S Iswaran
Singapore
“The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has incorporated the requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 regulation in its Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Air) Regulations 2022. The Regulations are applicable to Singapore-registered ships and all other ships while they are in Singapore waters.”
“The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) plans to progressively roll out the charging infrastructure for electric harbour craft operations in the Port of Singapore from 2025.”
“Since 2018, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has imposed minimum bicycle parking provisions covering different types of developments. The requirements are determined by multiple factors, including the developments’ use, location and gross floor area (GFA).”
“I had addressed similar Parliamentary Questions by Mr Gerald Giam on 29 November 2022 and 10 January 2023, as well as in my Ministerial Statement on 8 May 2023. The Member can refer to these past answers and statement as there has been no material change in the allocation of Certificates of Entitlement.”
“To encourage the uptake of electric cars, the Government has rolled out the Electric Vehicle Early Adoption Incentive and enhanced Vehicular Emissions Scheme. When taken together, it provides up to $45,000 off the Additional Registration Fee of an electric car upon registration.”
“The Land Transport Authority studies all potential changes to the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system carefully, including conducting sensitivity analysis where appropriate.”
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“Today, most of our streetlights are LED lights, comprising a mix of warmer white light of 3,000 Kelvin (K) colour temperature, and brighter white light of 4,000 K colour temperature. LTA's research and studies of international safety standards has shown that both these lights have no adverse impact on human health as the blue light emitted is of very low intensity. The specific type of lighting deployed will depend on the distance of the streetlight from residential areas. For minor roads, especially those in low rise residential estates, LTA will generally deploy warm white light of 3,000 K colour temperature.”
“According to the Traffic Police, from 2017 to 2021, there were over 35,000 traffic accidents resulting in casualties or deaths, of which about 5,184 involved foreign-registered vehicles. According to the General Insurance Association of Singapore, Singaporean motorists should claim against their Singapore policies in instances of accidents with foreign motorists, if they have a comprehensive motor insurance policy. This will save them the inconvenience and longer process of making a claim against motorists from other countries. If the motorist is found not at fault in the accident, his or her No-Claim Discount may not be affected. If a Singaporean motorist wishes to make a third-party motor claim against an insurer in Malaysia instead, they are advised to approach the insurer in Malaysia with the relevant documents. Under a Special Agreement with the Motor Insurance Bureau of Singapore, Malaysian insurers are required to settle claims for their insured who get into accidents in Singapore, in accordance with Singapore legislation. As these are commercial claims, the Government does not track such claims.”
“LTA has recently completed trials on the effectiveness of noise barriers and low-noise pavement mix. The trials showed that low-noise pavement mix for at-grade sections of expressways are more effective at reducing noise for residents than vertical noise barriers, as the former reduces the noise generated at source while the latter shields noise away from residents staying at lower floors and would not be effective for residents staying at higher floors. LTA has been and will continue to implement measures to reduce noise along stretches of expressways near residential areas. For at-grade sections of expressways, LTA will use the low-noise pavement mix when conducting resurfacing works. For elevated sections of expressways, LTA will consider installing noise barriers where needed. In doing so, LTA considers multiple factors such as the distance between the expressways and surrounding buildings.”
“Emergency Stop Plungers, or ESPs, are located on walls or pillars near the platform screen doors. Passengers may press the ESP in case of emergencies, for example, if they see a fellow passenger stuck at platform gaps or doors. Over the past four years, there has been an average of two to three activations of the ESP per month. About 25% of such activations occurred during peak hours. A majority, or about 60% of all activations, are for non-emergency purposes, such as when passengers want to retrieve their personal belongings which dropped onto the track. When the ESP is activated, trains will be brought to a safe stop and station staff will attend to the situation. Train services will only resume when staff at the station and Operations Control Centre have assessed that it is safe to do so. It typically takes less than five minutes to resume train services. Rail operators will continue to ensure that emergency situations are addressed safely and swiftly, and remind passengers to only use the ESPs in the event of emergencies.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I have addressed it in my reply for Question 86 for the written answer for the 28 November 2022 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to "Causes of Increase in COE Prices and Number of Motorcycles Deregistered", Official Report, 28 November 2022, Vol 95, Issue 76, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) are allocated via a market-based bidding system and COE prices reflect the demand and supply for vehicles. The overall demand for cars has remained resilient while the COE supply has decreased due to a lower number of car deregistrations. COE prices have thus been increasing. Cars can be converted in and out of the private hire car (PHC) scheme, which includes rental cars. This provides flexibility for the PHC market to respond more easily to changes in consumer demand. To disallow the conversion will add to the compliance cost for PHC operators, drivers and ultimately, affect the cost and availability of Point-to-Point services for commuters. The loan-to-value ratio and loan tenure limits for purchases of new or used cars were introduced in 2013 to encourage financial prudence. Financial institutions and car dealers who provide loans in the form of hire purchases or conditional sales agreements are required to apply these loan limits to eligible borrowers. Borrowers who provide false or incomplete declarations may have their motor vehicle loan rescinded or face a reduction in loan amounts. Commercial vehicles, including PHCs, are excluded from loan limits to avoid constraining the extension of credit to companies and individuals who rely on the use of such vehicles for their business and livelihood.”
“Mr Speaker, COEs are not differentiated by propellant type, so we do not expect COE supply to be a key determinant of the pace of vehicle electrification. Despite cost pressures on vehicles in recent times, such as supply chain issues and higher interest rates, Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption in Singapore has grown strongly this year. For example, electric car registrations in 2022 so far, have exceeded 10% of all new car registrations. That is almost triple the rate last year. The Government also continues to support EV adoption by providing tax rebates, accelerating the deployment of EV charging points and strengthening regulations to ensure the safety and reliability of our EV charging network. In fact, in this Sitting later, we will be moving an EV Charging Bill. LTA will continue to monitor the overall EV adoption trends and take appropriate measures as necessary to support our overall vision for cleaner energy vehicles in Singapore.”
“If I may make two points in response to the Member's questions. First, as I said the percentage has been stable over a period of time, at a time when COE prices were not so high. So, if the baseline argument is to be made, it must be made consistently across a 10-year cycle. And the fact is, it is not so much that part of the equation, but more the supply side that has been affecting the overall prices of the COEs because of what we have seen. It is also worth noting that households — because implicit in the Member's question is that multiple car ownership is biased towards higher-income households. I think that is the point the Member is making, if I am correct, is that right? Yes. So, there is a certain equity argument that is being advanced as well. I would point out that households that own multiple cars are not just those that live in private residential housing. There is actually a distinct proportion that also live in public housing. So, there are different reasons why people have more than one car and we should have a care in making decisions on how to curb these additional demands. Going back to the first point, I think that the patterns have not changed dramatically; in fact, it has been fairly stable. But we remain open and I think policy has to be informed by data and the patterns. And we will continue to track them.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song for his question. Firstly, I think the underlying thesis is that somehow this component of the COE ownership is driving price increases. If we look at the facts, the proportion that has been accounted for by households in these various categories has been relatively stable over time. There has not been any major shift in patterns of demand. If anything, in fact, multiple car ownership amongst individuals has shown probably a bit of a declining trend; firstly. Secondly, in terms of what accounts for the COE prices, whilst we can look for many plausible explanatory factors, the fundamental issue is supply and demand. Demand remains unabated, whereas supply is constrained, because we have a zero-growth policy and the supply is determined by de-registrations – which are in part affected by the 10-year cycle because of the historical pattern of car registrations and also because of current economic environment in people's decisions on the margin – whether they want to de-register or extend their COEs on the cars that they already have. So, on balance, I would say that it does not necessarily follow that any effort to curb car ownership beyond the first car in any household will necessarily have a dampening effect on COE prices, which is the second point that the Member raised. For two reasons, first, the quantitative impact is unclear as I have just explained; and secondly, because there may be very legitimate reasons why households have a second car or need a second car. So, we have designed a system where the market, based on demand and supply, clears the COEs at a certain price and we need to try not to adjust or affect the fundamentals too much because then it starts to create unintended consequences in the market.”
“Mr Speaker, as of 31 October 2022, about 471,000 households own cars. Of these, about 12% own two cars and less than 3% own three or more cars.”
“In designing the Silver Zones, LTA adjusts the existing road infrastructure such that some road space is freed up to provide more crossing space for elderly pedestrians and/or some roadways are reduced to single-lane roads to reduce vehicle speeds. These changes enhance pedestrian safety within the zones. From the first Silver Zone implemented in 2014, LTA has worked closely with relevant agencies, including Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), to ensure that the ingress and egress of emergency vehicles in such zones are not hindered. Along most segments of the zones, special low height centre dividers are installed – instead of regular height centre dividers – to allow emergency vehicles to drive onto the divider so that they can bypass any obstruction along single lane roads, when needed.”
“The number of unmanned aircraft (UA) activity permits issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) in the last three calendar years are: (i) 2,174 in 2020, (ii) 2,837 in 2021 and (iii) 2,902 from January to October 2022. The number of activity permits issued from January to October 2022 is also the highest within a single year, since the introduction of the regime in 2015. Besides the restrictions within five kilometres of all aerodromes, CAAS also imposes a height limit of 200 feet above mean sea level on all UA activities, to safeguard aviation safety. CAAS is reviewing the height limit in consideration of the development of technological solutions, such as the remote identification of UA, which will allow CAAS to better monitor and ensure the safe conduct of UA activities. The review timeframe will be based on the deployment timeline of these solutions.”
“The Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) system renewal contract was awarded to Bombardier Singapore in 2018. It covers the upgrading of multiple systems on a live line. This includes renewing the entire signalling and power rail system, adding 19 new trains, upgrading another 13 trains from the existing fleet, and equipping the system with condition monitoring capabilities. While progress has been made and part of the backend signalling system has already been upgraded, the project has also faced several challenges since 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19. These include manpower shortage, slower progress due to lockdown of cities (as train manufacturing works are undertaken in China) and supply chain disruptions. We now expect the project to be completed in 2026. In the meantime, BPLRT continues to offer full dual-loop services during peak hours. However, to reduce the strain on our ageing BPLRT systems before the renewals are completed, BPLRT will continue to operate in a single loop during off-peak hours when ridership is lower. To mitigate the impact on residents, there are more than 10 bus services operating within Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang, with five of them running parallel to stretches of BPLRT.”
“Stage 4 of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL4) will provide greater connectivity for commuters travelling to and from the East Coast region. Seven stations under TEL4 are expected to commence passenger service in 2024. The eighth TEL4 station, Founders' Memorial station, will open in tandem with the Founders' Memorial.”
“From 2018 to end-October 2022, in each year, about 70% of all motorcycles registered are with engine capacity of 200 cc and below. These represent the mass-market motorcycle models. Of the remaining 30%, about two-thirds are used to register motorcycles of 201 cc to 400 cc, and one-third to register models of 401 cc and above.”
“As at 31 October 2022, LTA has completed 26 Silver Zones, and another 24 zones will be progressively completed by 2025, bringing the total number to 50. Since the first Silver Zone was completed in 2014, LTA has been improving the design features to better meet the needs of the local community. These include using 3D road markings to encourage motorists to slow down where physical traffic calming measures are not feasible and reducing the thickness of speed regulating strips to reduce vehicular noise. LTA has also been engaging communities upstream – at the design stage – to co-create and implement feasible suggestions, such as widening footpaths and providing more crossing points with larger centre medians, where the elderly can pause to rest when crossing the road.”
“I thank the Member for the question. Mr Louis Chua has filed a related question for a subsequent Parliament Sitting. I will also address his question in my reply. In land-scarce Singapore, along with the need to control traffic congestion, we limit our vehicle population and allocate the quota through the Vehicle Quota System, where bidders bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) to register a vehicle. As the vehicle growth rate has been 0% per annum since 2018, the supply of COEs is primarily determined by the number of vehicles deregistered. COE prices reflect the demand and supply for vehicles. Since motor showrooms and vehicle dealerships reopened in June 2020 after the circuit breaker, the demand for all vehicles and, by extension, COEs, has been strong. At the same time, COE supply has decreased over this period due to a lower number of vehicle deregistrations. As a result, COE prices have been increasing. As some industry watchers have highlighted, there is a cyclical pattern behind COE supply since most vehicles tend to be deregistered closer to the end of their 10-year COE lifespan. The COE supply for cars was last at its lowest in 2013. The Member also asked about the number of motorcycle owners who have deregistered their vehicle, without securing a new COE. As with other vehicles, there is turnover in the ownership of motorcycles. This could be due to a variety of factors, including changes in commuting patterns and needs, or a decision to lease rather than buy.”
“Our rail operators and LTA have in place rail incident management plans which include station-specific crowd control procedures. MRT stations are manned by station staff and monitored by operation control centres on a 24/7 basis. Upon detecting potential build-up of crowds in any part of the station, station managers will trigger a series of crowd control measures to regulate the inflow and outflow of the station. If necessary, operators will contact the relevant Home Team agencies for assistance. Let me give you some examples. For example, if a crowd is forming on the platform due to service delay, operators may increase train frequencies, where possible, to promptly clear the crowd. Meanwhile, operators may also take measures to slow down the crowd movement from the concourse to the platform, such as switching off the escalators or even holding back commuters at the concourse level until the crowd at the platform has eased. If necessary, operators will also temporarily divert commuters to other nearby MRT stations. Similar measures are used if there are large crowds trying to exit stations. These crowd control procedures are part of operators’ rail incident management plans, which are regularly reviewed by LTA in consultation with the Singapore Police Force. There are also regular joint exercises to ensure that relevant personnel are familiar with the plans. In addition, for special events where larger crowds are expected, such as National Day Parade, Formula One races and New Year’s Eve countdowns, rail operators, LTA and the Singapore Police Force work closely with the event organisers to formulate crowd management contingency plans.”
“LTA has, through various channels, been encouraging all path users to keep left on paths, to allow others to pass safely. Firstly, this is a guideline set out under the Code of Conduct for public path users, including pedestrians, which can be accessed through LTA’s website. Secondly, LTA has been promoting the message of keeping left on paths through various public campaigns and educational materials, such as LTA's Confidence on Wheels programme, which educates users on safe riding practices. Thirdly, LTA has been reaching out to communities directly through the Active Mobility Community Ambassadors (AMCA). These are volunteers who engage the community and serve as ambassadors to promote the safe and gracious sharing of our paths. Interested individuals, groups and corporations can register their interest to be an ambassador at https://go.gov.sg/amca. We will continue with such public education efforts to build a safe and gracious path-sharing culture in Singapore. I urge all path users to play their part to abide by the rules, be considerate and look out for one another. Collectively, we can make our experiences on paths more pleasant ones.”
“This reply also addresses a similar question filed by Ms Hany Soh1 for a subsequent Sitting. Singapore has laws to ensure the safety of passengers, including requiring passengers to be seated with their seatbelts fastened at take-off and landing, and prohibiting individuals from boarding an aircraft when intoxicated and from becoming intoxicated in-flight, where they could jeopardise the safety and order of the aircraft. The pilot-in-command and air crew members authorised by the pilot-in-command are empowered by law to take any reasonable measures, including physical restraint, to secure the safety of the aircraft in flight as well as the safety and well-being of all passengers and crew on board. We are also committed to the safety and well-being of aviation workers. In-flight, it is an offence to behave in a threatening, offensive, insulting or disorderly manner towards a crew member, and offenders who are convicted could be fined up to $100,000, or imprisoned for up to five years, or both. Airlines also train their frontline staff and crew to protect themselves while managing unruly or disruptive passengers. There has not been any significant increase in the rate of unruly behaviour on board Singapore carriers, at around 1.4 incidents per 1,000 flights over the past five years. The authorities have investigated the individuals responsible and taken appropriate action, including legal action, depending on the facts of the case.”
“In land-scarce Singapore, we have to manage our vehicle population. As motorcycles also contribute to congestion and require road and parking spaces, we have no plans to increase the vehicle growth rate of motorcycles. Nevertheless, especially as some motorists rely on motorcycles for their livelihoods, the Government applies lower Additional Registration Fees, road taxes and Electronic Road Pricing charges to motorcycles, compared to other vehicle types.”
“Based on our consultation with the industry, a full transition to buses to ferry all workers will require many more buses than the available fleet of private buses. In addition, with the relaxation of COVID-19 measures and the resumption of travel, the demand for private buses has returned. Hence, just like pre-COVID-19, these existing buses will largely not be available for the transport of workers. Added to this is the shortage of drivers for both private and public buses. The extent of additional buses needed would depend on how businesses adjust their operations and the extent to which bus-pooling arrangements are feasible and adopted. That said, even if multiple and staggered trips were made, the demand for buses and, hence, drivers would still be significant and difficult to meet. Thus, even as we continue to study how we can encourage more companies to transit to using alternative modes of transporting workers, including buses, we need to be mindful of the serious practical challenges the industry faces in doing so. Last month, I announced the implementation details of several new measures which will help improve the safety and welfare of workers on lorries. We will not stop there but will continue to study further measures to improve the safety of workers, including encouraging companies to move towards alternative modes of transport.”
“As Members would have noticed, this year and, also in the previous exercise, there has been a very significant allocation for PTVs – up to the 30th percentile of income-earning households. I think that is a major provision and we will continue to see what else needs to be done in that regard. I suppose permanent PTVs could be one of the possibilities, but I think that we should just see through this exercise first. 1.32 pm”
“Mr Speaker, I am conscious of the time and I want to make sure I meet the on-time arrival KPI. But let me address the questions very quickly with your indulgence, Sir. First, is the gap sustainable? As I have pointed out, that is precisely the issue because our costs have been rising and our fares have not been anyway near that rate. There is a fare formula review exercise that is underway. I think we will need to take a hard look at this and that is what the PTC is working on – what exactly is the way forward for us. And this is not just about the sums, but it really comes down to an overall discussion on the compact that we expect. And fare formula and fare adjustments are not just about the current generation because everything we do not pay now, as we discussed in other debates, also has an impact on future generations. So, we need to keep that in mind. Second, therefore, the implication for Government subsidies? Well, the Government has stepped up and has clearly put in a significant amount – $2 billion, and another $200 million for next year. What we do going forward, will again, be a matter of discussion that we will have to also address in this House as part of our larger policy with respect to public transport. Finally, can PTVs be made a permanent feature? I suspect that question is best addressed by the Minister for Finance. But I would argue that from our perspective – and I want to reiterate the point – we are committed to making sure fares are affordable, especially for vulnerable commuters. That includes not just in the way we address fare increase adjustments and the discounts for what we can do and, also through the concession passes, but it is also through PTVs.”
“Every time we reduce headways, it means you either have to have more buses and, therefore, you also need more bus captains, costs will go up and we have to find ways to address this. This is not a theoretical argument either, because over the years, if you look at it, in terms of rail reliability – mean kilometres between failures – we have actually made significant improvements because the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has specified an outcome. But that is a number. To achieve that number or exceed it, then the PTOs have to invest significant resources on maintenance. That has a cost implication. We have added, I think, about 80-odd new bus services. That has a cost implication. So, when we advocate, sure, I think we would all like to have shorter headways, more capacity and so on. But I just want to make the point that even as we consider this, we also have to take into account the cost implications and, as this year's exercise demonstrates, there is a major cost overhang that we are carrying, and we are carrying this as a Government, as representatives of the people.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his questions. I note that his questions are very specific, and actually quite a deviation from public transport fares themselves. Nevertheless, first, what constitutes an acceptable interval? I think it is very hard to give a universally applicable answer. The reason is because the same bus service, or the time of day, there will be variations because of traffic conditions, such as peak, off-peak. Peak periods, you try to keep the headway shorter because of the needs. But off-peak, you allow for more. So, there will always be a range and that also applies to geographic distribution. What we try to do is – because, specifically, the Member's point is on buses – bus contracts spell out clearly the performance requirements and we hold the public transport operators (PTOs) who are awarded the contracts closely to the delivery of those key performance indicators (KPIs). There are incentives and disincentives that apply when they deviate. And, of course, if the deviations are systematic or problematic, then we take further action in that regard. Secondly, can we reduce headways? Well, this is basically re-canvassing the discussions we have had at the Budget and many other occasions, and I compliment the Member on his consistency in raising the issue. But the bottom line is this: every decision has an accompanying cost implication. I notice the Member has not commented on the 2.9% increase. So, I assume the Member finds it acceptable. But bear in mind that this comes with a significant subsidy from the Government, on top of what we are already doing for this year.”
“In terms of Excess Wait Time (EWT) and On-Time Adherence (OTA) scores between 2018 and 2022, all services have met the required standards, and this includes service 228, which, I know, is close to Mr Gerald Giam's heart. Looking ahead, it is essential that public transport fares keep pace with cost increases. Otherwise, the public transport system will become financially unsustainable and that will be to the detriment of commuters and taxpayers. When PTC reviews fares, it will continue to ensure that any increases are subject to prevailing economic and social considerations. So, let me reassure Members that we are fully committed to ensuring that public transport fares remain affordable, even as we keep a keen eye on the financial sustainability of our public transport system. Today, seniors, students, lower-wage workers and persons with disabilities are eligible for concession fares and increases in their fares are typically less than that for adult commuters. The Government has also made available Public Transport Vouchers (PTVs) to cushion the impact of fare increases for eligible households. For this year's FRE, these vouchers will help up to the 30th percentile of income-earning households, or the 40th percentile of all resident households. And we will continue to address the needs of vulnerable commuters through the provision of PTVs and other measures as necessary.”
“The remaining 10.6% will be carried over to future FREs. Meanwhile, the Government will provide additional subsidies of about $200 million in the coming year to make up for the shortfall. This benefits all commuters as it defrays the overall fare increase. To reiterate, without this additional support, commuters would have had to pay a much higher fare increase of 13.5%. At each FRE, PTC will also consider both the carry-over from previous FREs, as well as that year's fare formula output. So, for example, in 2021, the formula output was -2.2%, in other words, a reduction, but there was a carry-over amount of 4.4% and, therefore, the increase that was implemented was 2.2%. Apart from the 10.6% carried over from this year, all other carried-over amounts have been implemented. Over the past decade, we have enhanced the quality of our public transport system, with a larger network, higher frequencies and more reliable services. Despite this, fares have not kept up with costs of running the public transport system. From 2012 to 2021, the compounded increase in costs has been about 7%. Fares have been increasing over the same period at about 1% a year. So, the Government has stepped up with funding to bridge the gap and ensure the continued operation of public transport services. The cumulative sum is now more than $2 billion a year, with the additional subsidy of about $200 million in the coming year. Mr Gerald Giam has asked whether PTC decides on fare adjustments based on bus service reliability. We have made steady improvements over the past decade, with maximum scheduled frequencies during peak periods falling from 30 minutes to 15 minutes today.”
“Sir, my reply will also address questions that had been raised by Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman in an earlier Sitting, and also by Mr Saktiandi Supaat1 for a later Sitting on the topic of public transport fare adjustments. Sir, in deciding on changes in public transport fares, the Public Transport Council (PTC) aims for fares to keep up with costs increases over time whilst ensuring affordability. The fare formula, therefore, incorporates component indices, such as core inflation, wage growth and energy prices, which reflect the cost drivers of providing public transport services. The output of the fare formula establishes the fare increase cap for a given year. PTC then considers various other factors before deciding on the actual fare increase to implement and, consequently, how much to carry over to future Fare Review Exercises (FREs). PTC considers overall economic growth, wage growth, unemployment rate and other metrics that reflect the state of Singapore's economy at the time of each FRE. PTC also seeks to ensure that public transport, as an essential service, remains affordable to all Singaporeans. As wages have risen over the past decade, households have been spending a lower proportion of their income on public transport. For the second decile of households, which essentially represents lower-income public transport users, this has fallen from 3.5% in 2012 to 2.5% in 2021. For the second quintile, which represents average public transport users, that figure has also fallen from 2.3% to 1.8%. In this year's FRE, the fare formula output set the maximum allowable fare adjustment at 13.5%. One main contributory factor was the 117% increase in energy prices. PTC decided to implement a lower increase of 2.9% after considering the economic and social impact on commuters.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 19 to 21 on today's Order Paper together, please?”
“We have, generally, maintained the operating frequency of our trains at the pre-COVID-19 levels in the past two years, even though ridership was brought down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of maintenance, the operators follow a rigorous and strict regime, which they continued to adhere to during the pandemic and will continue to do so as ridership recovers. There is, currently, no significant manpower shortage which will affect maintenance works.”
“Diagonal crossing, also known as Scrambled Crossing, allows pedestrians to cross to any point of a cross junction. Compared to regular traffic junctions, it provides more Green Man time for pedestrians and more red light time for vehicles. LTA studies the specific needs of each location, to make sure that crossings serve the needs of both pedestrians and motorists. For example, LTA implemented a Scrambled Crossing at the junction of Robinson Road/Boon Tat Street, where there is high demand for pedestrians to cross diagonally but relatively limited impact on traffic since the roads are one-way. We will continue to work with the community on the most optimal crossing solution for each location, including Scrambled Crossings.”
“To support the increase in vehicular traffic arising from the new Build-To-Order estate, LTA will widen the junction at Yishun Avenue 1 and Avenue 8. For instance, the two-lane west-bound roads on Yishun Avenue 1 will be widened to four lanes at the junction. The tender for the construction works will be awarded soon and the works will commence in mid-2023. LTA will continue to monitor the traffic situation in the area, as it develops, to determine if further improvements are needed.”
“The impact of school commencement times on traffic varies depending on location and the specific school in question. Hence, LTA takes a case-by-case approach when working with MOE and schools to manage the impact of schools on surrounding traffic.”
“A new pick-up and drop-off point along Bukit Batok Central, with a sheltered walkway linking it to the nearby Bukit Batok MRT station, has been included in Land Transport Authority’s Commuter Infrastructure Enhancement Programme. Construction works are expected to commence next year.”
“The collaboration between EZ-Link and Touch ‘n Go for EZ-Link x Touch ‘n Go Motoring Cards, including decisions on the production of the cards, is a commercial arrangement. We understand that Touch ‘n Go is facing a card shortage due to a disruption in its semiconductor chip supply chain. EZ-Link is working to procure additional cards and will notify the public when the cards are again available. In the interim, Singaporean motorists who wish to travel to Malaysia may check Touch ‘n Go’s website for details on where to buy standard Touch ‘n Go cards.”
“The Rail Manpower Development Package (RMDP) was launched in November 2019 to support and accelerate rail workforce transformation, to prepare for the future rail network that will be larger and more complex. LTA has been working closely with the rail operators and the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) to implement the five-year package, and utilisation has been good. Over the last three years, more than 2,900 rail workers have completed training in emerging technologies and skillsets, such as data and statistical analytics, as well as condition-based monitoring. We are well on track to exceed our target of training more than 3,000 rail workers by end 2024. Second, to build up Singapore’s rail engineering talent pipeline, 20 Polytechnic and Undergraduate Scholarships as well as 53 In-Service Sponsorships have been awarded. To enhance awareness of career opportunities in the rail industry, LTA, NTWU and the rail operators also launched a Public Transport Industry Employer Branding Campaign, which has helped to attract more than 390 students to take up industrial attachments with our rail operators. Lastly, LTA will also co-invest in training hardware, such as virtual reality equipment and simulators, to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. LTA will be awarding the first grant for training hardware investment in November 2022. LTA will continue to work closely with the rail operators and NTWU to equip our rail workers with the necessary skills to achieve higher productivity and operational efficiency in the longer term.”
“We highly encourage private residential property dwellers to park their vehicles within their compounds. Roadside parking is permitted along certain sections of public roads where there is sufficient space and road users’ safety and access to homes are not compromised. This provides some flexibility to accommodate parking needs, such as when family or friends visit. However, should such parking cause obstruction to traffic flow or when there are persistent complaints, LTA will work with the local community to take appropriate actions, including prohibiting parking along the roadside, by implementing road markings, such as double yellow lines.”
“We thank the Member for his suggestion. Public feedback helps LTA in enforcing against illegal parking. Members of the public have been reporting instances of illegal parking through LTA’s enforcement hotline and via the OneService application that collects feedback on municipal issues. LTA will then investigate the feedback and take actions accordingly. As the system is working well, LTA has no plans to introduce monetary incentives. LTA also conducts regular enforcements, especially around hotspots.”
“Based on the top few car-sharing companies, there are about 4,600 shared cars, 800 of which are electric vehicles. We do not have a historical breakdown of the mix of electric and internal combustion engine vehicles as the operators are not required to submit such information, but they have expressed interest in further electrification of their fleets. Car-sharing provides commuters with more choices, such as those who may require occasional use of a self-driven car. We will actively monitor developments in the industry and review how we can work with car-sharing operators to broaden transport choices for all commuters.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I will address them in my reply at the 8 November 2022 Parliament sitting. [Please refer to "Public Transport Fare Adjustment in Fare Review Exercise 2022", Official Report, 08 November 2022, Vol 95, Issue 74, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The number of new registrations of vehicles that can cater to wheelchairs has remained stable over the past five years, averaging about 70 such vehicles per year. As of end-September 2022, there were about 1,000 such vehicles registered. For seniors and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) who are unable to use the various forms of public transport unassisted, MSF administers the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) Grant Scheme. Eligible non-profit organisations can apply for this to subsidise the cost of COE and Additional Registration Fee for commercial vehicles used to transport elderly or PwD clients who are unable to use public transport unassisted.”
“LTA, as part of the Caring SG Commuters Committee, will continue to work with the public transport operators to improve the initiative.”
“Ensuring that our public transport is inclusive and accessible to all commuters, including those with special needs, is a key priority. To this end, we have enhanced our infrastructure to facilitate accessibility. Today, all public buses and trains are wheelchair-accessible and all MRT and LRT stations and bus interchanges have at least one barrier-free access route. Such enhancements are important, given the increase in the number of commuters with disabilities. Since the launch of the Persons with Disabilities Concession Card, the number of commuters with the card has increased from 8,375 in 2014 to 14,152 in 2022. Besides infrastructural enhancements, public transport staff and commuters can play a part to promote a more inclusive commuting experience by showing care to commuters in need. We recognise that apart from commuters with permanent disabilities, some commuters may have special needs which are not visible. Hence, all public transport operators have training programmes to equip staff with the skills to communicate with and assist commuters with special needs. In addition, the Caring SG Commuters Committee launched the "May I have a seat please" lanyard and card identifier on 26 April 2021. The identifier serves as a discreet way to inform other commuters that the wearer of the card would appreciate a seat on public transport due to their health condition or hidden disability. Commuters can obtain the identifier from Passenger Service Centres at MRT stations and bus interchanges or selected TransitLink Ticket Offices. As of 30 September 2022, more than 3,200 lanyards and cards have been distributed and feedback has been positive.”
“Users of bicycle-sharing services should be considerate and park their bicycles in a responsible manner. Together, we can make Singapore a more gracious society and active mobility a more pleasant commuting choice for all.”
“LTA has a three-pronged approach to minimise indiscriminate parking of shared bicycles. First, by providing infrastructure. Since 2019, LTA and other agencies have added about 40,000 new bicycle parking lots and now have over 246,000 lots across the island to ensure that the infrastructure sufficiently meets demand. At areas with high parking demand, LTA works with landowners to expand the bicycle parking capacity where space permits. Second, LTA strengthened licensing and regulatory requirements on bicycle-sharing operators to ensure that shared bicycles are parked within the designated bicycle parking spaces. Operators must integrate LTA's QR code parking system with their mobile applications, impose an additional fee of $5 on users who do not park within designated areas and remove indiscriminately parked bicycles within a given timeframe. LTA tracks operators' compliance with licensing conditions and standards and takes regulatory actions for breaches. Operators are also required to ban users who repeatedly park improperly from using devices across operators. This means that even if the instances of indiscriminate parking were done with bicycles from one operator, the user will be banned from all bicycle-sharing operators for a stipulated period. Third, LTA encourages members of the public to help identify and report cases of indiscriminately parked shared bicycles through the OneService mobile app, so that operators can remove those bicycles promptly. So far, these measures have helped to reduce indiscriminate parking. Today, more than 90% of shared bicycle users end their trips at designated parking areas. But beyond these measures put in place by the Government, all stakeholders must also play their part.”
“In land-scarce Singapore, we manage the overall vehicle population by controlling the number of Certificates of Entitlements (COEs). On the whole, demand for vehicles has remained resilient, while the supply of COEs has decreased due to a lower number of vehicle deregistrations. As a result, COE prices have been increasing. Car-sharing companies help to complement the current transport offerings of public transport and point-to-point services, by providing users with a time-limited access to private vehicles. Car-sharing reduces the need for households and users to own a car outright. These cars also serve more households and users over time, compared to privately-owned cars. Hence, we would expect their overall road usage to be higher, which is addressed through congestion pricing through our Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system. There are now approximately 4,600 shared cars. There is no evidence that car-sharing companies and services are driving up COE prices.”
“The EV charging industry in Singapore is nascent but will see rapid growth over the next few years, in tandem with increasing EV adoption. LTA will closely monitor the evolving behaviour of EV users, as well as the business practices of the EV charging operators (EVCOs), including the use of idle fees, to deter hogging. As we gain greater experience from implementation, LTA will work with the EVCOs and EV users to build a fair and considerate charging culture in Singapore, which will facilitate the optimal utilisation of the overall charging network, to the benefit of everyone.”
“We have more than 9,000 lane-kilometres of road that serve over a million vehicles. Over the past five years, LTA received an average of about 10,000 feedback per year related to road defects. Of these, approximately 5% is related to the condition of the reinstated road, which can vary from being uneven to being aesthetically unpleasant. LTA follows up on this feedback and rectifies any defects found. To ensure that roads are properly surfaced, LTA regulates road works through issuing permits, imposing conditions and conducting checks. As part of the permit conditions, the work-commissioning agency, such as utility agencies and telco companies, are required to properly reinstate roads in compliance with the standards in LTA’s Code of Practice for Works on Public Streets. This includes the levelness of the reinstated road. To ensure compliance, there are three layers of checks. First, contractors performing the works are required to engage qualified personnel to supervise the road reinstatement process. Second, the work-commissioning agency is required to ensure that the reinstatement works meet the requirements of the Code of Practice. As a third and final check, LTA also conducts ad hoc audit checks.”
“Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points to be deployed under the HDB carparks tender are publicly accessible and not for the exclusive use of any segment of vehicles.”