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SINGAPORE: The Workers' Party (WP) on Tuesday reiterated its call for a National Transport Corporation to "oversee and provide universal transport service to all".
The WP was responding to media queries a day after public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT applied to the Public Transport Council (PTC) for a 2.8-per-cent hike in bus and rail fares. The two operators cited cost pressures such as rising manpower and fuel prices.
WP pointed out that it had, in its 2006 and 2011 manifestos, "called for the MRT and public buses servicing major trunk and inter-town routes to be brought under a National Transport Corporation". It added that the entity "should not be profit-oriented but should aim to provide public transportation services on the basis of cost and depreciation recovery".
The WP said: "This would avoid a situation like we have seen (on Monday) where, despite earning profits of S$215.4 million last year, the two public transport operators are still applying for what threatens to be the single biggest fare increase to hit commuters in recent years." The Opposition party noted that its proposal "would not necessarily mean higher subsidies or a loss-making endeavour".
The WP added: "If competently run, the corporation could reduce costs associated with the duplication of functions and roles.
"We have seen many examples of efficiently run publicly-run service providers in Singapore in the past. It is a fallacy to think that the two public transport operators today represent genuine competition which imposes market discipline that ensures efficiency and good performance."
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SINGAPORE: The Workers' Party (WP) on Tuesday reiterated its call for a National Transport Corporation to "oversee and provide universal transport service to all".
The WP was responding to media queries a day after public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT applied to the Public Transport Council (PTC) for a 2.8-per-cent hike in bus and rail fares. The two operators cited cost pressures such as rising manpower and fuel prices.
WP pointed out that it had, in its 2006 and 2011 manifestos, "called for the MRT and public buses servicing major trunk and inter-town routes to be brought under a National Transport Corporation". It added that the entity "should not be profit-oriented but should aim to provide public transportation services on the basis of cost and depreciation recovery".
The WP said: "This would avoid a situation like we have seen (on Monday) where, despite earning profits of S$215.4 million last year, the two public transport operators are still applying for what threatens to be the single biggest fare increase to hit commuters in recent years." The Opposition party noted that its proposal "would not necessarily mean higher subsidies or a loss-making endeavour".
The WP added: "If competently run, the corporation could reduce costs associated with the duplication of functions and roles.
"We have seen many examples of efficiently run publicly-run service providers in Singapore in the past. It is a fallacy to think that the two public transport operators today represent genuine competition which imposes market discipline that ensures efficiency and good performance."
