Hmm... It seems Singaporeans don't like the idea of trams. I
actually thought of this idea after seeing trams in many cities in
Europe (e.g. Frankfurt, Vienna, Prague, etc) and North America
(e.g. Portland, San Diego, Calgary, etc). I just find trams elegant
and cool. (Maybe I'm the only weird person who thinks so. Haha.)
You can just board a tram just like a bus without going through all
the ticket gates and escalators. The ride is also quieter and
smoother. It's also cheaper and more convenient to build than
MRT.
Of course, I must say that trams also have problems. If there's a
tram breakdown or collision, not only the tram service is
disrupted, the normal road traffic is also affected because trams
use the same road space as other vehicles. (Cannot imagine a tram
breaking down in the middle of Orchard Road... LOL) Also, trams
cannot be as fast as MRT, as trams are affected by traffic jams and
traffic lights. Trams also cannot drive around obstructions like a
bus. In fact, the tram in HK is so slow during peak hour that it's
faster to walk.
But HKers still take the tram because it's cheap (HK$2 per ride, or
SGD 40cents), and the HK tram attract a lot of tourists because a
tram ride is a good way to see the streets and the life of HK. In
fact many people see the DD tram as a symbol of HK. (Similarly,
people see the San Francisco cable car as a symbol of SF, red buses
as a symbol of London, tut-tut as a symbol of Bangkok, etc)
For Singapore, I can't really think of a mode of transport which
people see as a symbol of Singapore. Maybe foreigners are impressed
with the efficient and spotless MRT, the driver-less NEL, or the
presence of both DD and articulated buses. But these transports are
not really "uniquely Singapore"... Perhaps we don't really need a
mode of transport to "represent" Singapore, since Singapore already
have many famous symbols such as Merlion, Changi Airport,
Esplanade, etc. Haha. (I better stop here now. I think my comments
are getting more and more stupid... :p)
