SINGAPORE: Overcrowding in public transport,
implementation of distance-based fares and surging COE prices were
some major issues that dominated the Singapore transport scene in
2010.
For prices of Certificates of Entitlement (COEs), observers say
they will continue to climb in 2011, especially with further cuts
in vehicle quota expected. They add that better management of
resources can make public transport a more reliable
alternative.
The public transport fare structure was overhauled in July 2010.
Passengers pay according to the distance travelled and are no
longer penalised when making transfers.
The authorities said two in three commuters would pay less or see
no change in their fares. But there was some confusion in the
initial days, with passengers complaining they were paying more
than previously.
Some argued that commuters had made fare comparison without
factoring in the expiry of the 3% fare rebate that also took effect
in July.
Still, there were those who felt commuters were not well-prepared
for the change.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak, chairman of Government Parliamentary Committee for
Transport, said: "Maybe the ministry did not highlight enough, when
they implemented the distance-based (fare structure), that for long
trips it becomes a little bit more expensive while for short trips,
when you need to make a lot of transfers, it actually becomes
cheaper. They did clarify that one third of them may find their
fees to be higher while two thirds actually benefited."
In November, it was revealed passengers were overcharged some
$300,000 and in other cases undercharged some $100,000. This was
due to distance discrepancies between some bus stops.
This came to light after the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the
public transport operators completed a thorough review of the
distance between bus stops. The discrepancies resulted from ground
changes, such as route or bus stop changes that were not updated in
the system.
Those overcharged were given refunds from 18 December.
Dr Lim said: "....$300,000, it sounds a lot but you must understand
that the transport system is very well-used and it caters to very
high volume. If you divide by individual commuters, it is still a
small amount, not a large amount to cry hoo-haa.
"We all know that our road systems are in a constant flux; there
will be new MRT lines being dug in and there will be new diversions
of the roads. The issue now is with these new diversions.
"What kind of system do they put in place now to keep track of the
changes in bus stops so that the data is always.....the most
updated so that no one needs to be overcharged or
undercharged."
Separately observers believe that with inflation, public transport
fares may go up in future. But the Public Transport Council (PTC)
says any increase will be weighed carefully.
Gerard Ee, chairman of Public Transport Council (PTC), said:
"People are just making reference to one figure - the consumer
price index...but the rest (of the data) are not in. Let's wait for
the appropriate time for all the figures including the figures on
the operators so we can do the reality check. Let's get all the
statistics in....household income and affordability factor. When we
have all the answers there, then we can sit and ponder on
it."
To make public transport more appealing, S$1 billion has been set
aside to upgrade the signalling system for MRT trains to run
faster.
Separately, modification works are also underway at the Jurong East
MRT Station. When completed in 2011, it will be possible to run
more train trips.
Passenger-carrying capacity on the North-South and East-West Lines
will also be expanded by about 15%.
SMRT says it is gearing up for the next phase of the Circle Line,
when the stretch between Marymount and HarbourFront opens in
2011.
More bus lanes were also introduced.
But observers say that to address overcrowding, buses must become a
more reliable alternative.
Dr Lim said: "New bus diversions, new bus routes bring residents to
different places. The bus lanes are the right move so that
hopefully, our buses can move at a faster speed...public transport
is still the most efficient way of moving Singaporeans
around."
Associate Professor Anthony Chin, a transport economist from the
National University of Singapore, says "the solutions lie in better
management of car and bus trips through technology, integrating
work, residence and transport, efficient dissemination of travel
information."
LTA says it will continue to conduct regular reviews of bus
services and make improvements.
Following the community consultations in 2010, LTA is reviewing the
feedback received from grassroots leaders and existing
channels.
LTA will balance the interests of different groups and the
financial sustainability of the bus system before proposing
appropriate revisions to bus routes.
Thereafter, it will seek the PTC's approval for the finalised bus
routes and work with the public transport operators to roll them
out gradually.
The consultation and upcoming route changes form an ongoing process
that LTA has embarked upon since it assumed the role of central bus
planner in 2009.
And to manage congestions on the roads, a new system to calculate
vehicle quotas was introduced. It is based on the number of
vehicles scrapped in the previous six months.
The result: higher COE premiums.
And with industry players saying that the uptrend is likely to
continue, a motor dealer said some first-time car buyers might have
been persuaded to "stick to public transport".
Chin Kee Min, a senior manager at KIA Motors, said: "You can see
that customers are actually changing (their considerations). You
get less of first-time car buyers....I think that for first-time
buyers, with the increase in COE prices, a lot of them actually
switch their considerations to buying a used car or maybe even
sticking to public transport."
Safety on the roads was another issue in 2010. The fatal lorry
accident on 22 June that left three workers dead prompted calls for
the authorities to take a tougher line on safety.
By February 2011, all light lorries used to transport workers must
be fitted with canopies and higher side railings. Heavy lorries
used to transport workers will need to comply by August 2011.
And the minimum deck space per seated worker will be doubled to
eight square feet by then, as well.
LTA says that except for offences related to maximum passenger
capacity which have increased by an average of 39% per month, other
offences have seen an average drop of 75% per month in 2010
compared to 2009.
Perhaps, two wheelers may be just as good when moving around HDB
estates.
Two more towns - Changi-Simei and Bedok - have been identified to
have
dedicated cycling infrastructure by 2014.
It will complement the similar infrastructure announced earlier for
five other towns, namely Yishun, Tampines, Sembawang, Taman Jurong
and Pasir Ris.
Construction of dedicated off-road intra-town cycling paths in
Tampines and Yishun started early this year. The first 1.2km
stretch in Tampines has been in use since 18 July. Works for the
cycling paths in all the five towns are expected to be completed by
2012.
- CNA/ir
