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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“The Land Transport Authority does not maintain any records on the ownership of personal mobility devices (PMDs), such as e-scooters. The Active Mobility Advisory Panel has been tasked to review the regulatory regime for PMDs, including the need to register motorised PMDs, and will surface its recommendations to the Government later this year.”
“We currently do not require private hire car (PHC) booking service operators and third-party taxi booking apps to submit information on the safety and condition of their vehicles fleet. However, under the Road Traffic Act, these operators are required to despatch licensed and properly insured vehicles. If there are three or more violations of these regulations within a rolling period of 12 months, the Land Transport Authority may issue a general suspension order that bars all PHC drivers affiliated with a particular PHC booking service operator from driving for that operator. To protect the data privacy of commuters and drivers, private hire car booking service operators operating in Singapore must comply with the Personal Data Protection Act, or PDPA. Under PDPA, organisations are required to put in place reasonable security arrangements to protect personal data in their possession or under their control in order to prevent unauthorised access, use or disclosure. Organisations which are found in breach of PDPA can be liable for a financial penalty of up to $1 million.”
“Most of the heavy vehicles plying along Fort Road are going to and from the construction sites for the Thomson-East Coast Line and the Marina East Staging Ground, where excavated materials are transferred to barges for reuse or disposal at offshore sites. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) works closely with the developers and contractors to develop localised traffic control plans to improve safety and minimise inconvenience to other road users. These plans include managing the time and route of the heavy vehicles to avoid peak hour traffic and residential areas where possible. There are signs to alert motorists to slow down and watch out for heavy vehicles. There is regular monitoring to ensure that heavy vehicles adhere to the control plans. In addition, LTA has also installed surveillance cameras at Fort Road to monitor the traffic situation and deploy enforcement officers when necessary. LTA will continue to engage the residents, grassroots leaders and community advisors in the area to gather feedback and apprise them of the traffic situation.”
“For the safety of commuters, our public buses have low floors with a maximum height of 32 centimetres above the ground. To ease boarding and alighting, our bus captains are trained to pull up within half a metre of the kerb, and to ensure commuters have boarded or alighted safely before moving off. The Land Transport Authority has been exploring the installation of bus steps which can be lowered but has yet to come across a system that can ensure the safe movement of commuters on and off the bus when passenger flow is heavy.”
“Out of a total of 4,900 bus stops in Singapore, there are currently 74 which have cantilever shelters. It is not cost effective to build all bus stops with such shelters and we have given priority to bus stops which are heavily used, especially those connected to Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations. More than a quarter of the bus stops at MRT stations have cantilever shelters. Where space permits, more such shelters will be built for heavily utilised bus stops.”
“We will see. But now that we have tried this experiment and found that the off-peak pass has failed miserably, why do we want to do it again? So, yes, while I encourage making mistakes, trying out new things, but when we have discovered something does not work and we keep on banging our head against the wall, why do we do that? We will get a headache.”
“I doubt it. But we would not know until it starts. So, we will analyse the impact of these various new schemes that have just been brought in. It is just a few weeks in the run and we will see whether we need to refine the scheme as we go along. Last week, I was reading about the death of the famous founder of IKEA. He is a legend and there are many stories about him. I remember his Chief Executive Officer always related an anecdote where, in a board meeting, the founder questioned him, "What are the mistakes you have done?" Meaning that, in life, we must always experiment, try out things. If you never did, you never tried out anything, then that is your biggest mistake.”
“Yes. I do not have the data that Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has asked for, except to say that when we design a public scheme, it must benefit as wide a number of people as possible. After all, we are spending taxpayers' money. When the scheme was formulated, I suppose we were optimistic that there would be many who will benefit and make the switch. Unfortunately, it did not turn out to be so. I think it is the right decision on the part of PTC to recommend disbanding this but, instead, bring out a new scheme, which is what we are enjoying today, which will benefit hundreds and thousands of commuters. Of the handful who probably are adversely affected, how best to do it? Well, my favourite Member of Parliament (MPs) has good solutions. Good local MPs can always come up with local solutions. When we know a particular resident has been inconvenienced because of this, and yet despite the various 25% discount and so on, still could not afford their transport fares, as a local MP, we do chip in, if I discover such cases. I am quite sure Er Dr Lee will know how to do it.”
“Sir, senior citizens and persons with disabilities enjoy concessionary fares that are 25% off adult card fares at all times. Regular commuters among this group can also buy the monthly concession pass at half the price of the regular adult monthly pass. The off-peak pass was introduced in July 2015 as a trial to see if we can get regular commuters to shift from peak to off-peak travel. However, the result has been disappointing. It has shifted less than 200 of the pass users to off-peak travel. As the scheme has clearly not been effective, the Public Transport Council (PTC) recommended discontinuing it starting this year. Instead, under a new scheme, all commuters can enjoy a fare discount of up to 50 cents throughout the rail network if they tap in before 7.45 am. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities enjoy this discount on top of their regular 25% discounts. The new scheme was launched with wide publicity. PTC, the Land Transport Authority and the public transport operators have placed posters at all Mass Rapid Transit stations and buses since the middle of December last year. More than half of the senior citizens and persons with disabilities off-peak pass users have switched to buy the monthly concession pass in January this year.”
“Emergency brakes can be applied even when the train is in automatic mode. Road works are coordinated by the Road Opening Coordination Committee (ROCC) which comprises representatives from Government agencies, utility and telecoms service providers. It is chaired by the Land Transport Authority (LTA). As far as possible, the Committee schedules the work plans of the respective agencies to minimise inconvenience to commuters and residents. However, some works cannot be planned for, such as emergency repairs of cable faults or gas leaks. We will ask the Committee to consider publishing indicators of the effectiveness of their coordination efforts.”
“Sir, before I reply to this question, can I give a short reply to the earlier supplementary question by Mr Dennis Tan.”
“I think it would depend on the design. I am not perfectly sure of the answer, but I will check. Let me check.”
“Thirty-six metres, yes, it is not a short distance, but the speed was 18 kilometre per hour.”
“I would not know enough to know what sort of reaction time is reasonable. But based on the logs and review by the experts, they felt that the train operator was just not able to react in time. Because the driver might have to switch from the automatic to manual mode, and from the manual mode, he could have activated the emergency button. On hindsight, it is easy to say, "Why did you not do this?" and "Why did you not do that?" A few months ago, I had a friend, a corporate lawyer, who called me frantically. He is a very safe, responsible driver. He was driving in Singapore. As he approached a pedestrian crossing, he was quite clear that there was nobody. He slowed down but he did not stop. We do not normally stop in front of the pedestrian crossing unless we know that there is a pedestrian. But the next second, he saw somebody on an e-scooter flung onto his windscreen. The rider must have been speeding right through. But that was when my friend stopped, came down, assisted and called the ambulance. The rider was admitted to the hospital. A few days later, he was informed by the hospital that the victim died. My friend was totally traumatised. He knew he would be charged, he expected to be punished but he was very worried that he would be jailed. Being a lawyer, he checked up the law and asked me for advice. I am not a lawyer; I cannot advise him much. But as a layman, I wonder: when you do not have sufficient reaction time, are you responsible? To what extent are you responsible? I asked him to get a lawyer and a proper forensic to see whether it could ascertain the speed of the e-scooter. I think the Joo Koon situation is something like this, too. At that moment, was the train driver able to respond in time?”
“Secondly, this train must pass a stretch of track which is still on the old signalling system and the track-side equipment had not yet been configured to the new train system. Unfortunately, this was the sort of scenario that the programmer had not anticipated. When it occurred, the bubble got deactivated. When it was deactivated, well, the rest is history. Now, the flaw has been rectified and corrected. In fact, we could have run this complicated, double system on the East-West Line, plus the Tuas West Extension, but I decided "no". Let us separate the two stretches; we run shuttle buses and the service is not too highly compromised and this way, we ensure maximum safety for our commuters.”
“But as an added precaution, I took a decision: let us not complicate our lives both for the software programmer as well as the operator; just separate the two systems. If I may just describe a little, though highly simplified, what kind of complications we have introduced prior to this incident. East-West Line is a complete line but we were doing the most complicated by requiring the signalling system to run on most part of the Line, on the old system, and then at some point, switch to a new system. Therefore, the trains were being operated by two signalling systems – the old system and the new system. They were required to know when to do what. So, based on the location at the track, the new signalling system could be on "passive" mode or "active" mode. For the stretch of the East-West Line which is still on the old signalling system, the system is on passive mode. It is collecting and reporting information but not acting. But after clearing a particular station, when it enters the Tuas West Extension, it switched into active mode. These are the complications we introduced. For the deactivation of the bubble to take place, several things must happen. Unfortunately, on that day, all three things happened. First, the train must have developed some problem. Trains carry a lot of computers and the computers' signalling equipment have to communicate with the track-side equipment of the new system. For that particular train that day, it was not able to communicate. When it is not able to communicate, the system, as a safety procedure, activate this bubble so that the trains would comply with the safety distances between trains. That was the first step and in this case, it happened.”
“I thank the Member. As I had explained, this situation was never anticipated by Thales themselves. I did engineering but that was many years ago. One of my favourite subjects was computer programming. I enjoy writing software. Of course, many things have happened during the last 40-odd years. Computer languages have improved and there are many more new languages and more efficiency tools. But the basic principle of writing computer programme, I think, has not changed. Which is, you start off by anticipating "what ifs". All kinds of possible scenarios and therefore, you compose logic, diagrams and decision trees, before you start coding and converting each of the steps into a program, so that the computer knows what to do. A good computer programmer is one who has robustly and comprehensively thought of all possibilities so that computers or the robot would know how to react. Unfortunately, in this instance, Thales had not anticipated such a possibility and, therefore, the assumption, both by Thales and the operator – the operators were trained by Thales – was that the deactivating of the bubble could not have happened. Had we known, as I had explained in my answer, the driver would have converted it into manual mode, instead of leaving the train to be run by the computer. If it was in manual mode, there would have been an adequate reaction time. In hindsight, one can blame the captain, but I do not. Because he was mentally not prepared and never trained to react under that kind of scenario. Whatever it is, the flaw, Thales has accepted full responsibility and has apologised, and the flaw has been rectified.”
“As an added precautionary measure, we decided to separate the operations on the Tuas West Extension from the rest of the East-West Line. The separation will continue until the rest of the East-West Line has fully transitioned to the new signalling system. Meanwhile, we are speeding up the re-signalling project, and the extended engineering hours on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) early closures and late openings will enable us to complete this transition by the middle of this year.”
“The cause of the collision was a software logic issue with the new signalling system. As a result, the first train at Joo Koon station was operating without a protective bubble that ensures safe distances between trains. Subsequent tests and re-enactments confirmed that the failure conditions must occur in a specific sequence for the protective bubble to be deactivated. Thales, the supplier of the system, had not anticipated such a scenario. This was an isolated case with no precedent, even for Thales. The Operations Control Centre (OCC) staff and the train captains did not know that the protective bubble could be deactivated. Had they been aware of this, the train captain on the second train could have switched from Automatic to Restricted Manual Mode to drive the train manually or, as a last resort, engaged the emergency stop button to keep the train from moving. All North-South and East-West Line trains, including those involved in the collision at Joo Koon station, are equipped with an emergency stop button for the train captain to apply the brakes manually. Based on train logs, the train captain in the second train was unable to engage these emergency brakes in time to avert a collision. Thales has since rectified the system to address the failure condition which led to the collision. In addition, Thales is setting up a simulation facility, a simulator, in Singapore to strengthen the testing process. The facility will enable the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT Corp to perform additional simulation tests in a controlled setting which is tailored to our local environment and the infrastructural conditions of our rail network before deploying on our train services.”
“Sir, may I take Question Nos 1 and 2 together, please.”
“The Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) preliminary finding suggests that the noise level at the blocks nearest to the MRT lines is lower than the National Environment Agency's (NEA) recommended threshold of 67 decibels (averaged over an hour). However, we will be doing a more in-depth island wide study. For the installation of noise barriers, LTA will prioritise areas where the noise level has exceeded 67 decibels (averaged over an hour).”
“To cater to the new residents in Keat Hong and Hong Kah North, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has introduced three bus services that connect to the Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang Mass Rapid Transit stations and bus interchanges for onward journeys. LTA will continue to monitor travel patterns and make adjustments to bus services where necessary.”
“The tunnel flooding that occurred on 7 October 2017 between Bishan and Braddell Mass Rapid Transit stations submerged trackside equipment as well as components installed on the undercarriage of the train that had stalled in the tunnel. The cost of repairs and replacements amounted to about $2 million. This was borne by SMRT.”
“I shall be quick. Singapore is committed to protecting the well-being of seafarers. In 2011, Singapore was the first country in Asia to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), which is a comprehensive global labour instrument adopted by the International Labour Organization to provide for the rights and protection of seafarers working onboard vessels. Our legislation provides for medical care, employment injury and invalidity benefits for all seafarers, Singaporeans or otherwise, employed on Singapore-flagged vessels. In addition, Singaporean seafarers who enter into employment in Singapore and their employers are generally required to make CPF contributions for the seafarers' retirement needs, regardless of whether they are working on Singapore or foreign-flagged vessels. Singaporean seafarers who are employed by Singapore-based companies are also entitled to compensation for injuries sustained in the course of their work. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has not come across any cases of Singaporean seafarers who have been denied the requisite social security benefits. The Government will continue to work with our tripartite partners to ensure that Singaporean seafarers are accorded the social security protection provided for under the MLC. 3.00 pm”
“Residents in Marsiling are currently served by eight bus trunk services and four bus feeder services that connect them to Woodlands Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station and bus interchange for onward journeys. Following the closure of Woodlands Centre, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will monitor travel patterns and make the necessary adjustments to bus services.”
“There were about 200 cases of spontaneous vehicle fires every year since 2014. Figures prior to 2014 are not readily available. Among these vehicles which caught fire, about 60% were motorcars and 20% were light goods vehicles. Based on the Singapore Civil Defence Forces' (SCDF’s) findings, there were two main causes – faults in the electrical components and overheating of the engines. Regular maintenance could reduce the risk of such fires occurring. Hence, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) requires older vehicles and vehicles that are heavily used to be inspected more frequently. LTA is also working with SCDF to remind vehicle owners on regular maintenance and against illegal modification of their vehicles as this could compromise the safety features of their vehicles and trigger vehicle fires.”
“As of end-December 2017, more than 12,600 power-assisted bicycles (PABs) have been registered. Owners of PABs have until 31 January 2018 to register their PABs and affix it with a number plate. Motorists or members of the public can report errant PAB riders to the Traffic Police or the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Details, such as the date, time, location, PAB registration number, description of the rider, and video or photo evidence of the offence, will aid the investigation. Since February 2016, only PABs that meet the European (EN)15194 standard will be approved by LTA. This is a rigorous standard that has also been adopted by Australia and many European countries, requiring stringent tests on the mechanical strength of batteries as well as the risks of short circuits and overcharging. The power adaptors used to charge personal mobility devices (PMDs) must also comply with the Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations administered by the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING) Singapore. The adaptors must be type-tested and certified compliant with the relevant safety standards, registered with SPRING Singapore, and carry the SAFETY Mark before they can be sold in Singapore. In view of the recent spates of fire involving PMDs, LTA and SPRING Singapore are assessing if additional product safety requirements are needed.”
“From January to September 2017, there were about 110 accidents involving personal mobility devices (PMDs), such as e-scooters. These accidents occurred on public paths or at road junctions when PMD riders were crossing the road, or on roads when PMD riders were riding parallel to vehicle traffic illegally. Over the same period, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Traffic Police issued warnings or summonses to about 330 riders for the offence of riding PMDs on roads. We do not have comprehensive figures for accidents involving PMDs prior to 2017. LTA has increased its outreach efforts to raise awareness of the danger of riding PMDs on roads. These include installing more than 500 signages at hotspots to warn PMD riders to stay off the roads. LTA will also be strengthening its penalty regime to deter riding of PMDs on roads. With effect from 15 January 2018, the current composition sum of $100 will be increased to $300 and $500 for offenders who ride on local and major roads respectively. Offenders who ride on the expressways will be charged in Court. Repeat offenders will face stiffer penalties, including Court action. If convicted, offenders face a fine of up to $2,000, or imprisonment of up to three months, or both. As PMD riders are not allowed on roads and have to abide by speed limits of 15 kilometres per hour (km/h) on footpaths and 25 km/h on shared and cycling paths, we do not require them to wear helmets. However, we encourage PMD riders to take personal responsibility and use the necessary protective gear while riding. LTA will be launching the Safe Riding Programme (SRP) soon in schools, foreign worker dormitories and community centres. It will be compulsory for all cyclists and PMD users who are caught riding recklessly to attend SRP.”
“Over the past five years, the Government has spent about $330 million to construct close to 160 kilometres of covered linkways. These were funded under various programmes and schemes: the Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) Walk2Ride programme, the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) development of public housing estates, and the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) scheme. The cost of the covered linkways averaged about $210,000 per 100 metres.”
“Investigations are still ongoing. After investigations are completed, the matter will be referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers for their assessment. More information will be provided at the appropriate juncture.”
“The Active Mobility Code of Conduct issued by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel (AMAP) in March 2016 stipulates that cyclists and users of e-bikes and personal mobility devices should dismount and push their devices at areas with high pedestrian traffic. This applies to all public paths, regardless of whether they are within or outside Silver Zones. The AMAP will be considering further refinements to the active mobility rules in 2018.”
“Bus bunching was a common complaint among commuters. In response, we have introduced the Bus Service Reliability Framework to get bus operators to improve the punctuality and reliability of their bus services. It requires bus captains to adjust their speeds to maintain a consistent headway between buses, thus minimising bus bunching. They do not deliberately stop at bus stops longer than necessary. More regular bus intervals will benefit bus commuters as it reduces waiting time and spreads passenger loads more evenly.”
“There are currently a number of such smartphone apps serving commuters’ different needs. The Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) myTransport app provides commuters with essential public transport information based on real-time data, including traffic updates, bus arrival times and crowdedness. Transport operators create their own apps to serve their customers and may also pull in data from public sources to enrich their app content. For example, the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT)-Connect travel app helps users plan their journeys by providing real-time information, such as arrival timings for buses and trains. There are also third-party apps, such as Google Maps and Citymapper, which help users plan their journeys, drawing on many data sources, including information volunteered by end-users. We welcome such efforts, as they can individually or collectively serve specific commuter needs. Our job is to facilitate such development by making data open through Data.gov.sg and LTA's DataMall so that private developers can co-create smarter transport solutions with us. In particular, there is potential to collect end-user locations and provide train service disruption notifications as suggested by the Member. As commuter needs evolve, LTA will add more data to DataMall and introduce new features to its mobile app. Transport operators like SMRT have also shared plans to enhance their own app content by providing information on platform and train loading based on analysis of data collected from wi-fi access points and camera feeds.”
“Following the train collision at Joo Koon Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on 15 November 2017, train services on the Tuas West Extension from Tuas Link to Gul Circle stations were suspended from Thursday, 16 November, to Sunday, 19 November 2017 to allow the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) and Thales to perform safety checks on the signalling system. The suspension of services had disrupted commuters' routine and their employers, but the impact was manageable. During the suspension period, bridging buses were deployed between Joo Koon and Tuas Link stations at headways of three to five minutes. We also enhanced the bus services in the area. Some companies also engaged private buses to ferry their staff to and from Joo Koon or Pioneer MRT stations during the peak periods. I am grateful to commuters and employers for their patience and understanding during the service suspension, and I seek their continued support as the Tuas West Extension remains segregated from the rest of the East-West Line to allow Thales to complete the re-signalling work safely and speedily.”
“Reduced train operating frequencies will also be in effect for seven North-South Line stations in the central area over the same period, as one track will be closed for maintenance. Beyond January, we will extend engineering hours where possible so that we can complete the re-signalling of the East-West Line by the middle of the year. We are bringing forward the renewal of other critical systems on the North-South and East-West Lines, such as the power system and track circuits. We are also making plans to speed up the installation of noise barriers. LTA will work closely with the Public Transport Operators to provide commuters affected by extended engineering hours with timely information and alternative transport arrangements. We are also working closely with the union to ensure that these plans are sustainable for our rail and bus workers. I would like to thank our public transport workers for their dedication, and seek commuters' continued understanding as we redouble efforts to improve train reliability.”
“Last month, extended engineering hours through early closure and late opening of 19 Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations in the western sector of the North-South and East-West Lines were provided to the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT). The adjustments in operating hours over four weekends, including two full Sunday closures, more than doubled the total number of engineering hours available between Friday nights and Monday mornings in December 2017, from 45 hours to 110 hours. The extended engineering hours have been extremely useful for our engineering and maintenance teams. First, they have enabled the Land Transport Authority (LTA), SMRT and signalling system supplier Thales to accelerate the re-signalling of the East-West Line. Each weekend of extended engineering hours has allowed Thales to conduct the equivalent of five regular nights of site acceptance testing. Second, they have allowed SMRT to bring forward and intensify maintenance works and repairs of the running rails, station equipment and track circuits. They have also enabled LTA to conduct more maintenance inspections to ensure the quality of SMRT's maintenance works, especially those by outsourced contractors. Third, they have allowed LTA and SMRT to speed up the installation of noise barriers for the stretch between the Dover and Boon Lay MRT stations. On each weekend, the project team was able to make progress equivalent to four nights of normal engineering hours. For these reasons, LTA and SMRT have announced similar plans for this month, involving the early closure and late opening of 10 East-West Line stations in the eastern sector over four weekends, including two full Sunday closures.”
“We are concerned about the recent spate of fires involving personal mobility devices (PMDs). Currently, the power adaptors used to charge PMDs must comply with the Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations (CPSR) administered by the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING) Singapore. The adaptors must be type-tested and certified compliant with the relevant safety standards, registered with SPRING Singapore, and carry the SAFETY Mark before they can be sold in Singapore. The Land Transport Authority and SPRING Singapore are assessing if similar product safety requirements can be imposed on PMDs or their batteries. In the meantime, I urge consumers to exercise caution, such as buying PMDs from reputable sources and avoiding the overcharging of batteries. Consumers should avoid modifying their PMDs or tampering with the electrical components of the PMDs.”
“We have some way to go before we reach our MKBF target of one million train-km. Recent setbacks have affected commuters’ perception of the progress we have made. We are redoubling our efforts and we seek commuters’ patience and understanding.”
“Two years ago, I challenged the rail operators to significantly improve the reliability of our Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) services and make them among the most reliable in the world. We launched a multi-year effort to bring this about and actively track our performance against the best in class. The Taipei Metro and Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) were picked as our benchmarks, using Mean Kilometres Between Failure (MKBF) for delays exceeding five minutes as the objective measure of train reliability. As Taipei and Hong Kong were able to achieve an MKBF of 800,000 train-kilometre (km), I set that as our target. Last year, after Taipei achieved an MKBF of one million train-km, I updated our 2020 target to one million train-km, as I am determined to close the reliability gap with the best in class. It is a stretch target but, with determination and focus, it is within our grasp. We will also speed up our asset renewal programmes and continue to add new lines to enhance the resilience of our rail network. MKBF is an internationally recognised indicator for rail reliability. There are industry groups of large, medium and small metros, such as Community of METros (CoMET) and Nova which publish MKBF data for benchmarking by peers. Based on their data, there are only a handful of metros globally that have achieved an MKBF of one million train-km or better. We have focused on train reliability as the key area for improvement. However, commuter experience is shaped by a host of other factors, like safety, punctuality, cleanliness and comfort. The Land Transport Authority tracks all these indicators, too. In addition, the Public Transport Council monitors commuter experience through its annual Public Transport Customer Satisfaction Survey.”
“A total of 37 passengers, including four SMRT staff, sustained injuries from the 15 November collision. All were discharged from hospital within a week of the incident, with most discharged on the same day. Nine require outpatient follow-up treatment and SMRT is in touch with them to provide all necessary support. We expect a full recovery.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) completed detailed investigations and released a summary of its findings on 18 December 2017. These are consistent with initial findings reported a few days after the collision on 15 November 2017. The root cause of the collision was a software logic issue with the new Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system. It failed to anticipate and, hence, could not handle a specific confluence of failure conditions. These conditions, in turn, occurred as a result of complications from operating two signalling systems concurrently on a single line – the new CBTC system on the Tuas West Extension and the old legacy signalling system on the rest of the East-West Line. The signalling system supplier, Thales, has rectified the system to address the failure conditions which led to the collision. In addition, Thales will set up a CBTC simulation facility in Singapore to strengthen the CBTC testing process. The facility will enable LTA and Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) to perform additional simulation tests in a controlled setting which is tailored to our local environment and the infrastructural conditions of our rail network, before deploying it on our train services. As a precautionary measure, we further decided to separate the CBTC operations on the Tuas West Extension from the rest of the East-West Line. The separation will continue until the rest of the East-West Line has fully transitioned to the new CBTC signalling system. Meanwhile, we are speeding up the re-signalling project and the extended engineering hours from the Mass Rapid Transit early closures and late openings will enable us to complete this transition by the middle of this year.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for both suggestions. I think both are reasonable and good suggestions. I have actually asked the Active Mobility Advisory Panel chaired by my colleague, Assoc Prof Faishal Ibrahim, to review the code of conduct and practices governing active mobility devices (AMDs). We have now almost a year of experience and, in the light of that experience, we should see what other rules we should introduce, rules we should tweak or toughen. Some of these suggestions, I am sure the panel will take into account as well, including insurance, wearing of helmets and whether we should register e-scooters. We have started registering e-bikes, so whether there is a case to also register e-scooters. I do not think we should be registering all scooters or all bicycles but I think those which are power-assisted and, therefore, potentially can incur greater harm, there may be a case of some sort of registration. I leave it to the panel to review this.”
“Repeat offenders will face stiffer penalties, including Court action. If convicted, offenders face a fine of up to $2,000, or imprisonment of up to three months, or more.”
“There were about 30 reported accidents involving pedestrians and Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs), including e-scooters, on public paths from January to September last year. We do not have statistics on near-misses. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will step up efforts to prevent accidents through enforcement and education. Last year, LTA issued more than 1,700 advisories for unsafe riding behaviours. Offenders will also pay fines once the Active Mobility Act comes into force soon. LTA is working with 800 Active Mobility Patrol volunteers to conduct regular patrols in their communities and also to share safe riding practices. LTA will soon be conducting a campaign to raise awareness of the active mobility rules and penalties. The Safe Riding Programme will be launched in schools, foreign worker dormitories and community centres. It will be compulsory for all cyclists and PMD users who are caught riding recklessly. In the event of an accident, the victim should file a Police report, and the Police will investigate. If the offender is convicted in Court for committing an offence, the Court will consider if compensation to the victim should be paid. The victim can also seek compensation through civil lawsuits, mediation or private settlement. All types of bicycles, including power-assisted bicycles or e-bikes, are not allowed to be used on expressways. Offenders can face prosecution, be convicted and pay a fine up to $1,000, or imprisonment of up to three months, or both. The use of PMDs on all public roads is also prohibited. In response to the growing use of PMDs, the composition sum of $100 will be increased to $300 and $500 for offenders who ride on local and major roads, respectively, from next week, 15 January.”
“Sir, may I take Question Nos 14 and 15 together, please?”
“Thirty years' shelf life, but let us change everything at 20 years. Great cost. The Japanese do that. As a result, very high cost. Are our commuters ready for that? Look at our fares. Look at the fares elsewhere being charged in other cities. It is no comparison. These are some of the trade-offs that we have to make. We made it on behalf of Singaporeans. We do our best and within the revenue that we can collect from the people and with the subsidy we get from the Government − that means from the taxpayers − we try to run as good a show as we can. Yes, we are not perfect. But as I have shared with this House, it is a four-year, five-year journey. We are halfway through. I genuinely believe that we have made significant improvements. The re-signalling is a separate issue but we will overcome that and then I think commuters will be able to experience what the MKBF improvement figures actually show. [Applause.]”
“But the importance of working as one team − especially at the stage where SMRT is in, whereby you have to renew the assets of North-South-East-West Lines. If you cannot work as one team, I think there will be trouble, as there were troubles in the past. That is why it is so important that they function as one team. So, each time a problem crops up, we settle it as one team. That does not mean that we blur the boundary and, therefore, forget about individual roles and checks and balances. Yes, it may sound to the Member as schizophrenic, but we are quite clear in our mind and it can be done. Mr Speaker, I must thank the various Members for contributing their suggestions, comments and advice and, importantly, for their encouragement. This has been a difficult challenge but not something that we cannot manage. My main takeaway in the last two years is, yes, it has cost us, individually, maybe personal health and maybe family life. But I think it is a meaningful job that we decide to take on, whether it is Desmond Kuek or Seah Moon Ming. For us, we have choices. We can do so many other things. But if we can fix this, turn it around, it will be a good public service that will benefit three million, 3.5 million people who make use of our system every day. We know the responsibilities on our shoulders. What we are asking of commuters is "Please bear with us because a 30-year train system is a very challenging one". I was talking to the Hong Kong MTR operator. Some of their lines will soon be 30 years old and that is why they are watching what is happening here very carefully because they know, we are all engineers, we know systems will get into trouble. Of course, if you do not need to worry about bottom line, it is straightforward.”
“Before I reply to the Member's two clarifications, I think I must disagree with the Member's preamble that SMRT is there to make money for the Government. There are easier ways to make money. We do not have to use SMRT to make money. It is the same thing with restructured hospitals, which I have a lot more experience with. We need to provide a public service. The reason we restructured is so that we can exploit the financial discipline of the commercial sector, so that in the process of providing this public service, you can get the best cost effectiveness of the operations achieved. It is the same thing with SMRT. We could have done it as a Government department but I think the decision was not wrong to put it to a corporatised company, fully-owned by the Government. They know and the leadership of such a company must know and Mr Seah knows it that this is, for example, an engineering outfit. Making money is not your objective but you must not lose money. There must be financial discipline. You cannot just anyhow go and spend money – buy this, buy that, gold plate everything – and then, of course, you can have marvellous operations. But at great cost to whom? It will be to the taxpayers. There is no free lunch, Mr Low. The Member knows it. He runs a Town Council. He needs to balance the accounts, too. And he knows the importance of governance. So, when your team fails you, what do you do? So, those things are important lessons for everyone. What happens in SMRT has applications for the others as well. How do you achieve one team and yet be clear of the boundary, that there are different roles we play? I thought I had explained that in my Statement. We are all very clear. As far as LTA is concerned, the three roles and the unspoken fourth role.”
“Indeed, I always believe that in every organisation, you must be clear what should be your core competencies, those that you must be able to do very well that distinguish you from your competitors or rivals. Those things you cannot outsource. There are areas which are non-core. Of course, it is good if you have the management bandwidth to also cover these without having to outsource, but when we are so short of time and have so many things to deal with, the quickest way, actually, is to outsource non-core. In that case, selection of contractors becomes very important. Make sure you identify good chaps, trustworthy companies, vendors and, then, you can outsource to them. And, again, here we can learn from others − water, anti-flooding type of things, PUB will know which are the good contractors in town. Make use of them and consider outsourcing. I am told that the SMRT Chairman is seriously thinking about working on this strategy.”
“Those are all very important points. Both of us came from the healthcare sector and we know, healthcare learnt from the aviation sector on how to manage safety, how to recover from each incident and how to inculcate a culture whereby people come forward, especially to discuss near-misses, because those are important. For trains or the rail industry, these constitute a new work culture that they would have to learn. Fortunately, there are other players in town who know how to manage those things. Everywhere I go, whether it is health, when I move to a new hospital, I take a "eat humble pie" approach. Do not be shy about asking and you will discover that there are so many people most willing to share their experience and expertise with you. Conversely, if you are arrogant, you think "I am the greatest, I know what to do and so on", then you are doomed for failure. So, at the end of the day, it is still about leadership, it is still about how we share and propagate that kind of culture and encourage feedback from the workers and work closely with them. In the case of Singapore, work closely with the unions because you will find them extremely helpful and useful to you.”