Improve the public transport system

The Minister of Transport, Lui Tuck Yew, has announced that the quota for increase in motor vehicles will be reduced from the current 1.5% per annum, but will state the exact figure at a later date.

I agree with this decision to reduce the growth in vehicle population. In fact, I believe that we already have too many vehicles in Singapore - judging from the congestion on our roads and the difficulty in finding parking spaces at the homes, workplaces, shopping malls and other destinations.  It is appropriate to start reducing the vehicle population, e.g. by not allowing some of the expiring permits to be replaced, but I do not think that the Government will take this step.

More important, we need to improve public transport, especially the local transport that brings commuters from their homes to the MRT stations or bus terminus. This can be done by issuing licences for local bus and taxi services that operate within a town. These services can be exempted from taxies and other fees, so that the cost to commuters will be kept low through competition. It will also provide employment opportunities for older people who have a driving licence.

I have written about these ideas in this paper on local transport and also in another paper on the public transport system. I have sent the papers to Minister Lui, but he had replied to me at that time that he is too busy to study them. I have not heard from him since.

Many people have to buy cars due to difficulty in getting public transport, especially if there do not live close to the MRT station. If there is a good system of affordable and convenient local transport, they may be willing to forego the expense of owning and using a private car,

Tan Kin Lian