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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“Pre-COVID-19, we had planned for Changi Airport Terminal 5 (T5) to have a handling capacity of about 50 million passengers per annum (mppa) in its initial phase, with the provision to increase to up to 70 mppa in the longer term. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on air travel, we had paused the T5 development for two years. We have since assessed that the long-term prospects for air travel remain strong, especially in the Asia Pacific region, underpinned by rapid economic growth and a fast-growing middle class in Southeast Asia and South Asia. We have resumed work on T5, which is expected to be operational around the mid-2030s. Similar to pre-COVID-19, we are currently planning for T5 to have a handling capacity of about 50 mppa, with the design flexibility to be built in two phases, in line with traffic growth. We also retain the option to increase the capacity of T5 to up to 70 mppa in the longer term. Ultimately, we want to ensure that we have the infrastructural capacity to ride on the long-term growth of air travel and strengthen Changi Airport’s position as a regional and global air hub.”
“Electric motorcycles with swappable batteries have been used for both commercial point-to-point services and private purposes in Taiwan. We are only aware of one isolated fire incident in relation to such swapping solutions in Taiwan. However, given the importance of public safety, LTA has chosen to pilot battery-swapping solutions through limited deployment in regulatory sandboxes, in the first instance. This will allow us to understand and test the technology in our local context and adapt our regulations accordingly, before allowing any wider deployment for public use. Both the current sandboxes are limited to a combined deployment of 26 electric motorcycles – 20 for Gogoro and six for MO Batteries. Sandbox participants who wish to expand the sandbox must apply to LTA. LTA will consider the progress and safety record of the sandbox in assessing any such applications. When battery swapping has been established as a safe charging mode, we can expect to see such electric motorcycles for both commercial and private use.”
“This question was addressed in the written reply issued for Question No 42 for oral answer for the 4 October 2022 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to "Trend of Fare Evasion by Private Hire Car Passengers", Official Report, 4 October 2022, Vol 95, Issue 70, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“Beyond Silver Zones, where there is local community support, LTA is also repurposing roads, to allow for wider footpaths and free up more space for better accessibility by pedestrians. One recent example of this is the widening of footpaths along Havelock Road and the building of a ramp for easier barrier-free access.”
“The safety of pedestrians is key when the Land Transport Authority (LTA) plans town infrastructure with the relevant agencies. Local roads with high pedestrian footfall are provided with signalised pedestrian crossings or zebra crossings as a default. In determining the locations of these crossings, LTA ensures that they are not so far apart as to inconvenience pedestrians and not so close that motorists do not have time to slow down and react. For roads that are wider and have higher speed limits, grade-separated pedestrian crossings such as pedestrian overhead bridges or underpasses are provided. In particular, to provide barrier free crossings, LTA has retrofitted 77 pedestrian overhead bridges with lifts near places such as healthcare institutions which tend to serve seniors, with another 30 to be retrofitted with lifts over the next three years. Moving forward, all new pedestrian overhead bridges constructed by LTA will be barrier free. Furthermore, LTA has implemented various initiatives for seniors in areas with high senior population or located near places frequented by them. For instance, to provide seniors with additional time to cross the road, LTA has implemented 1,008 Green Man + pedestrian crossings. LTA has also worked with the community including the seniors, to implement Silver Zones. So far, LTA has installed 26 Silver Zones and will be installing 24 more Silver Zones by 2025. These Silver Zones are specially designed to enhance road safety for seniors, with reduced speed limits, narrower and meandering lanes, more prominent road markings, raised crossings and speed humps. Together, these measures make roads safer for crossing in those areas and have effectively reduced the accident rate among senior pedestrians by about 80%.”
“Vehicle safety is a key concern, and over the years, Land Transport Authority (LTA) has stepped up efforts to deter illegal modifications. Specifically, one of the measures was to increase the composition sum for first-time offenders who conduct illegal exhaust modifications, which have the highest safety risks, from $500 to $1,000. Offenders of more egregious cases can be taken to Court, even if they are first-time offenders. With these enhanced penalties as a deterrent, there was a 10% decrease in the number of offences issued against individuals for illegal exhaust modifications, compared to the 12 months before. At the same time, LTA increased general enforcement efforts against all illegal modifications. Since July 2021, LTA has issued a total of 9,000 offences against individuals for all illegal modifications, which is an increase of 6%, compared to the previous 12 months. LTA also charged six workshops for illegally modifying vehicles, up from two workshops for the 12 months before. Illegal modifications can endanger all road users, including the driver. We urge all motorists to ensure that their planned vehicle modifications comply with LTA's guidelines, which are published on the OneMotoring website.”
“Changi Airport will be operational with three runways by the latter half of this decade. This will increase Changi Airport's current flight handling capacity and the corresponding passenger capacity by more than one-third.”
“In general, traffic speeds improve at timeslots and locations where electronic road pricing (ERP) rates are increased. From 1 August 2022, Land Transport Authority (LTA) increased ERP rates at 8 am to 8.30 am along southbound Central Expressway (CTE) after Braddell Road and the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) slip road into southbound CTE, and from 7 pm to 7.30 pm along northbound CTE after PIE. After the rate increases, traffic speed at these time slots along these stretches of the CTE improved by an average of 13%. There are several upcoming infrastructural enhancements that will provide commuters with more choices. By the end of this year, Stage 3 of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) will be opened and serve residents living along the TEL corridor, including Ang Mo Kio group representation constituency (GRC) residents in the vicinity of TEL stations, such as Lentor and Mayflower. These residents will have a faster and more direct train option to travel towards the city centre. And towards the end of this decade, the North-South Corridor (NSC) will directly connect the Northern region of Singapore to the city centre and relieve some demand on the CTE.”
“This question was addressed in the written reply issued for Question No 59 for Oral Answer for the 3 October 2022 Parliament sitting. [Please refer to "Monitoring Road Surfacing and Related Works to Ensure Safety and Comfortable Ride for Motorists", Official Report, 3 October 2022, Vol 95, Issue 70, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The design of our Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) infrastructure takes into consideration climate change scenarios, such as increases in sea levels, rainfall, ambient temperature and wind strength. These scenarios are based on findings from the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS)'s Second National Climate Change Study, which takes reference from the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Our MRT infrastructure also conforms to the drainage and flood protection requirements set out in PUB's Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage for all developments. In addition, LTA regularly reviews the design of existing infrastructure to ensure that they are on par with international standards and account for the latest scientific evidence on climate change and may implement additional mitigation measures to improve their resilience, if necessary.”
“At the Committee of Supply (COS) debate this year, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) updated the House on the considerations and various proposals the Government was studying to improve the safety of transporting workers in lorries. Since then, agencies have been engaging various stakeholders, including to understand sector-specific needs. Rather than an academic study, this approach allows us to gain a better understanding of ground concerns and practical challenges so that any changes can be implemented smoothly to benefit all stakeholders. As announced earlier this year, the Government will be introducing several new measures to further improve the safety and welfare of workers on lorries. We will share more details soon this year. Meanwhile, I urge all employers to do their part to ensure the welfare and safety of their workers.”
“Non-payment of taxi and PHC fares is an offence under the Public Transport Council Act. A person guilty of non-payment can be fined up to $1,000. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to six months, or both. From 2017 to 2021, a penalty was imposed in about one in 10 of all cases investigated. No penalties have been imposed for PHC cases thus far. Finally, let me reiterate that LTA stands ready to assist any drivers who come across fare evasion.”
“This response also addresses a related question filed by Mr Don Wee for a subsequent sitting. We take fare evasion cases for taxi and private hire car (PHC) services seriously. Passengers who do not pay their fares affect the livelihoods of taxi and PHC drivers. This is why we have an established process to assist drivers. Taxi and PHC drivers who encounter fare evasion have several ways to seek redress. First, drivers can report fare evasion to the taxi or PHC operators, who will attempt to recover the fares on behalf of their drivers. If the operators are not successful, cases can be referred to Land Transport Authority (LTA) for further investigation. Second, drivers can call the Police for assistance or drive passengers who refuse to pay to the nearest Police station. After lodging a Police report, drivers can refer the case directly to LTA for investigation. Drivers can also approach LTA directly. For the past five years from 2017 to 2021, for both taxi and PHC services, LTA investigated a total of 233, 269, 164, 104 and 96 cases of fare evasion respectively – a falling trend. For comparison, the total number of taxi and PHC trips is about 600,000 per day. That means that 0.00005% of all trips, or one in two million trips, have reported fare evasion. PHC cases are only included in this data from 30 October 2020, when the PHC regulatory framework commenced. No PHC cases were investigated in 2020 and 21 PHC cases were investigated in 2021. Cases of fare evasion vary in complexity. For example, where passengers cannot be identified, it will be challenging to track them down to recover the unpaid fares. Even so, from 2017 to 2021, fares were recovered from about six in 10 of all cases investigated.”
“The Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) scheme incentivises motorists to deregister their cars before 10 years of age. It serves to reduce the number of old cars, so that there will be fewer breakdowns on our roads and less traffic disamenities. Over time, newer cars have come with cleaner engines. So, PARF does help to reduce air pollution on our roads. The PARF scheme has worked well so far, keeping the average age of the car population relatively young at nine to 10 years. Most cars still use internal combustion engines, the PARF scheme remains relevant. As we move towards a predominantly electric car population, LTA will closely monitor and study how an electric car's age could affect its propensity to break down and review the relevance of the PARF scheme.”
“Vessels that use low or zero carbon fuels in the Port of Singapore can apply for a 25% or 30% reduction in port dues respectively under the Green Port Programme (GPP). In 2020, 17 ocean-going vessels using LNG called at the Port of Singapore and enjoyed a 25% reduction in port dues. This figure rose to 24 in 2021. Ocean-going vessels that qualify for port dues concessions under the GPP can enjoy an additional 10% port dues reduction if they are serviced by LNG-fuelled domestic harbour craft during their port stay. Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) incentivises the adoption of LNG-fuelled domestic harbour craft by providing a waiver of harbour craft port dues for a period of five years for such new builds. Today, we have six LNG-fuelled harbour craft in our port, which MPA has supported through co-funding. Under the Green Ship Programme (GSP), Singapore-flagged ships capable of using LNG can enjoy a 75% reduction on the Initial Registration Fee and 50% rebate on the Annual Tonnage Tax.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) partners schools in promoting safe riding practices amongst students. For example, LTA offers school assembly talks to share with students how they can use active mobility devices safely and graciously. Schools that are interested can also sign up for the Confidence on Wheels programme to help students understand active mobility rules. The programme incorporates a practical component with students riding through a circuit. Since its launch in December 2021, LTA has conducted over 40 sessions at schools. As part of the outreach effort, LTA also shares a safe riding toolkit with educators in student care centres and primary schools, who help to nurture a safe path-sharing culture among their young charges. LTA also collaborates with partners such as the Singapore Kindness Movement and the Municipal Services Office to incorporate safe riding and path-sharing content into their student outreach initiatives. We will continue with such public education efforts to build a safe and gracious path-sharing culture, beginning with young school-going children. We encourage interested schools to get in touch with LTA to explore such collaborations.”
“Public bus ridership during peak hours has reached about 85% of pre-COVID-19 levels as of August 2022, up from about 75% at the end of March 2022 when safe management measures were relaxed. LTA has been monitoring demand on the public bus network closely and will work with bus operators to adjust bus capacity where necessary.”
“96 per 100,000 population, but this could partly be due to lower traffic volume arising from the pandemic. While the overall trend is encouraging, our agencies are closely monitoring this and will continue to study ways to improve road safety in a holistic manner. Agencies have assessed that there is no need at present to engage the International Road Assessment Programme to conduct safety audits.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Traffic Police (TP) take a comprehensive approach to road safety, from the planning and construction of roads, the conduct of regular road safety audits, to the development and enforcement of driver and vehicle safety standards. For instance, for new road infrastructure, LTA requires the contractor to submit reports demonstrating that safety requirements can be met throughout the project's lifecycle. These reports are reviewed by an independent, professional safety team that considers key components such as the contractor's ability to mitigate safety hazards prior to public exposure. LTA also monitors the existing network and traffic data closely, and uses the information to conduct annual road safety audits. Adjustments are then made to specific roads where necessary. Beyond that, the Government works to increase the overall safety level of our roads. LTA has been progressively implementing various road safety enhancement initiatives, such as Silver Zones and School Zones, and Red-Amber-Green arrows that have resulted in fewer accidents. Apart from infrastructure enhancements, driving behaviour is also critical to road safety. TP's training and licensing regime ensures that all drivers are trained to drive safely before they can be licensed to drive on our roads. TP also actively enforces against errant road users. The Singapore Road Safety Council regularly conducts public education campaigns to promote good road safety habits. Traffic accident rates on our roads have improved over the past decade. In 2010, the fatality rate was 3.80 per 100,000 population. This decreased to 2.07 per 100,000 population in 2019. In 2021, the rate was 1.”
“Based on these WCR and road improvement plans informed by the TIA, LTA's assessment is that traffic in the vicinity would be manageable. LTA will work with the developer to conduct a follow-up transport study after the completion of the development to determine if further improvements are needed.”
“For all new major developments, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) requires the developer to conduct a Transport Impact Assessment (TIA), including the need for any additional infrastructural improvements or mitigation measures. In this case, the developer of Treasure at Tampines has conducted a TIA and will be implementing several measures to enhance the active mobility and public transport experience, and facilitate smooth traffic flow in the vicinity. Treasure at Tampines is located within a 10-minute walk to Simei MRT Station. It is also served by feeder bus service 292 that connects residents to main transport nodes such as MRT stations along the Tampines East-West Line and Downtown Line, and the Tampines Bus Interchange, as well as key amenities such as Our Tampines Hub. To further enhance the Walk-Cycle-Ride (WCR) experience, the developer will provide more footpaths, covered linkways, a new cycling path and replace the existing bus stop with a larger one to accommodate the expected increase in commuters. To meet the expected increase in vehicular traffic, the developer is also constructing a new public road, Tampines Lane, which will directly link Tampines Street 11 to the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) slip road. This new road will help ensure that motorists who wish to access PIE do not add on to the traffic volume on Tampines Street 11 and the junction of Tampines Avenue 1/2/5. In fact, the new road will also benefit other residents along Tampines Street 11 to access PIE more directly. The developer will also carry out improvement works to the junctions of Tampines Avenue 2 with Tampines Street 11 and Tampines Avenue 1/2/5. Construction works for these improvements are ongoing and will be completed in tandem with the development.”
“About 1,300 or 20% of all signalised pedestrian crossings (PCs) have audio signal devices that beeps a soft locating tone intermittently to help persons with visual impairment (PwVI) identify a PC. It emits a louder crossing tone during the Green Man time to aid them in crossing the road. The device operates from 7.00 am to 9.00 pm daily to reduce noise disamenities to residents nearby. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has plans to add these audio signal devices to a further 160 PCs. LTA has been progressively upgrading these PCs with audio signals to allow PwVIs to activate the audio signal outside of operating hours. Of the 1,300 PCs with audio signals today, about 460 can be activated beyond its usual operating hours. When PwVI pedestrians tap their SGEnable card, they will be able to activate the crossing tone for the next Green Man. LTA has also worked with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) to implement an additional feature of having the softer locating tone operate for 24-hours to allow PwVIs to easily locate such PCs at all times. This will be implemented at 325 PCs in 10 towns with a higher number of PwVIs by 3Q 2025. We look forward to the support of the community in this effort to make our land transport system more inclusive.”
“This response will also address the question raised by Mr Leon Perera for the Sitting on or after 4 October 2022. Roads are excavated for various reasons, such as for the laying of utilities and road maintenance. At the planning stage, the multi-agency Road Opening Coordination Committee (ROCC), which comprises Government agencies and utility services providers, meets monthly to coordinate planned road works over the next six-months, to minimise road excavations. Subsequently, the work-commissioning agency must obtain a permit from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) before commencing works. The permit fee increases for each additional day required and is valid for a maximum of three weeks. This has helped to incentivise agencies to complete the road works expeditiously. As part of the permit approval, the work-commissioning agency is also required to reinstate roads to 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.”
“We will press on with our education efforts and to remind all path users that path safety is a collective responsibility and all users need to look out for one another and use our shared spaces in a responsible manner.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) deploys several teams of Active Mobility Enforcement Officers daily to deter and detect errant active mobility device riders. From May 2018 to December 2019, prior to strict enforcement of the ban of e-scooters on footpaths on 1 January 2020, there were a total of about 7,500 offences detected on public paths, or an average of about 370 per month. Offences included users using non-compliant devices, riding on the wrong paths, speeding or riding recklessly. Subsequently, from January 2020 onwards, when the Government stepped up enforcement against the use of e-scooters on footpaths and introduced new rules such as mandatory inspections, the number of offences detected increased, with an average of about 870 offences per month in 2020. As the public grew accustomed to the new rules after strict enforcement and public education efforts, the monthly number of offences detected decreased to about 670 in 2021 and 610 in 2022. Enforcement actions have been taken against errant users found to have contravened the law and non-compliant devices were immediately seized. Where the offence is egregious, LTA will investigate and take appropriate action, such as prosecuting offenders in Court. In addition to LTA's enforcement at public paths, LTA also supports other agencies in their enforcement at numerous other public spaces in town centres, Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates, and parks. For example, LTA supports Town Councils in joint operations at town centres and around HDB estates, as the use of active mobility devices at common areas in HDB estates outside of public paths is regulated under Town Councils' by-laws. We will continue to enforce against errant users, but enforcement alone is insufficient.”
“And so, this is something that both the airlines but also the airport and ground handlers are focused on.”
“One of the most significant markets is China and China's opening strategy is something that we have to observe, because every country has to navigate this path based on its circumstances. China is a significant source for us. Pre-COVID-19, China would have accounted for about 20% of our tourism visitor arrivals. That is a major uncertainty as well that we will have to watch out for. The second point on recruitment and whether we speed up the recruitment, I can assure the Member that all the aviation companies are throwing the kitchen sink at this because this is a very challenging time. We know that there is just a general shortage of manpower and, in particular, for aviation especially on the air side, it is not just about recruitment but we have to make sure that they are trained and they are able to deliver safely for themselves and for all other users of the aviation services. So, this is a major task. But as I said, if I can just take Members back, we had about one-third attrition in our aviation industry workforce. It was at about 35,000. At the end of last year, we had about 25,000. In the first half of this year, I think about 4,000 were recruited and the aim is really to get another 4,000 workers to join the aviation workforce. That should bring us to about 90%. In terms of new talent, that really is going to be an important area of focus going forward because of two aspects. Digitalisation and sustainability are going to be key drivers for the aviation industry. For this, we will need specific skill sets. We have to retrain those who are already in the industry and that is happening as we speak. At the same time, we also may need specific types of talent to come on board to augment what we already have.”
“Mr Speaker, the Member said he would ask quick questions but I think I have to give him a slightly longer answer. On overshooting capacity, I think what the Member meant by that is whether we expect that we will go beyond what we think is the expected volume. To some extent, there is predictability and the reason why there is predictability is because airlines file their flight plans with the airport slots authority, that is, with Changi Airport. In this case, for the next cycle which is really from October through to March next year, it is called the Northern Winter schedule. From that point of view, we already have a reasonable idea of the kind of flows to expect. Of course, there may be variations to that for a variety of reasons, whether it is disruptions and so on. But by and large, given what has been presented to our airport, we think that the estimations that we have are within the ballpark. Whether it will exactly turn out the way we expect, I think there are many unknowns, as all of us will appreciate. The Minister for Health talked about some of the risks as well. We need to just bear in mind that we plan with the capacity in mind, but we also need to be vigilant and be prepared to pivot to a more conservative and careful stance if the need arises. And, of course, the assumptions that the Member asked about – that underlie this planning, apart from what the airlines submit and so on – is, of course, in general, how the source markets are opening up. In particular, in our part of the world, the Asia Pacific, most have opened up, as I mentioned earlier – Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and so on have all opened up.”
“Another aspect has been sustainability and how we can focus on ensuring that T5, but more generally all of Changi, can really lead the way as a sustainable air hub. And this is why CAAS is now working on developing a blueprint for a sustainable air hub in Singapore. And finally, on specific areas like baggage handling which the Member raised, this is actually one of the key challenges and this is not unique to Changi. Because all over the world, baggage handling is one of the most manpower-intensive aspects of airport operations. How we are able to automate this is a key part of the work that is going on. As I think Members can well appreciate, this is not something you can decide on a standalone basis because it is not only one airport doing this. Whatever we do has to be ultimately coordinated with airlines, aircraft design and what happens in other airports. It is a general effort that is being undertaken to see how greater automation can be brought into the handling of baggage at airports. In fact, I was in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly earlier last week and this was one of the topics that was discussed by several of the aviation ministers. So, it is an ongoing effort and CAAS is investing in a lot of innovation work in that regard.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his questions. Let me take the second question first. In terms of upgrading and upskilling the workers, this is an ongoing effort. As with all other sectors in Singapore, it is a priority because, ultimately, by upskilling the workers, we enhance their productivity, enhance the competitiveness of the companies and the larger aviation sector and, of course, enable them to have good jobs with good wages. So, it is a virtuous cycle, something that we are continually working on. The Member's first question was on areas such as baggage handling and what lessons we have learnt that can be incorporated into the T5 design. The last two years, as Members would know, we had paused in the development of T5 because the trajectory of air travel recovery was uncertain in light of COVID-19. As was recently announced by the Prime Minister at the National Day Rally, we have restarted the design and process for T5. And the key lessons we have learnt include how we can modularise airport operations in order to enhance their resilience – in this case, our civilian airport – to such pandemic-type challenges. Because, as I think all of us would well appreciate, airports are designed for convergence of streams of passengers. And yet, when you are in a pandemic-type situation, the objective is really to separate the streams as much as we can according to their risk categorisation. That inverts the logic of airport operations and is something that has to be factored into the design early, not just in terms of processes, but in terms of actual physical design. So, modularity and how it can help combine with processes to enhance the resilience of our airport in the face of possible pandemics in the future is one aspect.”
“Aviation stakeholders aim to hire another 4,000 workers between September and the end of this year. Cumulatively, this will bring us to about 90% of our pre-COVID-19 workforce. The recruitment efforts of the companies in the sector are currently on track. And thanks to the efforts of the whole aviation community, including our regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), airport operator, airlines, ground handling companies, unions and workers, Changi has managed the recovery relatively well so far. By continuing to work together as one Changi community, we are confident that Changi Airport will be ready to welcome more passengers back to Singapore and offer them the distinctive traveller experience that Changi is known for.”
“Yes, I am taking Question Nos 14 and 15 together, please, Speaker. Air travel has recovered steadily since Singapore reopened its borders to all fully vaccinated travellers without testing or quarantine in April 2022. As of the first week of September, average weekly passenger traffic at Changi Airport has recovered to above 60% of pre-COVID-19 levels and it has held at that level steadily. The number of flights at Changi Airport has also recovered to nearly two-thirds of pre-COVID-19 levels. The number of flights that airlines have filed to operate at Changi Airport by the year end is more than 80% of pre-COVID-19 levels. We expect this to increase further as airlines respond to demand from travellers, following the recent border-easing announcements by key travel markets such as Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan. To accommodate this anticipated growth in the number of passengers and flights, we reopened Terminal 4 on 13 September. We will also be commencing departure operations in the southern wing of Terminal 2 on 11 October, in addition to arrivals which had commenced on 29 May. With this, Changi Airport will have the physical capacity to accommodate up to 70 million passengers per annum, which is about 100% of the passenger traffic levels that we had pre-COVID-19. This also represents about 80% of Changi’s pre-COVID-19 capacity itself. In other words, we have used the intervening time to enhance Changi's capacity as well. Our aviation stakeholders have been concurrently working hard to build up their workforce and train their new hires to support this ramp-up in capacity. This has been an ongoing process since early this year. The air transport sector workforce has recovered to about 80% of pre-COVID-19 levels in the first half of the year.”
“ERP is a congestion management tool and helps to maintain traffic speeds within an optimal range. By adjusting ERP rates at specific locations and specific timeslots where traffic speeds are low, it sends a price signal for motorists to find alternative modes, routes, or timing. Typically, when ERP rates are increased at a gantry and during a particular timeslot, we observe that traffic volume is reduced and speeds improve. This implies that some motorists do switch to other routes, timeslots or modes. The ERP system was not designed to track routes taken by individual motorists. Instead, LTA monitors the aggregate traffic volume and speed across our road network to ensure that traffic remains smooth-flowing.”
“LTA has been undertaking various infrastructural improvements and public education measures to promote the safe use of active mobility devices. Where feasible, the space behind bus stops is converted to cycling paths or footpaths. This enables active mobility device users, including cyclists, to avoid riding into the bus stops. Guiding lines are drawn to direct users to the paths behind the bus stops. Complementing this, safety markings, such as "SLOW" markings and speed regulating strips leading into the bus stop area, remind cyclists to slow down and give way to commuters boarding and alighting from buses. Such safety features will be rolled out at more bus stops. Under the Active Mobility Code of Conduct, cyclists should slow down and be prepared to stop when approaching crowded areas, such as bus stops. LTA promotes the awareness of such safe riding practices through regular public education campaigns and safe riding programmes, such as Confidence on Wheels. LTA also carries out regular enforcement operations to take errant users to task. Ultimately, safety is a collective responsibility. I urge all commuters and path users to stay alert, look out for one another and follow the rules and guidelines.”
“The total amount of the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges collected from motorcyclists for each year in the past three years was about $6.1 million for 2019, $1.7 million for 2020, and $0.8 million for 2021. The average annual sum paid by motorcyclists was about $30 in 2019, $8 in 2020, and $4 in 2021.”
“Phase 3 of the Thomson-East Coat Line (TEL3) is on track to open in the second half of this year, as earlier announced. To ensure the systems function well as per designed, LTA has conducted extensive tests for TEL3 as well as integration tests with TEL1 and 2. Any issues identified through these tests are analysed and rectified. These are complex technical works as many tests are done alongside ongoing live operations on TEL1 and 2 and integration tests must be conducted within limited engineering hours at night. The system tests have since been completed and the operator, STEL, has taken over TEL3 to conduct trial running. This involves the training of the staff to handle and respond to the various operational scenarios and is an important step in preparation for the opening of TEL3.”
“The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have studied and taken mitigating measures against the potential risks to critical airport infrastructure and operations due to increased temperatures arising from climate change. To ensure that the runways and taxiways can continue to function under higher temperatures, polymer additives have been introduced into Changi Airport’s asphaltic pavement designs. This is similar to the measures used in Middle Eastern airports where ambient temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Doing so will avoid disruptions due to runway pavement defects, such as those seen recently at London's Luton Airport. We do not expect higher temperatures to cause any disruptions to our passenger terminal buildings or the operations within. Temperature-sensitive equipment, such as baggage screening machines and electronic systems are located in a climate-controlled indoor environment to preserve their reliability. The air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems throughout Changi's terminal buildings are also designed with cooling capacity buffers to cater for higher ambient temperatures. To protect outdoor airport workers from heat stress, there are shelters and cool zones at the airside and regular distribution of fluids during hot spells. CAG is also working with employers and workers to strengthen existing protocols and engaging medical service providers to train outdoor workers to look out for symptoms of heat stroke and render first aid to workers suffering from heat stress.”
“The 2018 study on air quality referenced by Mr Melvin Yong noted that the air quality in most of our underground train stations was within acceptable limits under the Singapore Standard Code of Practice for Indoor Air Quality for Air-Conditioned Buildings, or SS554. While the PM2.5 levels measured during peak hours at some underground train stations along the North-South and East-West lines exceeded the 24-hour mean exposure limit, the health risk to rail workers is low as they, generally, spend only four to five hours a day, on average, at the station platforms. Notwithstanding, inspection, maintenance and cleaning of air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems are carried out regularly to ensure good ventilation at station platforms. To further improve air quality, more efficient filters that can trap finer dust particles, such as PM2.5, have been installed at station platforms. Air-conditioning systems for underground train stations along the North-South and East-West lines are progressively being upgraded and will be completed by 2025. As for train tunnels, air quality is regularly monitored to ensure air quality is kept within acceptable limits. Tunnel ventilation fans are deployed to ventilate the tunnels during heavy maintenance works.”
“That is about the third decile in terms of income earners – in other words, up to the 30th percentile of income earners. Or if you include those who have no income, it is up to the 40th percentile or the fourth decile, so, up to 40% of Singapore households would be able to benefit from those Public Transport Vouchers. And we will make sure that we continue to address the needs of these vulnerable segments through an appropriate provision of such Public Transport Vouchers.”
“On the fare adjustment itself and Government subsidies, well, in some ways, it is arithmetic. There is a cost to providing public transport. There is revenue that comes from the fares that commuters pay. And if the two do not meet, then somebody has to pick up the slack. And the slack, in general, has been picked up through Government subsidies. And as I have said, today, the Government subsidy is of the order of the magnitude of $2 billion a year, about $1 billion each for our train and for our bus services. And we will have to see how the formula works out, what the specific recommendations are going to be and then, we have to take stock from there. But, the fundamental point – one that I made earlier in my response but which I wish to re-emphasise – is that we do need to strike that balance between on the one hand, having a public transport system that is reliable, efficient, accessible and, at the same time, affordable because the reliability, efficiency and availability of public transport do come at a cost and the costs are increasing. So, we need to decide how that cost burden is to be apportioned, not just between the commuters and taxpayers of this generation but also the taxpayers of future generations because liabilities that we take on today will also be imposed on future generations of taxpayers. So, we have to keep that in mind in making the decision. Finally, the Member's question on Public Transport Vouchers to help mitigate the impact, in particular, on vulnerable segments. This is something that we take very seriously. Members may recall that, last year, when the fares were increased, we also announced about 600,000 Public Transport Vouchers would be made available.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his questions. First, just so that we are all having the same frame of reference, there is a Fare Review Exercise. This is really the annual exercise conducted by the Public Transport Council to decide whether there is a need for an increase of the public transport fares and, if so, by how much, based on the current formula. This should normally come out sometime in the fourth quarter. Separate to that is the Fare Formula Review. In other words, the formula itself needs to be reconsidered, taking into account the changing commuting patterns, the cost drivers and other factors, so that we can ensure that any fare formula we use in the next cycle is one that is robust and relevant to the circumstances within which our public transport system operates. So, how will it be improved upon? I think, by that, the Member refers to the fare formula. We ought to give the Public Transport Council the time to go through the process and come up with these recommendations. But we can also be quite clear that it is apparent that there are many factors that are at play at this point, not least of which are, for example, commuting patterns, which may have changed – in fact, we already see some changes because of work-from-home and so on – the energy costs, whether that is a pattern that we expect to sustain inflationary pressures and so on. So, we should allow the Public Transport Council the space and time to do a proper job and come back with its considered recommendation. But clearly, the intent is to ensure that whatever formula we use is one that is relevant and applicable, given the circumstances within which we will find ourselves over the next three to five years.”
“This requires a comprehensive approach – from efficient procurement by LTA and productivity-focused operations by public transport operators, to optimising the provision of bus and rail services even as we grow the overall network to serve new residential areas. Ultimately, we have to deploy our finite resources in a manner that best serves all Singaporeans. And third, we have a fare formula to ensure that commuters pay a fair share of the costs, by accounting for key cost drivers for public transport, in particular, wages, energy and inflation. The Government is also mindful that we have to support those with greater needs and fewer means. We keep fares lower for concession groups, such as seniors and students, and provide Public Transport Vouchers to low-income families. We will continue to work with public transport operators to ensure judicious cost management. The fare formula is being reviewed to ensure robustness and relevance, in light of changes in the industry and in commuting patterns. As we continue to expand the public transport network and operating costs rise with inflation and other cost drivers, we will continue to seek an optimal balance between the fiscal sustainability of Government spending on public transport and ensuring affordability of public transport fares, especially for the vulnerable segments of our society.”
“Mr Speaker, pre-COVID-19, Singaporeans took about eight million trips every day on public transport for work, school, social purposes. A reliable, convenient and affordable public transport system is essential to ensuring connectivity in our densely populated city. It also boosts economic activity, reduces road congestion and emissions and contributes to sustainability and the liveability of our city. Over the last decade, we have steadily enhanced the public transport system with attendant increases in cost. Commuters have benefited from a 40% expansion of the rail network, 80 new bus services, reduced peak-hour waiting times for basic bus services from 30 to 15 minutes, as well as significant improvements in rail reliability from 67,000 to over one million mean kilometres between failures. From 2012 to 2021, operating costs for public transport increased by 7% per year on average. This was not matched by revenue growth. Consequently, Government subsidies have been increasing. The Government, currently, subsidises public transport services by more than $2 billion a year, or about $1 for every journey. In addition, we have committed over $60 billion to expand and renew the rail network over the next decade. As with other subsidised services, the Government has to consider how best to share the cost between users and current as well as future generations of taxpayers. There are three key aspects. First, the Government continues to fully fund the expansion of public transport infrastructure as these are large lumpy expenditures. Second, we must find ways to economise and get value-for-money.”
“The Multi-Ministry Task Force announced that, from 29 August 2022, mask-wearing is not mandatory, except in indoor settings where essential services are carried out in enclosed and crowded areas, which are frequently used by vulnerable persons. These settings include public transport (i.e., public bus and MRT/LRT services, indoor public transport facilities). Mask-wearing is not required on point-to-point (P2P) transport as the nature of P2P trips is different from public bus and MRT/LRT train journeys. For example, P2P trips are usually done with an individual passenger or in small groups. However, while no longer mandatory, P2P drivers and passengers can continue to wear masks if they choose to, particularly those who are elderly or immunocompromised. Drivers can also continue with measures to safeguard their health and safety, such as winding down the windows when ferrying passengers with flu-like symptoms and regularly disinfecting their vehicles. We urge drivers and passengers to continue to be personally and socially responsible.”
“Noise barriers along rail viaducts consist of panels which absorb noise generated from the train movement and should not cause an echo effect in any direction. Regarding the rail viaduct segment between Bukit Batok Station and the tunnel highlighted by Mr Murali, LTA and SMRT conducted on-site investigation and discovered a track defect that was causing abnormal noise when trains pass through. Track rectification works were carried out on 23 August 2022. Since then, the measured noise level has reduced and is below NEA's current noise criterion of 67 decibels averaged over an hour. LTA and SMRT will monitor the noise level around the area regularly and rectify any track defects promptly.”
“Removing Category E would merely reduce this flexibility to respond to changes in demand patterns without any impact on the underlying demand. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) continues to study ways to improve the COE system. In March this year, to encourage more prudent bidding, we increased the bid deposit for Category D COEs from $200 to $800 and shortened the validity period of temporary COEs from six to three months. In August, to reduce the quarter-on-quarter volatility in quota supply, LTA adjusted the method for computing the COE quota available for bidding. As a result, the quota for the August to October 2022 quarter was lower than that for the May to July 2022 quarter by 11.5% as opposed to 21.4% had the revision not been made. LTA will continue to monitor the VQS and market situation closely.”
“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 (VQS), where bidders bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) which is required to register a vehicle. COE prices reflect the supply and demand for vehicles. Recently, with less vehicles reaching 10 years of age, there have been fewer de-registrations and a consequent fall in the supply of COEs. On the other hand, demand from individuals and companies, including point-to-point (P2P) service providers, has remained resilient. With lower supply and strong underlying demand, COE prices have increased. Creating additional COE categories, be it for Private Hire Cars (PHCs) or Electric Vehicles (EVs), will further fragment the market, reduce the available supply in each category, and increase price volatility. PHCs are essentially no different from privately owned cars except that they have the flexibility and autonomy to take passengers thereby augmenting our supply of P2P vehicles. Establishing a separate category for PHCs with rules such as requiring a minimum number of trips to prevent abuse would be difficult to enforce and adds to the compliance cost for PHC operators, drivers, and ultimately consumers. For EVs, instead of using the VQS system which would be the wrong policy tool for this purpose, we have schemes that directly incentivise the adoption of EVs. The EV Early Adoption Incentive and the enhanced Vehicular Emissions Scheme, when taken together, provides a rebate of up to $45,000 off the upfront cost of purchasing an electric car. The Open Category E mechanism provides the necessary flexibility in the VQS to accommodate changes in demand for different categories of vehicles.”
“Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices are determined primarily by market forces of supply and demand. There has been strong and sustained demand for Category D COEs. We introduced two changes in March 2022 to encourage prudent bidding. First, the bid deposit for Category D COEs has been raised from $200 to $800. Second, the validity period of Category D TCOEs has been shortened from six to three months. Since these changes were made, the Category D COE quota premiums have been relatively stable compared to other categories. The most recent Category D quota premium, as of the first bidding exercise in September, was about 1% lower than before the implementation of the measures for Category D, namely, the first bidding exercise in March.”
“The Public Transport Council (PTC) has commenced its review of the public transport fare adjustment formula and mechanism. It will review the way fares are currently adjusted, considering the changes in the public transport industry and commuting patterns. In doing so, it will need to strike a balance between maintaining high-quality services, keeping fares affordable, and ensuring the financial sustainability of the public transport system. As part of the review, the PTC can take into account various parameters including cost, service quality, productivity and other factors. PTC is consulting and engaging key stakeholders, such as commuters, public transport operators, the labour movement and transport experts. PTC will be comprehensive and holistic in its review which is expected to conclude in the first half of 2023.”
“In the past year, LTA did not accede to about 70 applications for the Private Hire Car Driver's Vocational Licence (PDVL) in view of applicants' past criminal records. This is about 1.4% of all applications. The Government takes a calibrated approach. Applicants with less serious offences may have their applications considered after the completion of their sentence and debarment period. However, applicants with past offences which pose a risk to passengers in the vocational driving context or repeat offenders may be debarred for periods longer than three years. This approach balances the need to maintain public confidence in the safety of ride-hail services, while providing ex-offenders a second chance.”