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World Cities Summit Issue, Jun 2008
Designing Urban Journeys
Yam Ah Mee
Social inclusion, a shift in mindset and a holistic strategy are the necessary ingredients in improving Singapore’s land transport system.
In “Transportation for Livable Cities”,1 Vukan R. Vuchic described a liveable city as one that is human-oriented and environmentally friendly; economically viable and efficient; and socially sound. An efficient land transport system plays a critical role in developing a liveable city. Over the next few years, Singapore will see developments such as the Youth Olympic Games, Formula One Grand Prix, the Integrated Resorts and the Singapore Sports Hub. The city’s transport policies have to consider the new demands and anticipate future needs in order to support the sustainable development of the city.
So far, Singapore’s land transport policies have established an efficient and extensive transport network. Increasingly, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) recognises the social role of transport: it has to be accessible and meet the diverse needs of our people, including the lower-income groups and the physically-challenged.
Like other cities around the world, developing transport policies in Singapore has its challenges. Daily travel demand in Singapore is projected to increase by 60%, from the current 8.9 million journeys a day to 14.3 million by 2020. This is due to an increase in population and tourist arrivals, as well as increased economic activities generated by a buoyant economy. As Singapore is a small and densely built-up city-state with limited land, it is not sustainable to build more roads indefinitely to cater to the increased travel demand. At the moment, roads take up 12% of our land, compared with 15% for housing. Hence, our transport policies have to make the best use of limited resources to meet the additional demand, using existing infrastructure.
Like most developed cities, the Singapore population is ageing. At the same time, rising affluence means that expectations of people have changed. While public transport has to be fast and efficient to cater to the masses, it also has to remain accessible and affordable to the less privileged. In addition, given the negative impact of transport on the environment, our transport policies should also give due emphasis to protecting the environment. For a city to be liveable, vibrant and attractive to its residents, a well-planned and accessible land transport system is fundamental to the city’s sustained growth in the future.
As the result of a year-long comprehensive review of the 1996 White Paper on Land Transport and in light of the new challenges ahead, LTA released the Land Transport Master Plan: A People-Centred Land Transport System2 in January this year. The Master Plan outlines three strategic thrusts which will shape the land transport development and policies over the next 10 to 15 years. These are: Making Public Transport a Choice Mode; Managing Road Usage; and Meeting the Diverse Needs of the People. The objective of the Master Plan is to build a more people-centred land transport system that supports a vibrant and liveable city.
MAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT A CHOICE MODE
To make public transport a choice mode of travel requires a change in will and mindset. Based on load analysis, public transport is the most efficient people-mover and also an environmentally sustainable mode of travel. A Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) train carries an average of 1,100 passengers at any one time during the peak period, while a single deck bus can carry about 80 passengers—contrast this with the average occupancy of about 1.5 persons per car. This means that it will take more than 50 cars to move one bus-load of passengers, and more than 700 cars to move one train-load of passengers. For a city like Singapore, it would put a tremendous strain on the road network if everyone were to choose to travel by car.
A survey by LTA showed that between 1997 and 2004, the number of car trips increased by 23%, more than double the 10% increase in car population over the same period. This increased propensity to drive means that the public transport mode share has been declining over the years, from 67% in 1997 to 63% in 2004. We believe that the increase in travel demand must be met by public transport. Hence, in the Land Transport Master Plan, we aim to reverse this decline. The target is to achieve a public transport mode share of 70% for the morning peak hours by 2020, up from 63% today.
Our transport system must constantly evolve to cater to the changing demographics and the higher expectations of the population. However, public transportation cannot be solely designed from the policy vantage point. It must be planned and built from the commuter’s point of view. This means understanding and catering to commuter needs from the moment they leave their homes to the time they reach their destinations. This is the only way to ensure that transport is human-oriented. For instance, to enhance the overall journey experience, more covered linkways and overhead bridges will be provided so that commuters can enjoy a pleasant walk to the bus stops, bus interchanges or MRT stations. To complement this, more integrated transport hubs like the ones at Ang Mo Kio or Toa Payoh bus interchanges will be created (Figure 1). By co-locating bus interchanges with MRT stations and commercial development, transfers between bus and train will be more convenient. Commuters can shop or pick up a drink while waiting for their buses or trains, all in air-conditioned comfort. The aim is to transform these transport nodes into fun and exciting places, create more buzz and provide greater comfort and convenience for the commuters. Similarly, providing more real-time public transport travel information would allow commuters to better plan their journeys even before they leave their homes. It is the entire experience of the journey that will help make public transport an attractive mode of travel.
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