How did RL become transport minister if he can't even understand such simple logic? 
More rides ahead for commuters
Government could take lead in adding capacity to public transport system
SINGAPORE - The Government could take the lead in adding greater capacity to the transport system, rather than leaving it solely to the operators.
Speaking at the start of tunnelling work for Downtown Line 2 (DTL2) at the Beauty World Station, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew signalled that there could be a change in the Government's approach.
Said Mr Lui: "My feel is that ... we probably are adding capacity for trains and buses not ahead of demand, maybe not even in tandem with demand. If left to the operators alone, I think they will take a relatively cautious and gradual process."
With the Government's involvement, "we can inject capacity in a very timely fashion - particularly over the next three to four years - before we see the materialisation of Downtown Lines 2 and 3 and future projects", said Mr Lui.
Ramping up the capacity for buses, in particular, is high on his to-do list, as Mr Lui noted that rail projects have "very long" gestation periods, given the complexities involved.
Mr Lui, who took on the portfolio following the unveiling of the new Cabinet less than three weeks ago, pledged that the Government will work more closely with operators to address bottlenecks in the transportation network.
Mr Lui said there could be social costs if the capacity of the public transport system is boosted. A speedy measure to alleviate transportation woes could include empty buses mid-stream on certain routes, said Mr Lui.
Mr Lui, whose frequent journeys on buses and MRT trains had been caught on camera and uploaded on the Internet, recalled that two Fridays ago, he tried to take a bus during the evening peak hour from the PSA Building.
A very crowded double-decker went by. The next bus, a single-decker, was also very crowded, and he could not board.
"I decided ... to go to HarbourFront, took the North-East Line, went to Dhoby Ghaut, took the Circle Line and reached Dakota where I wanted to go to," he said.
Mr Lui also suggested that more extensive data mining from ez-link cards, so that commuters can know if a bus is full or whether seats are available.
"As a commuter, I would want to know when the bus is coming ... if I can get onto the bus, and whether I can find a seat. We will work with the operators and find ways to make this information available and then you can make a more informed decision," he said.
Mr Lui also disclosed that the public transport operators have yet to submit any proposals for an increase in fares.
The Public Transport Council has said earlier that adjustments, if any, will come into effect at a later date - to coincide with the opening of the last stage of the Circle Line this October.
More rides ahead for commuters
Government could take lead in adding capacity to public transport system
SINGAPORE - The Government could take the lead in adding greater capacity to the transport system, rather than leaving it solely to the operators.
Speaking at the start of tunnelling work for Downtown Line 2 (DTL2) at the Beauty World Station, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew signalled that there could be a change in the Government's approach.
Said Mr Lui: "My feel is that ... we probably are adding capacity for trains and buses not ahead of demand, maybe not even in tandem with demand. If left to the operators alone, I think they will take a relatively cautious and gradual process."
With the Government's involvement, "we can inject capacity in a very timely fashion - particularly over the next three to four years - before we see the materialisation of Downtown Lines 2 and 3 and future projects", said Mr Lui.
Ramping up the capacity for buses, in particular, is high on his to-do list, as Mr Lui noted that rail projects have "very long" gestation periods, given the complexities involved.
Mr Lui, who took on the portfolio following the unveiling of the new Cabinet less than three weeks ago, pledged that the Government will work more closely with operators to address bottlenecks in the transportation network.
Mr Lui said there could be social costs if the capacity of the public transport system is boosted. A speedy measure to alleviate transportation woes could include empty buses mid-stream on certain routes, said Mr Lui.
Mr Lui, whose frequent journeys on buses and MRT trains had been caught on camera and uploaded on the Internet, recalled that two Fridays ago, he tried to take a bus during the evening peak hour from the PSA Building.
A very crowded double-decker went by. The next bus, a single-decker, was also very crowded, and he could not board.
"I decided ... to go to HarbourFront, took the North-East Line, went to Dhoby Ghaut, took the Circle Line and reached Dakota where I wanted to go to," he said.
Mr Lui also suggested that more extensive data mining from ez-link cards, so that commuters can know if a bus is full or whether seats are available.
"As a commuter, I would want to know when the bus is coming ... if I can get onto the bus, and whether I can find a seat. We will work with the operators and find ways to make this information available and then you can make a more informed decision," he said.
Mr Lui also disclosed that the public transport operators have yet to submit any proposals for an increase in fares.
The Public Transport Council has said earlier that adjustments, if any, will come into effect at a later date - to coincide with the opening of the last stage of the Circle Line this October.
