World Cities Summit Issue, Jun 2008

Designing Urban Journeys
Yam Ah Mee

MEETING THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE
While public transport has to cater to the masses, the system must also remain accessible to others with special needs, such as the elderly, wheelchair-bound commuters, and parents with infants or young children. Wheelchair-accessible buses and barrier-free facilities in MRT stations are already available, but more will be done to improve accessibility. By 2010, pedestrian walkways, access to MRT stations, taxi and bus shelters, and public roads across the island will be barrier-free; by 2020, the public bus fleet will be fully wheelchair-accessible. Additional lifts will also be installed at MRT stations so that commuters need not make long detours to look for an entrance with lift.

As we enhance the quality of our public transport services, we are mindful that public transport should remain affordable to the masses. The Government’s policy is to regulate fares to ensure public transport remains affordable to the majority. Instead of keeping fares at artificially low levels, they are allowed to go up in small regular steps to keep pace with inflation. For the lower-income groups who need financial assistance, help is available through various government assistance schemes or community schemes such as public transport vouchers, which is a joint effort by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC),⁶ public transport operators and the Government.

Initiatives to promote public transport and manage congestion on the roads are key steps towards sustainability. LTA works closely with the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources as well as the National Environment Agency (NEA) to encourage motorists to choose cleaner and more energy-efficient vehicles, such as hybrid cars, and adopt environmental-friendly practices.

LTA also adopts environmentally sustainable practices in planning and developing land transport infrastructure. One such initiative is the use of recycled municipal, road and building waste materials currently being disposed of at the Pulau Semakau Landfill⁷ in road resurfacing works and road pavement construction. This measure, which is being jointly undertaken with NEA, SPRING Singapore⁸ and industry players, will potentially extend the lifespan of the Pulau Semakau Landfill by another 25 years. This is a significant contribution to protect our environment, especially in land-scarce Singapore. Going forward, we will have to think of new ways to support environmental goals.

A PEOPLE-CENTRED SYSTEM
Transport affects people in different ways. To have a people-centred land transport system, LTA engages the public to understand their needs and expectations. As part of the year-long Land Transport Review that was conducted while developing the Master Plan, an extensive public consultation exercise was conducted through various channels over several months. Focus group discussions were held where members of the public and other stakeholders were invited to discuss and share their views. LTA also went online to seek feedback via the Talk2LTA portal and created an online game called the “Great Transport Challenge 2020”. More than 4,500 people gave their views and feedback.

Engaging the people has to be a continual effort. LTA actively engages residents and communities who are affected by our infrastructure works. These stakeholders are frequently updated on the progress of the projects and how they might be affected. At the same time, LTA would seek their understanding for inconveniences caused by existing works as well as ask for feedback. LTA recently set up a Land Transport Community Partnership Division where dedicated teams from this Division are assigned to each constituency to handle the day-to-day road and traffic management issues more effectively, and to establish a closer relationship with the community. To foster stronger rapport, the Community Outreach Programme will periodically share and discuss LTA land transport policies and plans with grassroots leaders.

In January this year, LTA opened the Land Transport Gallery which showcases the development of the Singapore land transport system since 1945. This Gallery helps to promote better awareness of the intricacies and challenges of land transport policies and encourage an open exchange of ideas to improve the system. Through the various engagement efforts, we hope that there will be greater ownership of the land transport system.

By 2020, Singaporeans will have a more advanced public transport system. Our continual goal is to manage road usage and protect the environment. Land transport plays a critical role as Singapore strives to be a city that is human-oriented and environmentally friendly, economically viable and efficient, and socially sound—a truly liveable city.

Yam Ah Mee is Chief Executive of the Land Transport Authority (LTA). He led the Authority in the Land Transport Review which unveiled major initiatives to enhance the land transport system in Singapore over the next 10 to 15 years. Under his leadership, LTA has embarked on many initiatives to improve public transport, such as the expansion of the rail network, the introduction of wheelchair-accessible buses, barrier-free accessibility around train stations and bus interchanges, and the implementation of real-time bus arrival information. Mr Yam was previously Deputy Secretary (Sea & Air) in the Ministry of Transport.

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