Khaw Boon Wan
Singapore
“Motor vehicle dealerships and showrooms have been closed since the start of the circuit breaker. As COE bidding is done mostly by the motor vehicle dealers on behalf of prospective owners, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) suspended COE bidding for the months of April and May.”
“Though stressed by the financial pain, they press on with the immediate priority of fighting the virus and supporting essential services. Post-pandemic, we will see how public transport evolves. Will demand for public transport services simply return to the pre-pandemic level?”
“Under our rail financing framework, the Government fully pays for the cost of building new rail lines. In other words, we do not recover the cost of building the Cross Island Line (CRL) from commuters through fares. The CRL project is being implemented and the final costs will depend on tender bids.”
“There are around 5,000 private bus operators with a combined fleet of 13,500 private buses. As we do not track the number of private bus trips and passengers, we do not have data on their carbon emissions.”
“There are nursing rooms at 50% of our bus interchanges. We will provide nursing rooms at all new bus interchanges and integrated transport hubs. For the MRT network, we will provide nursing rooms at all new interchange stations. We will also explore providing such facilities when MRT stations undergo upgrading.”
“Over the last three years, Singapore carriers have reported a total of 20 incidents of food allergies on board their flights. None required the use of epinephrine or emergency flight diversions.”
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“To answer the Member Mr Zaqy's query, and relying on memory, I think it is 67 decibels. But I am relying on memory; I am 65 years old.”
“Mdm Chairman, we are enhancing our transport system to meet the needs of Singaporeans and also to support our future economy. A good transport system connects people to places and also connects people with one another. Public transport is a common space where we interact with fellow Singaporeans and where collective memories are made. So, let us shape this common space together to raise our quality of life and make Singapore among the most liveable cities in the world. Future of Transport and Regulations”
“In the earlier years, I remember, as a young officer in the Civil Service, our objective was to split the responsibility in transport by having taxpayers pay for the construction of the infrastructure, in other words, capital expenditure (capex) − the Government and the taxpayers pay for it. But commuters must bear the operating costs through transport fares. In other words, transport fares must be able to cover the operating costs. But over the years, as fares have not kept up with rising costs, taxpayers have to subsidise more and more of the operating costs, especially as we have been raising service standards significantly. This is clearly not sustainable. While the Government will continue subsidising public transport heavily, we must find a fair balance in the relative burden to be borne by commuters, taxpayers and operators. Remember also that commuters are also taxpayers. Fares are regulated by the independent Public Transport Council (PTC), through a multi-year fare formula. The current fare formula will expire after this year's fare exercise. The PTC will be reviewing the formula. They will consult widely. I am confident that they will decide wisely. Last year, they took a big step to standardise the train fares across all MRT lines and no longer make a distinction between above-ground and underground lines. This was a major step. They slayed a sacred cow! Many commuters have benefited. They have seen their fares reduced. I know. As a regular user of the Circle Line with a Senior Citizen card, I see my fare reduced from 92 cents to 87 cents. But remember: the PTC cannot always bring good news; sometimes, they have to adjust fares upwards. When they do, I hope commuters will be understanding.”
“Transport does impact our health. Europe's embrace of diesel vehicles has now made many cities highly pollutive. It is a sad case of unethical commercial practices making money at the expense of public health. They are now trying to reverse the trend. Paris, Madrid, Athens and Mexico City have all announced that they will ban diesel vehicles from their city centres, latest by 2030. I think we, too, should nudge down the population of diesel vehicles and work towards becoming a diesel-free city. The restructuring of the diesel tax should be read in that context. Madam, as we work towards Car-Lite 2030, let us be also mindful that the significant improvements to our public transport network require high capital investments and incur high operating costs. Under the new Bus Contracting Model, the Government is now responsible for buying and replacing buses. We pay bus operators a fee to run the bus services. Although fare revenue goes to the Government, it is not enough to cover operating costs and the Government has to top up the deficit. And it is a huge deficit. Over the next five years, we expect to subsidise public bus services by close to $4 billion. Similarly, with the transition to the New Rail Financing Framework, the Government is now responsible for replacing rail assets. And over the next five years, we also expect to spend $4 billion on rail. And all this − $4 billion plus $4 billion equals $8 billion − is on top of the about $20 billion we will be spending to build new public transport infrastructure. We must ensure that the fiscal burden does not become too excessive for taxpayers.”
“This is the reason behind this move, because Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap had asked what was the rationale behind this move. But we are increasing the ARF only for the high-end models. The large majority of motorcycle buyers will not have to pay higher ARF. 12.45 pm I thank Mr Thomas Chua for his comment. Yes, indeed, we always consult the industry. LTA's dialogues with them are at least twice a year. Both ideas came up from the industry in the process of brainstorming and we are happy to be able to implement them this year. As I have said, the Singapore Motorcycle Trade Association is an important stakeholder and is our partner. We are on the same side. Other than market-sensitive information, we share with them as much as we can. Mr Henry Kwek voiced the challenges faced by businesses and we are mindful of their difficulties. That is why there are several concessions to help them manage costs. So, the ARF for commercial vehicles is low, motor taxes are low, road taxes are low for them. And, secondly, commercial vehicles can go for repeated five-year COE renewals to help businesses better manage their cash flow. As for Euro 6 emission standards, these are regulated by my colleague in MEWR. We did discuss in Cabinet and the intention to move it to Euro 6 next year, having served the industry notice since 2014, I think there is sufficient time for the industry to respond. I know there are some concerns about whether there would be enough vehicles, Euro 5, and some questions on why can we not go to Euro 5 first, and so on. Having decided on Euro 6, I think we should just move. The market has enough Euro 5 vehicles and models to meet the demand. The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources will share more details later. My own take on this issue is this.”
“LTA has set fair but ambitious standards, and our bus captains are working closely with their service controllers to manage bus arrivals real-time. That is why, sometimes, some buses on certain routes have to be driven very slowly. That is because they want to arrive punctually, as scheduled, because road conditions can vary during the day. And this is the only way to solve the bunching problem. If you want the bus drivers to drive as fast as the roads can take, then sometimes they may arrive too early and there will be complaints about bunching. But I accept that this is still a new system, both for regulators as well as the regulatee, and we shall see how else we can calibrate the system to make it work better for us. But it has worked very well elsewhere − London, Australian cities − and I see no reason why it cannot work here, too. As our public transport system improves and expands, fewer people will need to own a car. Going car-lite is, however, a journey. Meanwhile, the various vehicle control policies, like COE and ERP, remain relevant. But from time to time, we refine them as circumstances change. And one big move we made this year is to stop the contribution of motorcycle COEs to the Open Category. Very few motorcycles have been registered under Category E COEs due to the high Category E premiums. This recent move will stabilise the motorcycle population. It is in response to many Members' and motorcyclists' as well as the Chambers of Commerce's concerns that the motorcycle population is shrinking. Another move is to improve the progressivity of the vehicle tax system. In 2013, we introduced the tiered ARF for cars, taxis and commercial vehicles. So, this year, we extended the same to motorcycles.”
“She is a very good Member of Parliament and I have a soft spot for good Members. Another good Member is Er Dr Lee Bee Wah. I have also heard her feedback on Services 811 and 860, and for more covered linkways. We will see what else we can do. But let me also plead and seek Members' understanding that, for financial prudence, bus service provisions require a minimum ridership. If ridership goes down as commuters switch to rail, we will have to remove or amend existing bus services. Otherwise, you will have half-empty buses running on the roads causing pollution and it is also a waste of taxpayers' money. Meanwhile, our bus infrastructure has expanded in tandem with the larger bus fleet. We have now three new interchanges and more parking lots at existing interchanges. But, critically, we have moved all the bus operators to the Bus Contracting Model, with LTA taking over bus assets and infrastructure. This is another major transformation in the transport sector and for the bus industry. Next month, we will be awarding the tender for the third bus package at Seletar. The tender has now been closed. I was looking at the bids and it has attracted very competitive bids, with lower prices, on average, compared to the previous two tenders. This is good for taxpayers. Later this year, we will call the tender for our fourth package at Bukit Merah. With competition, bus operators are working harder to improve their service. This is good for commuters. As Mr Melvin Yong pointed out, our bus captains are the key to delivering higher service levels. Our bus captains strive to improve bus arrival regularity and reduce bunching − a very big complaint from the ground.”
“We will, in the process, upgrade the trains as well as the power supply system to tap on new technology which is now available. For the North East Line, we are also working with SBST to refurbish and upgrade their first-generation trains. For the Bukit Panjang LRT, we have started the process for its renewal. We target to call a tender this year for a complete replacement of the ageing components and an upgrade of its systems. Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked if we can do predictive maintenance for our trains and tracks. Indeed, predictive maintenance is the way to go. We are acquiring the necessary tools and capabilities for this purpose. These include new generation automatic track inspection systems and condition monitoring tools for real-time data collection and analysis. I also hear Mr Zaqy's concern about the noise generated from passing trains. We are aligned with the NEA on what is the acceptable level of noise. We are closely monitoring the situation and are implementing system-wide noise mitigation measures. Our trains have noise-dampening wheels and our operators are servicing the train wheels and tracks more frequently. Where necessary, we will install noise barriers. This is, however, a major multi-year programme, as we have to coordinate it closely with so many other maintenance, improvement and upgrading works that compete for precious engineering hours. Besides, buses complement our MRT. Under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP), we have injected 850 buses and introduced 70 new or amended routes. The improvement has been felt on the ground. I appreciate Mayor Low Yen Ling's feedback on new bus services in Bukit Gombak. But I know that we can never do enough. I have heard her call for better connectivity to the upcoming Community Club in Bukit Gombak.”
“So, I am all mentally prepared for criticisms from Er Dr Lee Bee Wah. We will do our best to minimise inconvenience, but be prepared for some hitches. So, please bear with us. Mr Ang Wei Neng highlighted the recent hitches between Jurong East and Joo Koon stations on the East-West Line. We have very old signalling components there which need replacement. We are planning to replace them. But, sometimes, maintenance and replacement works cannot be completed during the limited engineering hours. That is why train service for that stretch was occasionally impacted when planned works extended into revenue hours. I have heard Mr Ang's suggestion and I shall ask LTA and SMRT to consider ending the revenue service for that stretch of the East-West Line earlier so that we have more engineering hours for these works. Meanwhile, we have completed the transition of SMRT Trains to the New Rail Financing Framework (NRFF). We took ownership of SMRT's rail assets last October, and Temasek's delisting of SMRT also allows it to focus on its core responsibility without the short-term pressures of being a listed company. This is an important achievement. It took us many years and I am glad that we have now completed it. The rail industry structure is now in a better shape to allow us to replace and upgrade ageing assets promptly. This should improve reliability. We will soon call tenders to upgrade the North-South and East-West Lines' power supply system. It has been a source of many problems in the last few years. Now that we have taken over the assets, we are going to change this replacing of the power supply system, and also to replace all our first-generation MRT fleet with 66 new trains. And it will not be just a mere one-for-one replacement.”
“However, the pace of development will determine the timing for the opening of the station. As soon as there is sufficient ridership justification, we shall open the MRT station. This is our commitment. Mr Ang Wei Neng observed that train reliability is improving. Indeed, it is, although we are not yet where we want to be. But we will get there. Not to worry. As he noted, we have an objective measure called the Mean Kilometres Between Failure (MKBF) to track our progress objectively. Our MKBF crossed 160,000 train-km in the first half of last year. It further improved to 192,000 train-km in the second half, close to my target of 200,000. That is why I am raising the bar, to the next target of 300,000 train-km. And next year, we will shoot for 400,000. It can be done. As I previously explained to Mr Dennis Tan in this House, raising train reliability is a multi-year effort. It is not multi-week or multi-month. It takes years because replacement of ageing assets takes years. We have replaced all the old sleepers. This year, we will replace the old third rail system which had been causing some problems to the East-West Line recently. We will soon complete the upgrading of the signalling system for the North-South Line, which will bring a lot of benefits to many residents, including the residents of my favourite Member of Parliament, Er Dr Lee Bee Wah. Next year, we will do the same for the East-West Line. But let me sound an alert. Re-signalling is a complex engineering operation. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah knows that. Getting it done perfectly, flawlessly, is almost impossible. That has been the painful experience of London, Hong Kong and Taipei. They warned us that we should expect many teething problems when we cut over the signalling system to the new one this year.”
“We are determined to make cycling and the use of PMDs both pleasant and safe. At its core, our public transport system will have a high capacity, highly connected and reliable public train system. We are making progress. The expansion of our rail system is on track. Our rail network is growing, on average, by one kilometre every month. This year, we will extend the East-West Line by four stations to Tuas West, and the Downtown Line by 16 stations to Singapore Expo. We will soon select and appoint the operator for the Thomson-East Coast Line. We have begun to call tenders for Circle Line Stage 6. We have started planning for the Jurong Region and Cross Island Lines. When all these lines are completed, eight in 10 households will have a station within a 10-minute walk. I will be one of those eight in 10. We particularly look forward to the opening of Downtown Line 3. It will be a game-changer for residents living in the east, just as Downtown Line 2 was for the west and north-west residents. When in full operation, the entire Downtown Line should serve a daily ridership of more than half a million commuters. A recent study found that one out of six rides on the Downtown Line was made using new EZ-Link cards. So, these are new travellers. This suggests that a sizeable number of commuters, perhaps living along the Bukit Timah corridor, are switching to rail. The experience of the Downtown Line gives us confidence that a car-lite Singapore is achievable. Over at Bukit Gombak, Mayor Low Yen Ling has called for Hume MRT station to be opened. I have heard her appeal. The long-term development of that precinct, including the upcoming Rail Corridor development, can justify an MRT station. That is why we have made provision for it.”
“I agree with Mr Melvin Yong that we must tap on the strong tripartite relationship and platforms to help our workers adjust. For taxi drivers affected by competition, we are working with the National Taxi Association and taxi companies to help them cope. For bus captains, we are working with the National Transport Workers' Union and the public bus operators to help them adapt. Madam, new technology, disruptive business models and commuters' demand for higher levels of service are transforming the way we move about. History is truly in the making. Where these will lead us, we cannot be sure. But I think it sure will be exciting! We have simplified the evolving drama under the banner of "Making Singapore Car-Lite by 2030". But it is much more than about cars or their depopulation. It is also about making it easier and more enjoyable for everyone to walk, cycle and take public transport. There will be less need to own cars, and we can look forward to reclaiming many road lanes and car-park spaces and using them instead for the community and for greenery. It is about a lifestyle change, a mindset shift and improving the quality of life for all. We are testing many of these ideas in Ang Mo Kio by making it a model cycling town. Phase 1 is done. Phase 2 will begin shortly. We are making Tampines Town the second model walking and cycling town. Design work will start soon. Today, many residents there already use bicycles and PMDs to get around. Many who work in Tampines live in adjacent towns, so we will provide trunk cycling routes, connecting Tampines to neighbouring towns and also to Changi Business Park and Singapore Expo. 12.30 pm We will improve crossings, widen footpaths and improve safety at bus-stops.”
“He highlighted the stress on the taxi drivers. We should help them, not by insulating them from innovations, but by alerting them to the potential disruption and preparing them for change. Change is unpleasant but everyone can be helped to adapt to change. As noted by the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE), the best way to ensure relevance is to acquire and develop deep skills, and going beyond that, to master competencies. Last month, I launched the Singapore Rail Academy, which aims to nurture a Singapore Core with deep technical expertise. As a start, the Academy has partnered the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) to develop a foundation programme for both fresh graduates as well as mid-career upgraders. Mr Melvin Yong was there with me at the launch. We have great ambitions for the Rail Academy. It will develop programmes to train workers in critical areas of rail operations and maintenance. It will work with the rail operators and the Institutes of Higher Learning to offer pre-employment programmes, as well as continuing education and training. An example is the part-time Diploma in Rapid Transit Technology. I agree with Mr Melvin Yong that we should also learn from good rail operators overseas by attaching our professionals there to pick up best practices. The Rail Academy will develop a competency framework for railway professionals and also accredit training programmes. This will facilitate job upgrading. The Academy will also take charge of industry branding and work with industry partners to improve working conditions by utilising technology to lighten workloads and enhance employee health management. What is most critical is for our transport workers to be open to learning new skills. Then, they can ride the wave of technological change.”
“Working with EDB, we offer Singapore as a test-bed, an incubator for new ideas, and for companies and start-ups to run trials here. What works can then be commercialised elsewhere and, along the way, we hope some local companies can acquire new capabilities and business opportunities. Later, Second Minister Ng Chee Meng and Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo will elaborate on some of these exciting initiatives and trends. Many of these changes will happen during their career. It is appropriate for the young Ministers to spearhead these developments and see them through. As for me, I shall look forward to enjoying the benefits as a consumer during my lifetime. I agree with Mr Sitoh Yih Pin on the inevitability of technology advancements. The human mind is wired to explore new ways of doing things. And we will always seek to better our lives. Last week, DeepStack was reported to have beaten the world's best poker players, and we knew that artificial intelligence had already beaten chess grandmasters and Go champions several years ago. These technology advancements will create opportunities to change and improve our lives. If Netflix offers better value than Starhub TV, consumers will switch. I am familiar with Netflix, but I do not use it. I still enjoy going to the cinema, the old romantic ambience of the cinema. This is the hard reality of the market that incumbents will always suffer. Such competition is unsettling for them, but it is good for consumers. As regulators, our job is not to stifle innovation but to be fair to all players, and we should always put consumer interest as our top priority. But I agree with Mr Sitoh Yih Pin that as a Government, we should also be concerned about the workers who will be impacted.”
“Mdm Chairman, Budget 2017 positions Singapore for an uncertain future. There will be challenges, but we will be in a good position if we can succeed in capturing the many opportunities that will also arise. Budget 2017 calls on all stakeholders to work together to seize these opportunities. The transport sector will play its part. The transport sector is a key pillar of our economy. Many Singaporeans make a good living working in it. Collectively, the industry employs more than 300,000 workers. The potential for further growth is also great. Many well-paying jobs are waiting to be filled. More importantly, the transport sector is a key enabler for our economy. It connects us not just within our island, but to the rest of the world. This started from Singapore's early days as a centre for entrepot trade and allows Singapore to thrive as an international hub today. That is why we are continually upgrading our infrastructure. This year, we are working concurrently on multiple projects, including Changi Airport Terminals 4 and 5, the Pasir Panjang and Tuas Terminals, the KL-Singapore High Speed Rail, the JB−Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, the Downtown and Thomson-East Coast Lines. The transport sector is also a crucible of innovation. It is ripe for disruption and transformation. The scope for using technology to raise productivity is substantial − self check-in facilities at the airport, robotics for baggage handling, driverless cargo vehicles, automated cranes at our sea-ports, LTA using big data to optimise traffic flow, predictive maintenance for trains, and drones for all kinds of deliveries. Who knows what else the future will bring?”
“As I have said, it has impact on safety, security and so on. My predecessor brought the Bill to this House. The Member was not in this House then, so he was not aware. We were among the first in the world to have a regulatory framework governing drones. As technology makes progress, we have to keep on tweaking the regulations. Last year, when I was in Montreal for the ICAO meeting, our regulatory framework was a subject of great interest from many countries, because everyone is facing the same problem. Problem in the sense of the downside impact of the technology; but the upside potential is huge. The key is how to tap upside potential, while minimising downside effect. Sorry for this long-winded reply.”
“Indeed, we are not alone in trying out these various technologies and their applications. Yes, I am familiar with the Rwanda project. Last year, at the Venice Biennale, the British architect Norman Foster set up a pilot drone port. His idea was to set up one, preferably using recyclable materials. Out of that drone port, you can deliver drugs, medicine and so on to different parts of Africa. That was just an idea. Someone sort of picked up the idea and decided to do it in Rwanda. It is very early days. Elsewhere in the US, UK and Europe, there are many such experiments being tested out. UPS is trying out mobile drone ports by using the roof of their UPS vans so that you can move around and launch your drones off the roof-top of your van. Everybody is learning from one another. Singapore, ourselves, should be at the forefront of all these and that explains our proof-of-concept project with Airbus. Very soon, we will be launching a Request for Proposal for similar bright ideas. Do not forget that to run a trial is not cheap. As there are many such ideas, our job is to take a good look, select the better ones, especially those which can bring benefits for Singaporeans or help build capabilities among our companies. The second question about whether there is any coordination or centralisation, the answer is yes, there is. My Ministry leads in this drone project. There is a multi-agency committee, led by us, to explore how else we can make use of drones and also to see how we can tap on scale, especially when we want to purchase either equipment, drones or solutions. The third part about regulations, the answer is also yes. Out of that inter-agency committee, we worked on the first draft for the regulation of drones.”
“Let me do my part. We recognise the potential for drones to be deployed for a large variety of uses both in the public and private sectors. We have been facilitating this while making sure that associated aviation safety, public safety and security risks are addressed. On the use of drones to transport goods within Singapore, the technology is not yet mature for safe, widespread deployment in a densely populated, urban environment. We have been facilitating trials to better understand the technologies and the implementation and safety issues. One example is the Skyways Project between CAAS and Airbus Helicopters on the use of drones for last-mile parcel delivery at the NUS campus. We will be initiating other trials.”
“Madam, today is International Women's Day. Let me wish you, the Leader of our House and all the women in this House a great day ahead. [Applause.] I think one practical way is for everyone to halve their speeches. [Laughter.]”
“If we are talking about identical incidents, then, this is the first time. But objects being dropped through the platform gaps, while not common, are not uncommon either.”
“Madam, LTA and the Police have investigated the incident. They found no evidence of a security breach. They drew this conclusion after reviewing CCTV footages and making physical checks of the possible track access points. One possible explanation is that the doll was accidentally dropped by a commuter through the platform gap and then picked up and placed on the tunnel wall by a worker.”
“The Bus Service Reliability Framework (BSRF) was introduced as a trial for 22 bus services in February 2014 and expanded to another 23 services in December 2015. We observed less bus bunching for these services. In the assessment period from December 2015 to August 2016, bus service regularity had improved for all 45 services. There was a 20% reduction in average additional wait times. A total of $3.4 million was paid out in incentives over this period and no penalties. Based on the experience of the trial, we have tightened the baseline standard and decided to incorporate the BSRF within the bus contracting model. For 108 services for which we implemented BSRF from September 2016, we have observed a 15% reduction in average additional wait times. Any incentive or penalty will be paid out after a year's performance.”
“Our preference is to build at-grade crossings, rather than pedestrian overhead bridges, as they are barrier-free and more convenient for the elderly, families with strollers and persons with disabilities. However, there are instances where at-grade crossings are dangerous, for example, across major roads with fast-moving traffic, or may cause serious traffic congestion. In such cases, we will provide pedestrian overhead bridges.”
“Mdm Speaker, the Land Transport Authority will be installing ambient light sensors as part of a major upgrade of our street lighting system. We will begin with the Central Area next year and complete the installation for the rest of Singapore by 2022.”
“So, in this particular space, competition has been good, and our approach in not stifling these new services that are being brought in because of innovative business models, is something that has been good for Singaporeans and commuters, and I would like to maintain that approach. As I said, we cannot tell how it would be like in 10 or 15 years' time. It is best that we leave it to the market, meaning leave it to Singaporeans and consumers, to decide. Our operating principle must be: does it improve services to the commuters? Does it lift the quality of life of Singaporeans? If it does, then, as a regulator, we should try to nudge it in that direction. That would be the approach I take. As for COEs, there has been some speculation that the COE is being pushed up because of Grab and Uber. Let us look at the evidence. And the evidence does not suggest that, because when we look at the top players in this field of private hire services, the bids that they put into the COE in each cycle were more or less at the market rate. They were not being particularly aggressive.”
“Mdm Speaker, the entire transport scene is going through major changes. I am quite certain that within the next 10 to 15 years, how we move from Point A to Point B will be quite different from what we are doing today, and from what we are more familiar with, partly because of technology, disruptive business models and rising expectations from commuters. So, what will be the likely steady state scenario of our transport scene? It is not something that the Government can determine in a top-down approach. The best approach, I think, is to let Singaporeans, consumers and commuters, decide. For example, in this whole new space of private hire, point-to-point transport, exemplified by Grab and Uber, the whole scenario is still changing. Within three years of their introduction, our recent survey showed that Grab and Uber have grabbed half of the market share. In other words, the taxi operators' market share today is only about half. At the same time, what is comforting is that the number of taxi trips chalked up by taxi drivers has remained quite stable. There was a slight shrinkage. What does it mean? What it means is that the whole point-to-point market has actually doubled in size after the introduction of Grab and Uber. That means that the new players have been meeting new demands or under- or unmet demands in the past. So, that is a good thing. It shows in the survey results. When consumers and commuters were asked for their opinion about new services like Grab or Uber, they rated them high and higher than taxis. What is also very comforting is that their rating on taxis has also improved and, when asked, they said it is because of competition.”
“Madam, the growth of private hire car services has benefited commuters as they supplement taxi services. We will continue to monitor the situation. Our preference for now is to leave it to the market to determine the growth of the industry.”
“Accidents involving serious injury or damages will be investigated by the Police. If a cyclist or PMD user is found to be at fault, they may be prosecuted and the Courts may make an order for compensation. We will closely monitor the use of PMDs and bicycles on footpaths. It is premature to set up a claims tribunal as the Member has suggested. Meanwhile, we will intensify user education and enforce proper sharing of footpaths.”
“Indeed, I hope the taxi industry will rise to the competition through such changes and by enhancing the level and value of service provided.”
“In 2016, average monthly net earnings per taxi driver came down compared to the previous year, by about 6.2%. Notwithstanding this, in total, since 2013, when the private hire car industry started to grow, average monthly net earnings per taxi driver are still up by about 4% in real terms, aided, in part, by falling energy prices. In addition, gross fare revenue per taxi has remained relatively stable since 2013. This suggests that private hire car services have, in part, catered to new or previously unmet demand. We do not have income data that is broken down by different types of drivers, for example, night shift drivers. It is too soon to determine the effect of the removal of the 250-kilometre requirement on taxi drivers. I expect it to be positive, not solely for their earnings but also the additional flexibility for them to plan their schedules. As the market continues to evolve, we will continue to review taxi regulations periodically to ensure that they stay relevant and promote the best outcomes for taxi commuters, drivers and companies. Ultimately, private hire car services compete against taxi companies for drivers, and the ability to attract drivers to rent either taxis or private hire cars is dependent on the earnings of the respective drivers. This competition can be positive for taxi drivers. I note that taxi companies have recently introduced measures to the benefit of their drivers. Some companies have reduced taxi rentals, while others have introduced innovative rental schemes, including giving rental rebates based on the drivers' performance. Taxi companies can also adjust their fares and surcharges if they assess that this would make their services more competitive and taking into consideration the impact on their drivers’ earnings.”
“The Reciprocal Road Charge will not be imposed on commercial goods vehicles.”
“From July this year, all private hire car drivers will be required to obtain a Private Hire Car Driver's Vocational Licence (PDVL). Non-Singapore citizens will be granted PDVLs only if they are employees of chauffeured services companies, which are also constrained by foreign worker quotas. Singaporeans, on the other hand, are eligible for PDVL even if they are self-employed. This is similar to the policy for taxi drivers.”
“About 67,000 Hybrid Concession Passes and 13,000 Off-Peak Passes were issued monthly in 2016. About 12,000 "Persons with Disabilities" concession cards have been issued so far. A typical concession cardholder makes about one to two journeys per day. The average distance of each journey is about nine kilometres.”
“Our public transport system is now largely accessible to persons with disabilities. First, all our Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations and bus interchanges have at least one barrier-free access route from the entrance to the concourse. Second, all MRT trains and 92% of public buses are wheelchair accessible. By 2020, all public buses will be so.”
“nuTonomy is one of four organisations, besides the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Institute for Infocomm Research, Singapore-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Alliance for Research and Technology and Delphi Automotive Systems, that is testing self-driving vehicles at one-north. nuTonomy started trialling on a six-kilometre test route in April 2016, and since January this year, they have expanded their testing to a 12-kilometre route. I am told that their trials have generally been smooth except for an incident last year. nuTonomy's aim is to gradually expand their trials into larger and more complex environments. Significant challenges have to be overcome before self-driving technology is ready for widespread deployment. Self-driving vehicles need to be able to co-exist safely with a high volume of human-driven vehicles, cyclists, people on personal mobility devices, and pedestrians. They will need to be able to deal with unexpected situations, like fallen tree branches or jaywalkers. In Singapore, they also need to function effectively under low visibility conditions, such as during heavy rain or haze. Industry experts expect the technology to reach that state in about 10 to 15 years. In the meantime, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will continue to work with the participants to expand the area and complexity of their trials progressively.”
“There is at least one automated external defibrillator (AED) at all our bus interchanges and Mass Rapid Train (MRT) stations. These are situated near the Passenger Service Office as the staff there are trained to use them. We do not have AED kits on all public buses, trains and taxis. We would have to consider the practicality of equipping every bus, train and taxi with one. Instead, the personnel have been trained to respond to emergencies by seeking immediate medical help. For instance, bus captains would immediately request for an ambulance through their Operation Control Centre. When the train pulls into the station, the staff at the station, who would have access to the AED at the station, would attend to the passenger requiring medical assistance.”
“Only serious parking and stopping offences, such as parking within a pedestrian crossing, or stopping on the shoulder or verge of an expressway, attract demerit points. These offences not only impede the flow of traffic but also endanger other road users by obstructing their line of sight. Demerit points for parking are calibrated to be proportional to other traffic offences which also attract demerit points.”
“Motorists who make good their failed Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) deductions within two weeks of the date of the letter from the Land Transport Authority are required to pay an administrative fee to cover the cost of processing the ERP violation, notification and payment. This fee is $10 if they make their payment through cash or cheque, and $8 if they make the payment electronically as the administrative cost incurred is lower. It will not be fair for taxpayers to bear these costs on the motorists' behalf. To avoid incurring such costs for failed ERP deductions, motorists should sign up to payment services, such as Motorpay, vCashCard or EZ-Pay. Using such services, motorists do not need to insert a cash-card into their car's in-vehicle unit before they pass under an ERP gantry. ERP charges are automatically charged to their credit card based on the ERP system's identification of the in-vehicle unit.”
“Today, most of our footpaths are at least 1.5 metres wide. Footpaths near town centres and mass rapid transit stations are generally wider, between 2.4 metres and 3.6 metres, to accommodate more pedestrians and cyclists. It is not always possible to widen footpaths, due to site constraints like existing trees and utilities. LTA also builds dedicated cycling lanes, which are generally two metres wide. More of such lanes will be built as part of our plans to have a cycling path network in every Housing Development Board town by 2030.”
“The feedback on the courtesy crossing has been mostly positive. We have also received some feedback from users who are unsure about how to use these crossings. We will continue to publicise and educate pedestrians and motorists on how to use these crossings. Eight of our nine Silver Zones today contain public bus stops with no bus lay-by. The majority of these bus stops are on two-lane roads. For those that are on one lane roads, the Land Transport Authority has assessed that the impediment to traffic is only momentary, even with the Silver Zone measures.”
“The signalling problem experienced on the Circle Line was caused by a hardware malfunction on one of the trains. The faulty component has been replaced and the train has since been returned to service under close supervision. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is working with the signalling equipment manufacturer ALSTOM to determine why the component failed, and whether the problem extends to the entire batch of components manufactured. If so, LTA will require ALSTOM to replace all of them. Based on the findings, LTA will also develop targeted measures to prevent an occurrence of similar problems on both the Circle Line and North-East Line, which use older signalling systems. LTA is also exploring ways to improve the general resilience of these systems. This includes shielding the signalling antenna against spurious signals, incorporating a feature for a backup antenna if the primary one encounters interference, and improving the signal transmission protocol. The newer signalling systems used for the Downtown Line, and to be installed for the North-South and East-West Lines and the Thomson-East Coast Line, would not be affected by the signalling problem experienced by the Circle Line as they have enhanced redundancy features to guard against signal interference.”
“There are currently about 3,200 commercial pilots employed by Singapore-based airlines. About nine in 10 of them are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents. To ensure that our airlines continue to have access to a sizeable pool of Singaporean pilots, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has approved four pilot training academies in Singapore, which supplement the airlines' in-house training programmes. There are also programmes to support Singaporean pilots to upskill themselves. Those who are keen to deepen their management or specialist skills are able to tap on various avenues of support, including CAAS' Aviation Leaders Scholarship, the SkillsFuture Study Awards and the SkillsFuture Credit scheme.”
“Lifts have been installed at 18 of the 47 pedestrian overhead bridges identified for the lift retrofitting programme. Preliminary works at the overhead bridge at Chinese Garden MRT station have begun, and the lift installation should be completed by the end of the year.”
“The Punggol West Loop Light Rail Transit service is currently operating unidirectionally as its ridership of 7,000 passengers a day is still low. The Punggol East Loop, for example, has a ridership of 45,000. When ridership grows requiring additional capacity, we will increase the service frequency and/or operate it bi-directionally.”
“Site investigation works on the two alignment options have commenced and are expected to complete by end-2018. We consult with the nature groups regularly. The Land Transport Authority has also appointed one of the nature group representatives as an advisor to monitor and audit the implementation of the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan developed in Phase 1.”
“The six-month trial to allow foldable bicycles and personal mobility devices to be brought onto public transport at all times of the day started only about a month ago. We should allow the trial to run its course before making any policy decisions. So far, the public response has been positive and there have been few complaints. From our observations, the very large majority of the commuters who brought bicycles or personal mobility devices on board buses and trains behaved responsibly and courteously and, in particular, folded the devices. Those who do not do so are liable to a maximum fine of $500 upon conviction.”
“In the implementation of the Silver Zone programme, the Land Transport Authority has prioritised areas where there is a relatively higher number of traffic accidents involving the elderly. We will include the Potong Pasir area in the programme.”
“The Land Transport Authority considers the nature of the offence when assessing the re-applications of ex-offenders for a Taxi Driver Vocational Licence (TDVL), with a view to protecting the safety of passengers. Those who have committed extremely serious offences, such as rape, murder or kidnapping, are barred from re-obtaining a TDVL for life. Those who have committed less serious offences like housebreaking are barred for three to five years from the date of conviction, after which their re-applications will be considered. Other offences which do not pose any danger to the physical safety of the public, such as forgery, would not attract any debarment. This calibrated approach is needed to maintain public confidence in the safety of our taxi services. At the same time, it provides some ex-offenders with a second chance.”
“Jurong Town Hall Road and Jurong East Street 11 have already been widened in 2012 and 2014 respectively in anticipation of the Trade Association Hub opening. The junction outside the Trade Association Hub has also been designed to allow vehicles to enter and exit the Trade Association Hub without interrupting traffic flow on Jurong Town Hall Road. Public transport is another option as the Trade Association Hub is conveniently located within a 10-minute walk from Jurong East MRT station.”
“Roads in private residential estates are public roads. Hence, where parking is allowed along these roads, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) cannot forbid any individual or company from parking. LTA is open to suggestions from residents on how parking schemes can be improved to minimise inconvenience to them, but once instituted, these parking schemes will have to be uniformly applied to all vehicles.”