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SINGAPORE - On top of the Circle Line and the under-construction Downtown line, Singapore may see yet even more MRT lines after 2020, reported the Straits Times.
In an interview earlier this week, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said that the Government is studying the different ways of reducing overcrowding and infrequency on trains and buses.
According to Mr Lui, the staggering increase in ridership is the largest issue that his Ministry has to address. Further adding to the problem is the recent string of MRT disruptions, which has left many Singaporeans disgruntled.
Singaporeans can expect more details on the upcoming MRT lines at next year's Budget debate.
These new lines will be built after the Downtown, Thomson and Eastern Regional MRT lines have been completed. In addition, the $1.1 billion plan to buy more buses will provide relief to commuters in the short term.
Mr Rajan Krishnan, CEO of engineering firm Kok Thong Holdings, suggests that future MRT lines could form part of an outer ring that bypasses the downtown area.
Doing so would provide a longer but less crowded alternative for commuters along the northern perimeter of the island.
Besides the 550 new buses, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is considering using tourist buses to supplement public buses as they start business only after the morning rush hour.
Furthermore, the LTA will be conducting checks on bus stops to scrutinise the exact times that buses arrive.
This is more reflective of commuters' experience than the current method, which measures bus frequencies by the intervals at which buses leave the interchange.
The new method will factor in delays caused buy traffic conditions and also include how packed the buses are.
Lastly, to round up the study on public transport, taxi optimisation is also being closely monitored.
The taxis owned by most of the the operators here are mostly hired out to drivers with only a single shift a day, as opposed to two shifts with a relief driver.
Mr Lui said: " We need to be even more vigilant about this going forward because now driving a taxi can, with high COE prices, become a substitute for owning a car."
cyap@sph.com.sg
 
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