of TransitLink is there to integrate the
entire public transprot system. Yes of course, when the 1st
Transitlink Integration Exercise took place, some residents who
frequented the service went to complain to the Straits Times Froum
and even to their MPs, citing one example like the abolishment of
147 to Potong Pasir Estate and the longest travelling time on
Service 82. However, TransitLink is able to respond to the
feedbacks and the reason behind it is integration of the public
transport, not the form of inconvenience the resdents
surfaced.
If TransitLink leads to failure, or if the two bus service
companies decided to simply withdrawn or cutback the service just
because of the MRT nearby, without any weak constraints or a
passenger survey carried out, more problems will be created and
people will start to feedback on their unhappiness to the bus
companies and even to the MPs. That's why Buses must also play a
part, because not everyone lives nearby or a short walking distance
close to the MRT.
TransitLink is there for a reason, to provide the integrated
benefits for everone using the public transport. Without that,
there might be some wasteful resources and duplication on bus
services which were unnoticed when the MRT began to operate.
3) If there are feedbacks on a particular route, it does
not mean that the service is either to be diverted elsewhere,
cutback or even to be withdrawn with that feedback.
Some people who rely on that particluar service will STILL be
deemed useful to them, thats why the routes were kept intact within
their needs. The problem is if the service were to divert, cutback
or withdrawn without a proper sruvey and usefulness of teh service,
as again, some people will have to take alternative service or walk
nearby to a bus stop to take a nearest bus service to get to their
desired destination and the journey/waiting time and fares spent
will be higher than usual.