Transport Minister to address transport fare questions in Parliament

Transport Minister to address transport fare questions in Parliament

The question of if and when a public transport fare increase will take place will be addressed by the Transport Minister in Parliament next Monday.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Mr Lui Tuck Yew said he would also respond to the recommendations - which include discounts for lower-income workers and the disabled and free travel for children below seven - released last Tuesday by the Fare Review Mechanism Committee (FRMC).

Mr Lui said he was "encouraged" that many Singaporeans are supportive of the FRMC's suggestions, particularly on fare concessions.

The recommendations, which were part of an 85-page report reviewing Singapore's fare framework, also called for a monthly travel pass to cap costs for frequent commuters and larger discounts for polytechnic students.

Mr Lui is expected to announce if he accepts the report's recommendations next Monday.

He will also answer MPs' questions on the affordability of public transport, and spell out what the Government will do about a fare adjustment last year which was suspended due to the ongoing fare review.

The last time bus and train fares went up was in 2011, when the Public Transport Council approved a 1 per cent increase.

That worked out to two cents more every journey for adults paying with smart cards.

In an earlier post on Tuesday, Mr Lui said the next fare exercise should be used to "enhance existing, as well as implement new, concession schemes for various groups of commuters, with special attention to the disadvantaged groups".


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