Renewed calls for public transport subsidies for the
disabled
SINGAPORE: Singapore's disabled can now travel on buses
more conveniently as SBS Transit rolls out eight new wheelchair
accessible bus services to commemorate World Disability Day on
Thursday.
The services are numbers 13, 15, 36, 52, 54, 57, 291 and 333.
The move will bring the total number of wheelchair accessible bus
(WAB) services introduced this year to 16.
In total, SBS Transit will have 38 WAB services running on the
roads.
It said ridership on its services by passengers-in-wheelchairs has
increased steadily.
In November, close to 1,000 trips were made by
passengers-in-wheelchairs on 30 wheelchair accessible bus services,
and the company said it is expecting the numbers to grow as more
WAB services continue to be rolled out.
A passenger who benefits from the WAB services is Hong Kai Siong,
who suffered a stroke three years ago. His family said they are
happy the service is affordable.
"Taking taxi is very expensive, I find taking bus is very
convenient, said Mabel Tan, his caregiver. "(We) will take buses
that have handicap logo."
However, disability group "CAN!" said providing such accessibility
is not enough, and members are renewing calls for public transport
subsidies for the disabled as they say not everyone can afford the
fares.
Its coordinator Reena Rajeswari, who is visually impaired, has been
pushing for transport subsidies for a decade now, so that the
disabled community can travel without financial worries.
"I realise there are many disabled people who are not willing to
come out because of insufficient funds for transport," she
said.
The group held a two-week campaign to petition for their cause in
May.
Nearly 400 signatures were collected but the group claimed it has
not been easy to hand over the petition to the relevant
authorities.
CAN! said it will continue to petition for a subsidy similar to
that given to senior citizens, but without the restricted
hours.
When contacted, the Public Transport Council said it does not
administer any form of subsidy, but both SBS Transit and SMRT said
they are exploring the possibility of concessionary travel for the
disabled.
SMRT said that any concessionary travel is effectively
cross-subsidised by full-fare paying commuters. Hence, there is a
need to exercise prudence in granting travel concessions.
The public has been mostly receptive of the idea of subsidised
fares for the disabled.
"There should be some benefits for them, looking at circumstances,
some of them don't work, they can’t get work," said a commuter.
"People need to be educated, like in England, you actually have a
disabled badge and only those people get free access on the public
transport and on MRT... and even free parking."
"I believe there should not be subsidies but more so giving them
facilities to help them get around conveniently," said another
member of the public.
The Public Transport Council said there are agencies which provide
transport help, specifically for the disabled to get around
conveniently.
The National Council of Social Service, for example, administers
the Land Transport Authority's Cares Fund, which provides
reimbursements to disabled persons for journeys to-and-fro home for
employment or schooling purposes.
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