Why can't private ambulances use bus lanes?

Why can't private ambulances use bus lanes?

My mother was ill recently, and a doctor who examined her in our house advised us to send her to the hospital as soon as possible.

As she is a wheelchair user and not mobile, I called a private ambulance to take her.

Traffic was heavy on our way to the hospital as it was the peak hour, and I asked the driver why he did not use the bus lane.

He told me that private ambulances were not allowed to use such lanes and the drivers could get into trouble with the law if caught doing so.

An ambulance is, by definition, a vehicle that takes sick people to the hospital for treatment. A few minutes' delay could mean the difference between life and death.

I hope the Land Transport Authority will explain why private ambulances are not allowed to use bus lanes, and why they are given less priority than public buses.

David Goh Kia Ngan


This article was first published on October 27, 2014.
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