During the Walk Cycle Ride SG Symposium on
Wednesday 20th July this year, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced that
foldable bikes and personal mobility devices (PMDs) will soon be allowed on
public transport all day as part of a six-month pilot trial.
This is part of the government’s effort to promote
a car-lite Singapore in which alternative transport options will become
attractive and convenient. Well and good, but let’s analyze and examine what
will come about with this implementation. In solving one issue, managing the
car population, will there be multiple problems that will surface following the
car-lite project?
Mr. Khaw hopes that public transport commuters and
those who bring their bicycles and PMDs on the buses and trains will adopt a
give-and-take attitude and to be considerate to one another. Though this is
sound advice, the reality is that not all commuters are gracious and there are
bound to be issues that will arise. To ensure the safety of all passengers,
there must be a clear think through before its implementation.
Firstly, buses and especially trains are
overcrowded for the most part of the day. During peak periods passengers on
board trains are packed like sardines and can hardly move about freely. For the
elderly and the sick, breathing becomes an issue. Then on top of that, the
authorities want to allow foldable bikes and PMDs on board public transport
without considering the safety of all its passengers. The Land Transport
Authority (LTA) needs to understand that overcrowding of trains can prove
disastrous. This was clearly the case in October this year when an overcrowded
train in Cameroon derailed, killing more than 70 people and injuring 600
passengers.
Secondly, there are still frequent train breakdowns
and buses get involved in accidents. When this occurs, commuters get
agitated as they scramble to contact their loved ones. During such a
scenario, tempers will flare and arguments with fellow passengers and MRT
staff/bus captains are not uncommon. MRT staff and bus captains who are
the frontline staff will then be on the receiving end of commuters’ frustration
and it has happened.
Thirdly, we are not a very gracious society as
there will always be people who shove and push when they move up and down the
escalator, disregarding the safety of our seniors. Lifts that should be
given priority to those with special needs are often used by able-bodied men
and women. To this end, the authorities ought to consider building an
additional lift strictly for use for those with special needs at new MRT
stations.
However, if the LTA is still keen to allow such
equipment to take off the ground, then I propose that one area in the trains or
buses be reserved for this purpose so that there will not be a mad scramble to
rush when an accident or a breakdown takes place. There must also be no
bottlenecks during the ride as arguments can so easily take place when there is
limited space.
Public education through the public address systems
on buses and trains has to be on-going – and more so if and when the car-lite
project gets on the way. A clearly marked area “CAR-LITE SECTION” with an advisory message in the 4 languages will
guide commuters to place their foldable bikes and PMDs in the assigned
place. Needless to say, public transport staff must on hand to give
guidance, and once all these proposed measures are put in place, I have every
confidence that there will be minimum disruption; and this car-lite project
might just be successful.
Let us build a social mission culture here in
Singapore where everyone looks out for one another, ensuring that we all live,
work, play and travel in a safe and pleasant environment. This social mission
culture may be a tall order, but if we put our hearts and minds to it, I have
every confidence that it can be done. At the end of the day, helping our
Government to come up with constructive, workable and practical suggestions on
various matters can make this a great country!
Raymond Anthony Fernando
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