HEAD W - MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

Sitting resumed at 3.50 pm

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]:

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]: Debate in Committee of Supply resumed.

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[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Head W – Ministry of Transport

Public transport system

Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang): Mr Chairman, Sir, I beg to move,

That the total sum to be allocated for Head W of the Estimates be reduced by $100.

Over the past one year, if there is any radio or TV talk shows regarding public transport, it will attract a large number of public tuning it. The common themes of these shows are regarding congestions, long waiting times and, basically, the aspirations of the public to see a cheaper, better and faster public transport.

Since the release of the Land Transport Masterplan in 2008, there have been many new measures introduced to further improve our public transport system. How successful have these public transport improvement measures been? What more is the Ministry doing to address the crowding and congestions during the peak hours on our trains?

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One resident recently told me that he has to go to the MRT station earlier now compared to one or two years ago, as the congestion means that he will not be able to board the first train. He has to wait usually for the second or third train before he can board. What is the Ministry doing to address the crowding on trains? I understand that if all passengers take the train at the same time, there is no way we can avoid congestion as we cannot build a rail system to accommodate such a demand. What can the Ministry do to spread out this peak in demand on our current system so that we can comfortably handle the workload while waiting for the rail network to double in 10 years' time? The current high COE prices will also mean many will be sticking to public transport and some motorists will be switching to public transport. Will that not further increase the demand for public transport and increase our congestion?

There were some suggestions to improve the current passenger flow in our MRT trains so that the movement of passengers can be more streamlined and hastened, such as designated doors – one door in, one door out. There are also calls for additional carriages at the end of the train to increase the capacity. But the last carriage will not be able to alight or board passengers. Passengers got to walk to the next carriage in order to get off the train because the current MRT platforms are not designated to accommodate further increase in carriages.

I have previously called for an introduction of off-peak discount in MRT fares so as to encourage those who may not need to travel during the peak hours to do so during the off-peak hours. This will spread out the demand. I hope this suggestion can be further explored.

As the MRT network expands with the completion and opening of the Circle Line this year, we can expect more to have

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access to this MRT network and system. Our MRT passenger load will hit new highs. Many are concerned that our current load capacity along current lines are already hitting the maximum. How can the current lines take on more passengers from the new lines?

We all know that MRT projects have a long gestation period. It takes many years to complete a line and ramp up the capacity. There is a gap between transport infrastructural development and public transport demand. This gap can only be filled up quickly by the buses. What are the improvements made to our public bus system since the release of the Land Transport Masterplan? Can the Ministry provide an upate on the LTA’s new role as the central bus planner? How many new lines have been added? How many bus routes were changed? How does the Ministry decide on the route changes? How are our commuters benefiting from these changes? How much bus capacity has increased since 2008 and how much more can we expect to see in the coming years? I know there are many questions.

The introduction of the bus lanes has certainly increased the speed of our public buses. It is not uncommon for motorists to see congested roads and a relatively empty bus lane. Perhaps we should ramp up the number of buses on the road using the bus lanes fully. The buses can be a good alternative to congested MRT trains and it can relieve the congestion we see today in our public transport system. I urged the Ministry to ramp up the bus numbers and capacity immediately to address the current congestion.

It is right that the Ministry has introduced initiatives to improve the integration of the public transport network. The distance-based fare system has provided a seamless fare system but it is confusing to commuters as different

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MRT lines impose different charges. I hope the fares can be harmonised and simplified in the future for easy understanding by the commuters. It would be good if the rail system and bus system complement one another. Have there been improvements in the planning and coordination between the bus and rail networks? What has been done to improve the dissemination of information to commuters for them to make better journey decisions?

Many commuters gave feedback regarding the long waiting time for public transport. The waiting time is a function of what time a commuter arrives at the bus stop or the MRT station and the time taken for the bus or MRT to arrive. When I was in the United States for my fellowship, the public bus frequency was terrible in the area I stayed. The buses came once an hour but my waiting time was short. The reason is simple. They came on time. As long as I reach the designated bus stop a few minutes before the designated time, my waiting time is short. Currently, bus frequencies are at five-minute, 10-minute or 15-minute intervals. It is useless if the timing is not accurate. I hope the authorities can look into how to improve the scheduling system.

The installation of electronic boards to announce the estimated arrival time of buses is a wonderful improvement that is welcomed by most commuters. The commuters need not stick out their necks every time a bus approaches to check. They can rest at the bus stop until their bus is nearing the stop. I hope this will be a standard feature of our public transport system as all buses are already tracked using GPS and their estimated arrival time at a certain bus stop can be reliably predicted based on the prevailing traffic conditions. I hope the Ministry can implement these electronic boards at more

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bus stops soon. I certainly welcome the Ministry to start at all bus stops – first at the bus stops and interchange at Nee Soon and Sembawang town.

It has been more than six months since distance-based fare was introduced. Despite the initial misunderstandings and hiccups, we are getting used to the system. I know the data provided by the Ministry to this House earlier showed that more commuters benefited from the distance-based fares, and these include the elderly too. Can the Ministry show the House the latest data after eight months of implementation? Do we have a more robust system today? Have we rectified all the dataset errors and refunded the overcharges?

I would like to propose three paradigm shifts to our approach to public transport. Instead of managing the supply of public transport, we should consider managing the demand. I have mentioned previously that if everyone wants to use the roads and public transport at the same time, we will never have enough capacity to accommodate everyone. Although it is important to ramp up our supply and increase our public transport capacity to handle the peak hours demand, perhaps the Government can also look at how to reduce the demand for peak-hour traffic. We can look at current demand for public transport, education and work purposes such as medical appointments. Can the schools and educational institutions stagger their opening and closing times so not all the schools start at the same time?

The second paradigm shift is to consider taxis as public transport. I know the Ministry has maintained the position that taxis fall under private transport, hence they are treated as such. I propose that MOT do a review on taxis and see how taxis can be more effectively used to bridge the gap. I would like to make a plea

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on behalf of taxi drivers for the Government to consider reducing the ERP charges payable by taxis and also allowing taxis to use the relatively under-utilised dedicated bus lanes. I hope we can streamline or do away with our confusing taxi surcharges that in my opinion have resulted in much undesired effects and confusion to our commuters and sometimes our overseas visitors.

The third paradigm shift is that of cycling as a mode of public transport.

The Government’s position on cycling is still not clear. Some towns, such as Tampines, are called "cycling towns" and cyclists are allowed to cycle on pedestrian's walkways, while others, like Sembawang, have dedicated cycling lanes. We all know that it is unlawful to cycle on the pedestrian's walkways but the law is seldom enforced against the violators.

4.00 pm

A long time ago, I remember that there was a bicycle licensing scheme. Cyclists need to register and get a licence plate for their bikes. Perhaps, we should now re-look and bring back the licensing scheme. Bicycles are unlike other vehicles on the road. Cyclists who are licensed can then cycle on public roads. They should pass a test on traffic rules and safe cycling, and there should be strict enforcement on them if they violate the law.

In conclusion, being a small and compact urban city state, Singapore is, in many ways, a model nation for urban transportation in the world. We have 3,356 kilometres of roads, 150 kilometres of rail and a world-class air and sea transport hub serving five million people. Certainly, I hope that our public transport can be cheaper, better and faster.

Central bus planner

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Marine Parade): Sir, great

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expectations have built up since it was announced that the LTA would take over the role of Central Bus Planner.

In the past, my resident's perception on the ground was that the transport operators were only interested in commercial factors when planning bus routes. Many of our appeals for refinement in the bus routes were turned down due to them being commercially not viable. However, hopes appeared for better bus services after the announcement that LTA would take over the Central Bus Planner’s role.

The LTA staff came a few times to my constituency and engaged my grassroots leaders and I. In the last Committee of Supply debate, I mentioned that we were touched and looked forward to improvements in the transport services in my area.

I would like to ask the Minister to update the House on the status on the Central Bus Planner. While not many refinements have been made in my ward, what improvements have been introduced in other parts of Singapore? How are our commuters benefiting from this process?

Intergration of public transport network

Mr Seah Kian Peng: Sir, we have all noticed over the past five years that the much respected Singapore way of dealing with traffic jams has been replicated in China and in the United Kingdom. This is a sign that others have observed what we have done, and they think it will work in their country.

The truth, however, is that it may not be working as well as we have thought. Everyone that I have spoken to all say that the roads are getting more crowded these days. A poll on my Facebook, which I have just set up a few days ago, reiterated this view.

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Sir, Singapore has, over the years, thought of many ways to improve the use of land. Our masters measure every last inch to extract multiple uses out of our tiny space. Yet, roads are the ones which are immovable. So we have to get fewer cars on the road and more people onto trains and buses.

Sir, to get fewer cars onto the roads, I suggest that one family be limited to one car. The second and subsequent cars must attract a higher COE. We have used the price mechanism in the past to successfully curb car ownership. There is no reason why this should not work. If a family is rich enough to afford two cars, when the majority of Singaporeans take public transport, then surely they are rich enough to pay a little more for it. The third car, needless to say, ought to attract an even higher COE. Sir, I suggest a 30% increase for the second car owned by one household, and a 50% increase for the third and subsequent cars.

I move on to the integration of the public transport network, which is an integral part of a slew of solutions to our land transport issues. I hope the Minister can address the following: have there been improvements in the planning and coordination between the bus and rail networks? What has been done to improve the dissemination of information to commuters for them to make better journey decisions? Has the introduction of distance fares improved the overall integration of our public transport network? Are our commuters really benefiting from distance fares? Or have the profits accrued more to the private companies? Finally, do we have a robust system in place to ensure that there are no further errors in the system?

The Chairman: Mr Ong Kian Min, take your two cuts together, please.

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Public transport

Mr Ong Kian Min (Tampines): Sir, as COE prices climb higher, new ERP gantries appear, and the cheapest petrol costs more than $2 a litre, more and more people are pushed towards taking public transport. How is our public transport system coping? Commuters can look forward to some exciting and life-style changing developments in the rail network. Step by step, we are building a Mass Rapid Transit System that will bring more speed and more convenience to our daily commutes.

Meanwhile, though, in the present, complaints of overcrowding in MRT carriages abound. This is not surprising as, in the last 10 years, more residents have been travelling to work by train only, or by train plus another mode of transport, while the number taking only public buses to work has dropped. How overcrowding is defined is a contentious issue between train passengers and the authorities. Being told that the peak loading levels are within acceptable standards only aggravates passengers who at peak hours are either packed shoulder to shoulder with other passengers in the train or who have to wait for another less crowded train to arrive. As for the standards of 1,600 passengers per train or standing space of five persons per square metre, I can appreciate that the wearing of light tropical clothing perhaps necessitates more personal space for each passenger, as commuters here do not have the protection of thick coats to buffer them against another warm and maybe even sweaty human body.

Until the MRT system expands and is able to absorb its commuters more efficiently, we have to depend more heavily in the near future on our bus services in order to alleviate the overcrowding situation in the MRT. Thus, we should ensure that buses are a viable

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alternative to trains. For this to happen, buses have to take passengers from point A to point B in as close a time as possible to the time taken if travelling by train.

Speed is one issue. I would like to ask how the Mandatory Give Way to Buses Scheme has improved the speed and reliability of bus services. Another issue that affects bus services is predictability. The closer buses can keep to schedules and the easier it is for the commuters to check on the schedule, the more likely it is that commuters will take the bus.

Sir, moving on to taxis. There have been recent complaints that it is difficult to, firstly, secure call bookings and, secondly, get a cab on Sunday evenings. In the case of call bookings, there are complaints of not getting through to the operator after repeated calls or being told after getting through at last that the taxi number would be sent by SMS, but instead of a taxi number, the frustrating message to the caller is that no taxi is available. Is this difficulty to get a cab due to higher demand because of the healthy economy, an increase in the number of tourists or a recent scheme that allows cabbies to reject call bookings at their discretion?

Regarding the difficulty of getting cabs even on quiet Sunday nights, one cabby was reported to have said that this was due to taxi drivers preferring to be home with their families on Sunday nights. I would like to ask what steps the LTA would take to raise our taxi service standards.

North-South Expressway – traffic management

Sir, moving on, earlier last month, in response to Er Lee Bee Wah's question on why certain segments of the North-South Expressway (NSE) are not designed as a full tunnel, the Minister stated that large ventilation buildings requiring 15,000

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square metres of land would have to be built to ventilate full tunnels.

I am not an engineer by training, so I went back to read up on tunnels. The proposed NSE will not be the longest tunnel in the world by a long shot. There are many existing tunnels in other countries which are much longer. The Gotthard Road Tunnel in Switzerland is 16.9 kilometres long and the Arlberg Road Tunnel is 13.9 kilometres long, both running deep below the Alps. Yet, I do not think that one can find any sizeable ventilation buildings on the slopes of the Alps. As a layman, I am curious how these tunnels are ventilated. Has our Ministry explored other options for ventilation? What kind of ventilation standards and technology will we be adopting for the NSE? Also, if the semi-tunnels are covered to form full tunnels, would that not free up more land space above that can be used for other purposes? I hope the Minister can enlighten me.

Sir, on traffic management, LTA has installed many CCTV cameras along our roads and junctions to monitor traffic flow and detect problem areas on the roads. However, on our radio, we still hear DJs reporting on the daily traffic situation from time to time based on calls received from listeners. I wonder if there is a more systematic way for LTA to inform and update our radio stations of road congestions. Also, if an incident were to happen, how quickly can LTA respond to clear the congestion on the road?

ERP gantries

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, the collection of revenue from ERP gantries is way above the total amount of revenue lost by the Government from the exemption of household TV and radio licences. I would urge the Government to review and reduce the charges at ERP gantries for vehicles entering the ERP zones. The

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reduction of these entry fees will greatly help to reduce commuters' costs for those who need to enter the ERP zones many times during the day, especially salesmen and housewives who have to ferry their children to and from schools. I would urge the Government to review and reduce the amount of ERP charges at the gantry points.

Taxi operator licence

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang): ( In Mandarin ): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A.] Sir, in 2003, LTA stipulated that a new taxi company must have 100 taxis in the first year of being issued a licence, and it must increase its fleet to 400 within four years. LTA's purpose is to ensure economy of scale and a good service standard. This measure was designed to lower the unit cost of new taxi companies as well as their long-term average cost by increasing output. This would be a win-win situation for both the commuters and the taxi companies. Taxi companies will be able to manage their business effectively and improve their service standard and reputation. The liberalisation of the taxi market will also enable commuters to get 'high end' service with a reasonable price.

Hence, I was puzzled when I read a recent report that LTA intends to drastically raise the requirements for a taxi operating licence. Taxi operators will need to have 400 taxis in the first year of being issued a licence, and increase to 1,000 within four years. This will have a great impact on smaller taxi firms that might go out of business, resulting in a monopoly in the end.

Will this reduce the choice of taxi drivers and the checks and balances in the taxi market? For commuters, will this lead to fare increase and extra transport cost?

I would like to ask the Minister for Transport the following three questions:

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(i) Why would LTA raise the requirements for a taxi operating licence?

(ii) Will this policy have a negative impact on commuters? and

(iii) Does LTA have any measures to make sure that the market will remain open and have sufficient checks and balances after the implementation of this new policy?

Taxi services

Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Sir, there are seven taxi companies and 29 types of taxis in Singapore. The basic fare structure is not hard to grasp. There is a flag-down rate, beginning just from $2.80 to $5.00, depending on the type of taxi, and increments per distance or waiting time. However, many extra charges and fees apply which make calculating the final fare confusing, eg, there may be a location surcharge, which is a flat rate if you board or alight at certain locations. There is also a night surcharge of 50% between 12.00 midnight and 6.00 am; a peak surcharge of 35% which is from 7.00 am to 9.30 am and 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm, but which is not applicable on Sundays and public holidays; and a public holiday surcharge of $1.00. Is there no way to keep the fare structure simple? This will benefit residents and tourists alike. Does the Ministry have any plans to better inform users of the fare structure?

Second, should we not encourage the use of technology for taxi bookings? Today, almost everyone owns a mobile phone. It would be a better use of resources for taxi companies to encourage phone bookings, instead of driving around looking for passengers. Phone bookings will help match supply to demand. This will help taxi drivers save costs and time.

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It will also be more convenient for passengers. However, the current booking fees are a deterrent. The booking fee for peak hours is $3.50; non-peak hours is $2.50 and advance booking fee is $5.20.

Booking fees also make it more difficult to flag down taxis in certain locations, especially during peak hours. Since the demand for taxis in these locations is high, taxi drivers would rather wait for a call to benefit from the booking fee. Although this problem has been alleviated by the location surcharge, it is still counter-intuitive. Could the fare structure not be revised to encourage the use of mobile phones and other technology to make the system more efficient? And, finally, does the Minister also have any plans to further raise the standards of taxi services, including allowing the public better access to infomation on service performance of the different taxi companies?

4.15 pm

The Chairman: Mr Seng Han Thong, please take all the three cuts together.

Taxi service standards and fare structure

Mr Seng Han Thong (Yio Chu Kang): Sir, some taxi commuters, both locals and visitors, may find the taxi fare structure in Singapore complicated and difficult to understand. Ideally, commuters can quickly decide where, when and how they will get a taxi based on how much they are expected to pay. Can the Ministry look into ways to enhance the public transport information for commuters on taxi-meter fare, especially at locations where demand for taxi services is high?

We should help the commuters drive service improvements among taxi service providers by getting them to choose the better service providers. Can the Ministry look into ways to inform commuters on

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the quality of the taxi services provided by the taxi companies based on a regular and independent mystery customer service experience audit?

Taxi fleet

Sir, there are more than 26,000 fleet of taxis in Singapore. We have one of the highest ratio of taxi to population in the world. For every 1,000, we are served by 4.8 taxis, compared to London, three; Shanghai, three; New York, 1.4; Sydney, 1.1; and Hong Kong, 2.6. Despite this high ratio, we still receive complaints from commuters that they cannot get a taxi when they need one most. Taxi companies should not only focus on putting more taxis on the road. They should focus more on matching the demand for taxi services. This will improve the income of the taxi drivers and the overall service experience of the taxi commuters in getting a taxi. Can the Ministry clarify how the LTA's proposed enhancements to the QoS for all taxi companies will improve the matching of supply and demand for taxi services?

Taxi fare

Sir, like many Singaporeans, taxi drivers face the problem of rising cost of living. Their business costs also increase significantly, due to the spike in fuel prices and higher taxi rental. Unlike the fares of public buses and MRT, taxi companies are free to set taxi fares and taxi drivers must charge accordingly. Can the Ministry clarify if there are any guidelines on the process of setting taxi fares such that the stakeholders will not be seen to be infringing the Competition Act? Will the Ministry consider reviewing the current process of allowing taxi companies to set their own taxi fares, so that the Public Transport Council can be more effective in protecting the interests of the public commuters whom they serve?

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Ageing population

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, as a Singaporean, I am very pleased to note that our Government is preparing for an ageing population for the various aspects of our life.

Transport is certainly an important need for us here in Singapore. Living within a small city-state, we need to ensure that our transport planning meets the needs of the various segments of the society. Among the many segments, the elderly society is continuing making its presence felt in Singapore day after day and year after year. For example, in my ward, more than 30% of the population in both the Chai Chee and Bedok North estates are 50 years and older. I am aware that the number of elderly is higher in other divisions.

The usual feedback that I received from my residents is whether our current transport planning parameters cater to the needs of an ageing society. I understand that refinements have been made to the transport mode itself, such as the bus, as well as the ancillary facilities such as the installation of lifts at MRT stations and barrier-free access at bus stops to allow ease of access for the commuters, particularly, the elderly. However, I have received feedback that further refinements can be made in the way we plan bus routes for inter-estate or trunk travel to cater to the needs of the elderly.

I observe that a segment of the elderly like to shop at the neighbourhood centres where they live, or neighbourhood centres in the next estate or town. For example, in my ward, the markets at Bedok 538 and 511 are popular among residents in the neighbouring estates and neighbourhoods, such as Chai Chee and other parts of Bedok. Many of these residents need to make a longer trip to the Bedok Interchange and make a transfer to

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another bus service to these markets, making their trip longer and very inconvenient. Residents in Chai Chee could shorten the trip by making a long walk to another bus stop. However, this may be too straining for the elderly. Thus, I have received numerous feedback from residents that they are concerned that our current transport system is still unable to cater to the needs of the ageing society.

I would like to ask the Minister how has our transport system been refined to meet the needs of the elderly and the less mobile. Is the current transport model relevant to the needs of an ageing population? How much have been done to reflect these needs?

Elderly and transportation

Mr Wee Siew Kim (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, for the elderly, mobility is key to active living. Convenient access to public transportation goes a long way to maintaining a good quality of life, going places and visiting friends. The sense of independence enriches the general well-being of a person.

Over the years, as I interact with older residents, I notice that their mobility suffers curtailment and impairment one year worse than the year before. One recent situation that arose out of the re-routing of bus service 315 brought home starkly the considerations of the elderly that a younger able-bodied person may not instinctively appreciate. On this issue of bus service 315, a group of some 20-plus senior citizens were affected by the change. Having to walk some additional 300 metres to a bus stop poses a significant challenge for them. They have to walk across a precinct, negotiating steps and slopes along the way. Although the re-routing probably makes sense as the boarding numbers clearly indicated increased benefits to a larger

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group of commuters, however, we cannot ignore the plight of the elderly who has been inconvenienced. We can always make further refinements to the bus routes. Or is there a different approach to solving their problem? For example, for a specific group of elderly, is providing them with taxi vouchers a more cost-effective approach? Taxis would provide point-to-point transportation. We do not need to incur infrastructural and investment costs to have comprehensive and extensive wheelchair-accessibility for buses at bus stops. Neither do we need to go at breakneck speed to acquire low floorboard buses. I seek the Minister's consideration of the suggestion to look into the plight of the elderly who are facing difficulties getting to and boarding the various modes of public transportation.

Lifts at passenger overhead bridge near MRT stations

Er Lee Bee Wah: ( In Mandarin ): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A.] We all know that with each turn of the calendar, all of us are growing older. There is no turning back the clock. Even the best aesthetic surgeon cannot do it. What do we do then? We change our employment policy. We encourage older people to work. For those who have retired completely, we try to help them lead active lives. We organise activities. Doing all these require more than just a change in policy. There must be a coordinated effort so that our intentions can be implemented in an effective and realistic way. Hence, we have barrier-free access in our housing estates, in the city and in shopping malls. This is good but more can be done.

We see so many people, men and women, ambling, or being assisted by walking sticks and even umbrellas. Most are older but some are in their 50s only. It is well known that weak joints and arthritis are common among old people. Osteoporosis usually affects women who

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are over 50, but men are not spared. According to information from the Health Promotion Board, women are more prone to osteoporosis as they can lose up to 20% of their bone mass in the five to seven years after menopause. A Straits Times' report noted that in 1998, 1,300 people in Singapore fractured their hips. By 2050, the number of hip fractures is expected to hit 9,000 annually. The International Osteoporosis Foundation said the rate of osteoporosis in Singapore is approaching those of Western countries.

I hope these numbers will persuade the Minister to reconsider installing lifts at overhead pedestrian bridges that are linked to the MRT stations. My heart aches whenever I see elderly residents limp up the long flight of stairs at Khatib pedestrian overhead bridge. This is the fourth time I raise this issue in Parliament. I urge the Minister to give priority to this matter. I hope that after a very long wait, the lifts will eventually come!

Barrier-free access

Mr Hri Kumar Nair: Sir, for the last 20 years, we have had a Code of Barrier-Free Accessibility for Buildings. The designs of our buildings have come a long way since then. Accessibility for wheelchair users has now become a standard feature in our new buildings. It has also become more common to see wheelchair users moving about freely on their own, with their friends and family. Such measures benefit both the disabled as well as the elderly. However, making new buildings barrier-friendly is of little use if the disabled and elderly cannot get to them in the first place. The challenge is to make the existing road and transport infrastructure, such as overhead bridges and pedestrian walkways, barrier-free as well.

The issue of upgrading overhead bridges, in particular, has been raised a number of times in this House. The need

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is particularly acute for bridges where it is not possible to build ramps and where the nearest signalised crossing is some distance away. Such bridges are practically impossible for the elderly and the disabled to use. The result is that they take a chance and they jaywalk, sometimes with tragic results. I think one can make the reasonable argument that overhead bridges make for smoother traffic, and we cannot have signalised crossings at too regular an interval. But as with most issues, there are compromises to be struck, this time, between pedestrians and drivers. As our society ages, should that line not lean towards the pedestrians? Could the Minister share with us his plans to make our roads, walkways and crossings barrier-free? Will overhead bridges be gradually phased out in favour of more signalised crossings? And, in particular, what would the Ministry do about bridges where it is not possible to build ramps? Finally, if the Ministry needs to do a pilot project, may I suggest the overhead bridge outside Thomson Plaza, which I think will provide a perfect opportunity to test any new measures that it may have.

Mr Charles Chong (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Sir, I am delighted to hear that the Ministry of Transport may be considering whether lifts can be retrofitted to some pedestrian overhead bridges. In view of our ageing population and our efforts to encourage families to have more children, providing lifts and escalators at pedestrian overhead bridges, wherever appropriate, would be of great help to our senior citizens, the handicapped and parents with young infants. I would, therefore, like to support the calls made by Er Lee Bee Wah and Mr Hri Kumar who spoke before me on the installation of lifts or escalators at overhead bridges.

Sir, I would also like to take this opportunity to bring to the Minister's attention of an overhead bridge in my

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constituency. This overhead bridge across Sengkang East Way connects Compass Point where Sengkang MRT station is located to Compassvale Gardens precinct near Blocks 257C and 260A. This overhead bridge has an escalator going up, which is of great help to users who have difficulty climbing steps. However, after bringing these people to the top of the overhead bridge and getting across the overhead bridge, they find that there is no escalator or lift to bring them down, except for a steep staircase. Could the Minister consider rectifying this situation as soon as possible?

Encroachment of public walkways

Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef: Mr Chairman, throughout Singapore there are many small and medium-sized commercial properties dealing with a variety of products and services. They add to the uniqueness and characteristics of our different areas. Many of these premises have made it a habit to have their products showcased and spilled over onto pedestrian walkways and pavements fronting their units. This causes obstruction in a variety of ways and especially to the human traffic. Having barrier-free access ramps and tactile sensors for the elderly and visually-handicapped now become redundant as they are overwhelmed and often covered by these products.

To make matters worse, often the positioning and arrangement of these products can be an eyesore. Enforcement is being carried out intermittently and has proven to be a cat-and-mouse game between the authorities and the premise owners.

Can we work out some formal guidelines and systematic enforcement at the national level with the aim towards a cleaner, organised and more structured walkway?

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4.30 pm

National Cycling Plan

Mr Ong Kian Min: Sir, the National Cycling Plan cannot be more welcome in an era where we are ever more conscious of playing our part in keeping our environment clean and green, and when people live longer and need to stay fit to better enjoy their silver years.

Construction works for cycling paths are being carried out in many parts of Singapore. As these dedicated off-road intra-town cycling paths will facilitate convenient cycling to and from homes, workplaces, local amenities and transport nodes, I am confident that the new cycling infrastructure will attract greater usage of the bicycle as a supplemental mode of transport.

The first phase of cycling paths in Tampines Town was launched in 2010, and the Taman Jurong Cycling Path has just been opened earlier this year. May I know what is the detailed progress on the implementation of other sections under the National Cycling Plan? Have there been lessons learnt in the design and usage of the cycling paths and their integration with the end points of home, workplace, town facilities and transport nodes?

Recently, I read in the Straits Times that Jakarta has designated two Sundays a month as Car-Free Days and the number of cyclists has swelled. The Straits Times' article also mentioned reckless drivers and pot-holed roads which make cycling dangerous. With our new dedicated cycling paths, I am heartened that these dangers are absent in our system and our cyclists may ride their bicycles free of such worries. May I know whether the Ministry has any plans to discourage cyclists from riding on our main roads

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where they may come into conflict with other vehicles?

Besides the provision of dedicated cycling paths, we should ensure that there are sufficient bicycle parking facilities in convenient locations available to support cycling as a serious mode of transport. Without the proper facilities to support the National Cycling Plan, our efforts will not reap full dividends. In Paris, there is a fairly successful urban public bicycle hire system with automated rental terminals located throughout the city. Users hire the bike on a time basis. When the bike is released from its dock, the clock starts ticking. When it is slotted back into its docking bracket at the destination, the clock stops. I notice that one major weakness of the system is that there is always a physical limit on the number of parking slots. When the slots are full at popular destinations, one has to go through the time and hassle of looking around for another location with available slots to return the bicycle.

In order for our system to work, we should foresee and look out for glitches that will compromise its efficiency. In this respect, may I know if the Ministry has plans to provide more bicycle parking facilities at the key end points of the cycling paths and whether these will be as conveniently located as possible to amenities and public transport nodes?

Bicycle licensing

Mr Ang Mong Seng (Hong Kah): ( In Mandarin ): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A.] According to LTA's regulation, all motorised vehicles such as lorries, buses, cars and motorcycles must have insurance and a proper licence to ensure the safety of the driver and other road users. However, motorised bicycles are not required to have a licence and insurance. Who will be responsible then in the event of an accident?

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In January this year, there were four accidents involving bicycles within two weeks, causing three deaths and one injury: on 4th January, a Major was hit while riding a bicycle and died; on 6th January, a motorised bicycle collided with a bicycle causing one dead and one injured; on 8th January, an ex-national cyclist was hit on the way to work and died; and on 13th January, a school bus hit a bicycle and the rider was injured.

During the 2009 Budget debate, I suggested that the Government step up the regulation on using bicycles. I would like to ask the Minister: first, how many Singaporeans have lost their life in bicycle accidents in the past two years? Second, does LTA have any new plans to regulate the usage of bicycles, especially motorised bicycles?

The Minister for Transport (Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat): Sir, I thank Members for their comments and suggestions, and will address the key ones on public transport.

Our aim is to build a land transport system that puts the needs of the people at the centre. Improving our public transport system is a critical part of this as most Singaporeans rely on the bus or train as their principal means of transport. This is why we are doing everything possible to improve our rail system, our bus system, and to ensure that all the pieces of our public transport system fit together, with the commuter as our focus.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak has asked if these public transport improvement measures have been successful. To ensure that we have an accurate sense of how our public transport system is serving commuters, LTA has commissioned a Public Transport Customer Satisfaction Survey every year since 2006. The results by SIM University (UniSIM) for 2010 showed that overall satisfaction with our public transport services has remained high, at above 90%, despite the increased ridership on the public transport system.

*Cols. 4315-4316.

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Late last year, the Straits Times conducted its own independent straw poll to find out how commuters felt about our bus services. More than 80% gave it a thumbs-up. In addition, six in 10 commuters interviewed felt that bus services had improved in the last two years. More recently, the travel and lifestyle website CNNGo , labelled Singapore as one of the "coolest" countries in the world. The Straits Times subsequently asked some 200 Singaporeans to list some of the things that they thought made Singapore "cool". The outcome? "Good transport system" topped the list, ahead of "Food" at number three and "Shopping" at number five.

While we are very mindful that the implementation of the Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) is very much a work-in-progress, such survey results affirm that we are heading in the right direction. We will do more to improve our public transport system. These surveys help us to identify what matters most to commuters so that we can focus our efforts on them.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Mr Ong Kian Min have pointed out that our trains and buses are crowded. We have been proactively working with the public transport operators on several measures that will bring relief to our commuters. First, by growing our rail capacity aggressively. Second, pushing hard to improve our bus services on multiple fronts, from faster travel time to better information. And, third, paying close attention to details to ensure that the transport system is seamlessly integrated, for the benefit of the commuter.

First, improving our rail capacity. For this year, commuters can look forward to the following: Shorter waiting times. Starting this Sunday (13th March 2011), SMRT will increase train services by

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adding another 420 train trips per week. About a week later, SBS Transit (SBST) will start adding another 170 train trips per week during the morning and evening peaks, as well as off-peak hours. In May, we will open the new platform at Jurong East Station and remove the bottleneck there. This will allow SMRT to run more trains during the peak hours on the North-South-East-West Lines (NSEWL). Together, these improvements mean that trains will come at higher frequencies. Commuters therefore will have shorter waits to board the trains, and enjoy more comfortable journeys overall.

The Minister for Transport (Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat): We are also monitoring the passenger loads at Sengkang LRT. SBST will add one more train to Sengkang East in May, to alleviate crowding during the morning peak. As a result, the morning peak capacity on the Sengkang East LRT will increase by 14%. SBST will also run the Punggol LRT East Loop in both directions throughout the day from June 2011. This will result in improved travel times, as commuters will have a choice of either direction of travel on the Punggol East LRT.

There is more good news for commuters. In the past, SMRT and SBST ran extended last train services to 2.00 am on the eves of three holidays – Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. Both public transport operators will henceforth extend the last train to 12.30 am at city stations on the eves of all other public holidays as well.

Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef has, on several occasions, asked about the plans to open Woodleigh Station on the NEL. Woodleigh Station has remained closed since the NEL began operations in 2003 because of low commuter traffic in the vicinity. The pace of new developments around Woodleigh has since picked up,

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and Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef will be happy to hear that SBST has decided to open the station in June this year. Many commuters, especially those living near Woodleigh Station and also in the Braddell Road and Joo Seng area, will benefit from this.

Like Woodleigh Station, Damai Station on the Punggol LRT was constructed in anticipation of future developments in the area. As there are new developments in the area, SBST has decided to open Damai Station in June this year as well. With the opening of the Damai Station, Punggol East Loop will be fully operational in June.

We are continuing to monitor the loading on both the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) and Sengkang and Punggol LRT systems, and are in the midst of various engineering studies with the operators. To cater for ridership growth on the BPLRT, LTA is working with the operator on the additional trains needed to enhance the capacity of the BPLRT system. We expect to finalise the details by the second half of this year.

This year will also see the opening of a new section of our rail network. We expect Stages 4 and 5 of the Circle Line (CCL) to be operational by October this year. This will enhance accessibility for an estimated 200,000 residents and 120,000 workers who live or work along the section of the line from Marymount to Harbourfront Stations. When fully open, we expect the CCL to help relieve crowding levels on critical stretches of existing MRT lines by about 10%-15%. In addition, some 16 new trains will be delivered for the CCL by 2015, to cater for future ridership growth.

Our longer term plans to expand our current network and increase the rail capacity on the existing lines are also proceeding apace. We would like to assure Dr Lim that we will open the new

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lines in phases, rather than open them when they are fully completed. This approach ensures that commuters will be able to take advantage of the speed and reliability of rail travel earlier.

We will be opening a section of rail every year for the next six years. The Circle Line extension to Marina Bay in 2012, Downtown Line Stage 1 from Bugis to Chinatown in 2013, North South Line extension to Marina Pier in 2014, Downtown Line Stage 2 from Bugis to Bukit Panjang in 2015, the Tuas extension in 2016, and Downtown Line Stage 3 from Chinatown to Singapore Expo in 2017 – a section every year for the next six years.

We will also start major upgrading works for the signalling system for the NSEWL this year. The new signalling system will allow trains to run at intervals of 100 seconds at peak periods, compared to existing intervals of 120 seconds. Commuters will benefit through shorter waiting times. Additional trains will also be bought to reap the full benefits of the upgraded signalling capability. The resignalling works will be completed in phases between 2016 and 2018 and increase capacity by up to 20%.

There are also plans for the NEL to receive around 12 additional new trains in about four to five years' time. The additional trains will cater to the future ridership growth along the north-east corridor from Harbourfront to Punggol. They are expected to increase the capacity for the NEL by up to 50%.

Let me move to our bus services. We are closely monitoring the loading levels and reliability of our bus services. Last year, LTA started a quarterly review process with the public transport operators, to identify heavily-utilised bus services and improve their capacity along

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crowded sectors of the route during the peak periods.

Later today, LTA and the public transport operators will announce the latest round of service improvements. A total of 21 heavily utilised bus services will see improvements, through measures such as deploying higher capacity buses and adjusting scheduled headways. For example, more double deck buses have been deployed for Services 79 and 95 and additional trips will be injected for Service 169 during the evening peak.

4.45 pm

This brings the total number of bus services that have improved since this process started in June 2010 to 51, or one in five bus services. These enhancements allow service levels to be kept above and beyond the standards set by the Public Transport Council. Both operators will continue to identify more bus services that can be improved in the ensuing quarters.

Starting next Monday, SMRT Buses will also introduce a new Express Bus Service 971E. This will offer Bukit Panjang residents an additional travel option to the CBD. Express Bus Service 971E will run from Bukit Panjang to the city during the morning peak hours, with a travel time generally comparable to taking the LRT and MRT.

This is in addition to the Express Service 868 that SMRT Buses implemented recently. Service 868 was introduced under the Parallel Bus Service Scheme and runs from Bukit Batok West Avenue 5 to Temasek Avenue. It has been useful in providing an alternative mode of transport for residents staying along sections of existing MRT lines where there are persistent heavy passenger loads during the morning peak hours.

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Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Mr Ong Kian Min have asked about the speed and reliability of bus services and how bus schedules can be improved. To improve bus journeys, we have given buses greater priority on the roads. Today, we have 155 kilometres and 23 kilometres of normal and full-day bus lanes respectively, and bus journey speeds along these lanes have increased by an average of 7%. For example, bus speeds along Upper Thomson Road have improved by about 20% as a result of the bus lanes, resulting in significant reductions in travel time from Ang Mo Kio to Newton.

We have also expanded the Mandatory-Give-Way-to-Buses Scheme, which imposes mandatory right-of-way for buses leaving bus bays, and has reduced the time buses take to exit bus bays by up to 73%. LTA has implemented this scheme at 202 bus bays islandwide, up from 44 a year ago. LTA will continue to implement this scheme at bus bays that are found to be suitable. This year, the LTA will be commencing a small scale trial to explore different ways of making the signal priority for buses at traffic junctions more effective.

Dr Lim and Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal asked for an update on the central bus planning. Since assuming the role of the Central Bus Planner, LTA has engaged various stakeholders in its bus planning consultation. The reaction to the consultation exercise has generally been positive. Our public consultation with the grassroots and various stakeholders will not stop there but is an ongoing process. LTA will continue to engage the community at various levels through its network of Community Partnership Managers, and progressively implement bus route changes that benefit as many commuters as possible.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal asked how commuters have benefited from the central bus planning. The

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benefits range from providing better connectivity to MRT stations such as Service 410 that was diverted at Shunfu Road to provide greater access to Marymount MRT Station and Shunfu market, to that of making it more convenient for the elderly to access bus services in Marine Terrace by amending Service 76. When interviewed by the Straits Times last year, for instance, 66-year-old retiree Jimmy Yap said that the changes to Service 76 gave him a direct link from Parkway Parade mall to his flat. Mdm Koh Geok Lin also wrote to us to say that the new route "makes it so much easier for elderly people, especially with heavy purchases". LTA will continue to make such improvements to bus services where possible.

To recognise the important role that public buses play in our public transport system, the Government will exempt public omnibuses from Additional Registration Fees (ARF) payable, starting from 10th March 2011. Public omnibuses are already exempted from the Vehicle Quota System but were subjected to a relatively low ARF rate of 5% of the Open Market Value (OMV) of the vehicle. The Government has decided to completely exempt public omnibuses operated by SBST and SMRT Buses from the ARF payable. This will help our public bus operators, as they renew or expand their bus fleets.

In the coming year, SBST and SMRT will bring in about 400 new buses, including high capacity ones like double-deckers. These buses will replace some of their existing bus fleet, and also be injected to improve existing service levels. Commuters can look forward to more comfortable rides on the new buses and improved bus frequencies when they are put into operation.

Improvements to bus services are not the only things that bus commuters can look forward to. LTA will also improve

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existing infrastructure for a better bus commuting experience. In our bus network, some major bus stops act as a transit hub where multiple bus services call and connections to onward journeys can be made. LTA has looked at this and will expand the facilities at some of these to accommodate more buses, reduce bus dwell times and minimise localised congestion. This will mean faster journeys and shorter waiting times for commuters.

This programme was piloted at the bus stop in front of Block 270 at Bukit Panjang. Bus dwell times have been reduced after the bus stop was expanded to allow more buses to pull into the bus bay for passengers to board and alight. The LTA has identified more than 30 existing bus stops that can be upgraded to "bus hubs", including some at Woodlands Centre Road and Commonwealth Avenue West and will be doing so progressively, starting at the end of this year.

Dr Lim and Mr Seah Kian Peng asked about our efforts to improve the integration of our rail network and bus services to achieve seamless, convenient and efficient travel for commuters.

By assuming the role as the central bus planner, LTA is now able to plan the rail, bus and road networks in a more holistic manner. This includes planning for supporting infrastructure such as bus depots, as well as Integrated Transport Hubs, where air-conditioned bus interchanges and MRT stations are co-located with retail and commercial activities to provide added convenience for commuters.

Ten Integrated Transport Hubs were announced in the LTMP. Two new ones, in Serangoon and Clementi, will begin operations in the second half of this year. LTA has planned for more integrated transport hubs to be built in the medium term, in Bukit Panjang, Hougang Central and Yishun.

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Apart from ensuring that the requisite infrastructure is in place, we also want to provide commuters with more information to facilitate their journey decisions. For example, real-time bus arrival information systems have been installed at selected bus stops and will be extended to more bus hubs in the future.

A suite of information portals has been introduced progressively to help commuters to plan their trips better. The PublicTransport@SG portal, which provides public transport information, bus arrival time and bus routes, attracts over 3.5 million page-views a month. The One.Motoring portal, which reported over 12 million page-views a month, provides useful traffic information to motorists.

Last year, LTA went mobile with the portal MyTransport.sg. MyTransport.sg is an aggregation of mobile services under one portal. Commuters can now access transport information like bus routes, or traffic news on their mobile phones, and plan their journeys using different modes of travel to reach their destinations faster. This portal was rated highly by My Paper , and attracts an average of about 500,000 page-views a month.

Dr Lim and Mr Seah have also asked about distance fares. Distance fares is a key component of the integration of our hub-and-spoke public transport network, and allows commuters more choices and greater flexibility in selecting their routes.

Mr Seah asked if distance fares has really benefited commuters. If Members look at what has been happening since the system started to stabilise, I think people see the benefits. Mr Wang Min Sheng, for example, wrote in to Lianhe Zaobao and gave a few examples of his public transport journeys where he enjoyed savings. He also said, "I welcome the move to such a fare system. I am

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confident to say that there are Singaporeans who, like me, have enjoyed savings."

Our latest data for January 2011 supports his view. It also shows that the number of commuters who benefited from distance fares has continued to increase. Overall, 71% of commuters saw weekly fare savings compared to the 63% that was originally projected. And the figure for senior citizens is higher, at 76% in January 2011, compared to the 70% originally projected.

In fact, as the public transport operators (PTOs) pointed out in their recent results announcements, average fare revenues of the public transport operators have fallen since distance fares was introduced. More commuters are making use of the flexibility afforded by distance fares, and optimising their journeys by choosing the best routes to reach their destination.

I would like to assure Members that the fare system is robust. LTA and the public transport operators identified a number of errors in the bus stop distances last year, and these have been rectified.

To ensure the accuracy of the bus stop distance data going forward, the Public Transport Council has put in place a framework requiring bus operators to ensure that bus stop distances are updated regularly. We take these issues seriously, and everything possible has been done to preserve the integrity of the fare system.

Dr Lim has also suggested that we manage demand rather than supply to alleviate crowding on our public transport network. At the planning level, we are already working with land use agencies like URA, to plan for well-distributed employment nodes closer to homes to mitigate the pressure on the public transport network. Minister Mah mentioned

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this last week. More housing units will be injected in the west and in the city to improve the job-worker distribution. Apart from reducing the demand on the transport network, transport capacity in the less crowded direction, such as outwards from the city during the morning peak, can also be better utilised.

On the staggering of operating hours, this is already something that some schools, in close proximity to each other, have implemented in localised areas. A growing number of workplaces, including the Civil Service, have also adopted more flexible office hours for their employees. This allows people to determine what best suits their individual situations and preferences.

However, large-scale adoption is not straightforward as there are several issues to consider, including the potential economic cost of staggered business hours.

Sir, I will now turn to the issues raised by Members on managing road use. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Teo Ser Luck will address the questions on meeting the diverse transport needs of Singaporeans.

Mr Ong Kian Min asked whether other ventilation options were considered in the design of the North South Expressway (NSE). He cited Gotthard and Arlberg Road Tunnels in the Alps in Europe as examples of long road tunnels that do not seem to require large ventilation buildings.

Sir, like the NSE, both the road tunnels that Mr Ong mentioned do need ventilation centres. In fact, the Arlberg Road Tunnel that Mr Ong mentioned is said to have a ventilation shaft that is over 700 metres in height and the deepest in Europe. The difference is that in Singapore, we are a land-constrained and built-up city, whereas those road tunnels are built in the rural regions in the

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Alps. Their ventilation structures may therefore appear less obvious against their backdrop.

For the NSE project, LTA considered various ventilation schemes, including those adopted in Europe. LTA also consulted international tunnel experts with extensive experience building and operating long road tunnels for our earlier projects like the KPE.

The local context and climate were important factors. For example, the NSE will need to carry substantially higher traffic. Our tropical climate also means we need to adopt much more stringent ventilation provisions than tunnels in temperate countries to comply with temperature requirements within the tunnel. So the design that was chosen for the NSE was the one best suited for our local context and climate.

Mr Ong Kian Min also suggested that covering up the semi-tunnels will free up more land space above. However, most of the semi-tunnel will already be constructed underground. Hence, contrary to what he expected, if we covered up the semi-tunnels, we will need to find more land for additional ventilation buildings.

Mr Ong Kian Min asked if there is a systematic way for LTA to disseminate traffic information to our radio stations. LTA has been providing such traffic information on real-time basis to MediaCorp since 1998. Since 2008, LTA has also purchased dedicated air-time on four MediaCorp radio stations to broadcast LTA's traffic information in four languages. As for response time for incidents on the expressways, LTA's traffic marshals would respond on scene within eight to 15 minutes.

Mr Seah Kian Peng suggested that each family be limited to one car. The

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COEs for a family's second and third cars should be priced much higher. The objective is to have fewer cars on our roads. However, such measures do not go to the heart of the issue. The way to have fewer cars on our roads is to limit the overall growth of the vehicle population through the use of quotas, as our COE system does. Furthermore, our system is already progressive. There are separate COE categories for small cars and big cars, so that buyers of small cars and big cars do not bid against each other. The Additional Registration Fee (ARF) and road tax for cars are also set based on the Open Market Value (OMV) and engine capacity respectively. Hence, purchasers of bigger or more expensive cars pay more in ARF and road tax than other buyers.

Our COE system should not be further burdened with having to prejudge which families deserve how many cars. Different families come in different sizes and have different needs. The market mechanism is best left to decide this. We will focus on doing all we can to improve our public transport system and make it a choice mode. This will better meet our transport objectives.

5.00 pm

Mr Chiam See Tong, in his cut, suggested that we waive the ERP charges as has been done in the case of TV and Radio Licences. The ERP charges, Sir, is a not a revenue measure. The ERP charge is a congestion measure: it is to deal with congestion on the roads. It is to help us ensure smooth flowing traffic. By waiving ERP charges, it does not mean that the congestion goes away, it remains there. In fact, when you drive, you get stuck, there is a hidden cost to it. The cost of the fuel spent and the time wasted.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked whether taxis can be accorded lower ERP charges and

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be allowed to travel in bus lanes to ease traffic congestion. ERP charges are meant to help ensure smooth flowing traffic on our roads by managing the demand for driving. Any vehicle that contributes to the congestion is charged the appropriate ERP rate according to how much it contributes to the congestion. Taxis occupy the same road space as cars and are therefore subject to the same ERP rates as cars. This is what ensures that our roads are not gummed up with traffic. Bus lanes should remain limited to buses as it carries far more people than taxis. Bus lanes allow our buses and roads to transport more people more quickly and smoothly, allowing over 26,000 taxis to join in will set this back.

Mr Seng Han Thong asked if there are any guidelines for setting taxi fares that taxi companies can take reference from to avoid infringing on the anti-competition Act. His suggestion is that the Government considers regulating taxi fares by setting formulae and guidelines like how the Public Transport Council (PTC) regulates public transport fares. Sir, the taxi industry is deregulated. This is because taxis are not like buses and trains. Taxis are not an essential service that most Singaporeans rely upon as their principal means of transport. Taxis are, indeed, closer to private transport. In some ways, it is better than owning your own car as you have a driver who takes care of the driving. The market structure is also different. There are only two basic bus and train operators. This can give them considerable pricing power, which can be abused if left unchecked. In contrast, there are seven taxi companies. Competition helps to keep fares competitive. Like other competitive industries, the taxi industry is subject to regulatory oversight under the Competition Act. Taxi companies are allowed to make individual decisions on fare setting, and the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) will investigate if there is any anti-

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competitive behaviour by taxi companies such as collusion.

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked why new taxi operator licence (TOL) holders will need a fleet of 400 taxis in the first year and 1,000 taxis in the fourth year for licence renewal. LTA has not made any such decision. It had discussions with industry stakeholders on various ways to raise service quality, including the possibility of adjusting the minimum fleet-size requirement. But no decision has been made and the consultations are ongoing.

Mr Hri Kumar and Mr Seng Han Thong have asked if we have any plans to raise the standard of taxi services and how this can improve the matching of supply and demand for taxi services. Mr Ong Kian Min mentioned recent complaints on the difficulty in securing call-bookings. As Mr Hri Kumar pointed out call-bookings are an effective way in which demand and supply of taxi services can be better matched in terms of when and where the commuters want it. To improve on call-bookings, LTA will raise the Quality of Service (QoS) standards. LTA monitors these standards on a monthly basis and levies penalties on companies that fail to meet the required standards. Currently, LTA monitors the call-booking performance of taxi companies over three-hour blocks that span the evening peak from 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm on weekdays. LTA will now monitor this performance on an hourly basis to better reflect commuters' experience on the ground. This will motivate taxi companies to improve their operations and be more responsive to the changing demand for taxi services.

Call-booking demand during the morning peak hours has also increased over the years. Therefore, LTA will also extend the call-booking standards to cover the morning peak period from 6.00 am to 11.00 am during weekdays. These QoS standards will deliver a better call-booking

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experience to commuters and will take effect starting October 2011.

Mr Hri Kumar and Mr Seng Han Thong asked if we have any plans to provide commuters with more information on the service performance of taxi companies and to make fare structure information clearer. LTA believes that such information will enhance competition and benefit commuters. LTA will therefore publish the taxi companies' monthly performance in QoS standards. It will also publish the results of its quarterly Mystery Customer Audit (MCA). This audit surveys the service provided by taxi drivers, such as whether drivers are polite, help with luggage and are familiar with destinations and routes. Commuters will then be able to distinguish taxi companies that provide better service from those that do not. To provide more information on taxi fares for commuters and tourists, LTA will enhance the displays at taxi stands and the Public Transport Information Guide.

LTA will also continue to conduct regular surveys to monitor passengers' waiting times at selected taxi stands with high demand. These results are published on LTA's website and on the information panels at these taxi stands. This will enable commuters to find out about the average waiting times at these taxi stands when they arrive at the queue so that they can make a more informed decision. These results are also shared with the taxi companies, so that taxi drivers are better aware of the demand conditions.

LTA will continue to work with the taxi companies and National Taxi Association to review how service in the taxi industry can be further improved to better meet the needs of commuters.

Mr Chairman, Sir, we launched a slew of measures over the past three years to effect a major transformation to our land transport system. These cover not just big projects like our $60 billion investment to

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double our rail network but also smaller and equally important things like bus route information at every bus stop and parking guidance system in the CBD. We have gone at a hectic pace and have left no stone unturned in our quest to improve our land transport system to ensure a liveable city. In a recent study on Green Cities in Asia by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Singapore's comprehensive, integrated strategy for land transport was highlighted as an exemplar project for transport for others to follow. The study made special mention of measures like increasing public transport mode share, expanding the rail network, integrating rail and bus services, centralising bus planning and controlling vehicle population growth. Sir, these are precisely the measures we have introduced under our Land Transport Master Plan and we will not rest in our pursuit of them.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport (Mr Teo Ser Luck): Sir, our vision for the Land Transport Masterplan (LTMP) is a people-centred land transport system. We realise that with Singapore's changing demographics, our land transport system needs to cater to the accessibility needs of all our people and keep pace with diverse and changing expectations.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal, Mr Hri Kumar and Mr Wee Siew Kim have asked whether our transport system is ready for an ageing population that will become increasingly less mobile. The short answer is that we have made good progress but we will continue to do more. To use a football analogy, the goal posts are always moving and not static, and this is why we will have to refine our strategies to continue to stay in the game and make sure we do not score our own goal.

We embarked on our effort to improve the barrier-free accessibility of our

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transport facilities island-wide in 2005. We did so precisely because we wanted to increase the accessibility of our transport system for the ageing population with more elderly and mobility-impaired persons. We have made good progress over these past five years. All road facilities such as pedestrian walkways and public roads within a 400-metre radius of all MRT and LRT stations have been made barrier-free since 2007. Barrier-free enhancements have also been made to all pedestrian facilities on our major public roads. Ninety-five percent of bus shelters are now barrier-free. The rest will be upgraded later together with future re-development works or when they are due for replacement because of current severe site constraints.

All new bus interchanges, such as Ang Mo Kio and Boon Lay, have been built with barrier-free facilities. We have also begun upgrading the existing bus interchanges, and the remaining 16 will be barrier-free by 2012. About 40% of our buses are now wheelchair accessible. Seventy-nine Wheelchair Accessible Bus Services are now running. This is a 75% increase from the 45 services a year ago. We are on track for the entire bus fleet to be wheelchair accessible by 2020.

All our MRT stations are already wheelchair accessible with at least one barrier-free route and wheelchair accessible toilets. By the end of this year, LTA will complete the installation of ramps and additional lifts at 16 MRT stations. The result is that seven in 10 MRT stations will have at least two barrier-free routes.

Commuters are already seeing the benefits. To give an example, 85-year-old Mdm Wong Lay See was happy to see Khatib Station outfitted with extra ramps. She walks through the station everyday to get to the market. Her son told us that the ramps made a lot of difference to her as she finds her journey safer and more convenient. Her fellow resident, Mdm

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Woon Eng Say, was also pleased with the change and she is now able to push her nephew's stroller up the ramp on her own. And we are pushing ahead with additional accessibility measures.

Now, I go on to lifts for pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs) near MRT stations. Er Lee Bee Wah and Mr Charles Chong have requested for lifts at pedestrian overhead bridges, especially those near MRT stations. I hear Mr Charles Chong. We will not leave his residents in the air, and will make sure we have a way to bring them down. And, of course, Er Lee Bee Wah, in particular, has raised this issue for four years as she has stated.

( In Mandarin ): Our MP, Er Lee Bee Wah, over the last four years has been advocating for her residents. Here, I would like to say to her that: do not lose heart. One day, eventually, you will get it.

( In English ): Sir, LTA has completed the feasibility studies and will install lifts on not just one, but six POBs near existing MRT stations. These stations are Aljunied, Bishan, Kranji, Yew Tee, Sengkang and Khatib. The installation of lifts at these POBs are to enhance our public transport network by helping the elderly and less ambulant gain even more convenient access to our MRT stations. These POBs were selected because they are located next to the MRT stations and there are no barrier-free alternatives nearby. We recognise that the elderly and the less mobile prefer at-grade crossings. Hence, lifts are only considered at such POBs next to MRT stations when alternatives such as at-grade crossings or ramps are not feasible. We also take into account the technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the installation of these lifts, including checking the usage levels of the overhead bridges. Members would agree that it is prudent, and that we have to be prudent, that public funds be used wisely and to the best possible effect.

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LTA will call the tender for the retrofitting works by this year and target to complete the works by 2013.

We will also be making further improvements to help senior citizens cross our roads more comfortably. LTA conducted a pilot to allow senior citizens to extend the pedestrian "green time" at selected signalised pedestrian crossings using their senior citizen CEPAS concession cards. Mdm Khaw Geok Choo is one of the beneficiaries of the pilot. She told us that she was glad to have the lengthened crossing time at one of the pedestrian crossings chosen for the pilot. Elderly persons who make use of the pedestrian crossing at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, near the Ang Mo Kio bus interchange, to access amenities, can do so at a pace more suited for them. With the success of the pilot, I am pleased to announce that we will be rolling out the "Green Man Plus" scheme to 500 more pedestrian crossings island-wide starting 2012. On the screens, Members can see how this looks like [ indicating slide shown to hon. Members ]. The elderly can look forward to a more conducive walking experience at these locations soon and timing can be adjusted to be extended depending on the length of the pedestrian crossing.

Mr Hri Kumar has asked if there are plans to introduce more at-grade signalised crossings in place of pedestrian overhead bridges. LTA puts in at-grade crossings where possible. However, it also has to factor in the impact on traffic. Where the demand and traffic conditions allow, LTA will explore the provision of traffic light crossings at the road-level.

5.15 pm

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal and Mr Wee Siew Kim have also asked if our bus services are designed with the elderly in mind. As Minister Raymond Lim mentioned earlier, LTA has now taken

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over as our Central Bus Planner and this has improved the integration of our public transport network. LTA works closely with the community to understand the specific needs of each neighbourhood, and with the public transport operators to implement route improvements where majority of the commuters will benefit.

Let me assure Members that the needs of the elderly are important considerations as LTA works towards a public transport network that would become more convenient and have seamless connections for commuters as a whole. For example, LTA will work with the community to find the right balance on issues such as the siting of bus stops and the routing of bus services to best meet the overall needs of the community.

To Mr Hri Kumar's question on Upper Thomson: our focus is on enhancing our public transport network by allowing the less mobile segments of our society even more convenient access to MRT stations. We selected the pedestrian overhead bridges that are just beside or next to the MRT stations. I understand that LTA has met the grassroots leaders and the MP himself to implement some of the other measures to make sure that the roads are safe for the elderly. Examples of improvements are colour-contrasting continuous pedestrian footways, installing and extending railings in the centre median to discourage jaywalking, making sure that there are additional "Speed Check" and "Slow Traffic" signs and markings along the road. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the measures and also the situation.

Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef has raised the concern that encroachments on our public walkways could undermine some of our efforts to improve barrier-free accessibility for pedestrians. Under the Street Works Act and Fire Safety Act,

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public walkways have to be kept free of obstructions to enable the smooth passage of pedestrians and to ensure fire safety. LTA and SCDF have a minimum clearance width requirement for such walkways to ensure that articles such as tables, chairs or merchandise placed on our public walkways do not impede accessibility. Over the past three years, LTA has issued an average of 490 notices of offence per year. In addition, LTA also works with other agencies like URA, NEA, SCDF and SPF to carry out joint inspections or enforcement operations in locations where walkway obstructions could also lead to fire safety or public nuisance problems.

I will now turn to cycling. Mr Ong Kian Min asked for an update on the progress of our National Cycling Plan. He also asked if there were sufficient cycling paths and bicycle parking facilities.

Sir, cycling is now clearly a transport option and for this reason, we have formulated the National Cycling Plan to cater to our society's growing cycling population. In July last year, I launched the first dedicated cycling path in Tampines Town. Since then, we have launched another cycling path in Taman Jurong. There will be many more to come.

Response to these cycling paths has been enthusiastic. For example, Mdm Wu Qiaojiao, a 50-year-old Taman Jurong resident interviewed by Zaobao , said, "It is now more convenient to cycle to the MRT station, which makes cycling feasible as part of the journey to Jurong East Central."

In the coming months, we will launch more new cycling paths in Yishun, Sembawang and Pasir Ris. Our consultations with local communities on their cycling needs have been productive. Their suggestions have helped us refine our plans to better meet residents' needs,

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resulting in an addition of 15 km of cycling paths to our originally planned cycling path network of 30 km.

LTA is also working closely with the two new cycling towns of Changi-Simei and Bedok on the provision of cycling paths. By 2014, we expect to have rolled out at least 50 km of cycling paths in the various cycling towns, and a comprehensive network of 16 km of cycling paths in the Marina Bay area. We will also incorporate cycling infrastructure requirements into the development of new towns as well as existing towns that are being re-developed.

We are also looking into bicycle parking facilities. LTA is working closely with the public transport operators to provide bicycle parking racks within or near transport nodes. LTA recently concluded an on-site usage survey that has helped to identify stations that require additional racks. With this, we will roll out additional bicycle parking racks at 10 MRT stations. These 10 stations are Admiralty, Aljunied, Boon Lay, Chinese Garden, Khatib, Lakeside, Sembawang, Sengkang, Simei and Yishun.

LTA is also teaming up with other agencies to enhance bicycle parking facilities at other key amenities in our towns. We will pilot these first in a few towns where cycling paths are being built, such as Taman Jurong, Yishun, Pasir Ris and Tampines, to take a more comprehensive approach towards providing bicycle parking facilities.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Mr Ang Mong Seng have suggested that we reconsider requiring registration and licensing for bicycles, especially motorised bicycles, to allow cyclists and other road users to be protected. Motorised bicycles provide assistance with pedalling. I had spent some time to describe and distinguish between motorised bicycle and pedalling bicycle. I will not go into the details. I

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would just say that they are useful to our elderly and those with physical disabilities such as slight knee injuries. For the safety of motorised bicycle riders and other road users, LTA requires motorised bicycles to meet certain technical requirements. These requirements limit motorised bicycles to low-powered models that do not exceed 200 watts. They also need to have similar construction and performance characteristics as conventional pedal bicycles. For example, the electric motor of the approved motorised bicycles can only provide assistance when the rider is pedalling. The motor power must cut off when the bicycle reaches a speed of 25 km per hour or when the rider stops pedalling. So, it stops immediately.

LTA takes a serious view of offences involving the use of unapproved motorised bicycles on public roads. They have worked with the Traffic Police Department (TP) to ramp up enforcement against offenders. Since the start of this year, LTA has also imposed heavier penalties on cyclists and retailers of unapproved motorised bicycles that do not meet LTA's technical requirements. Most of the fines were doubled. As part of these enforcement efforts, our officers will check that the motorised bicycles have been affixed with an approved LTA seal. Any suspected non-compliance with the stipulated technical requirements of motorised bicycles, such as riders throttling the power source and riding the bicycle without pedalling, will also be checked. A total of 44 offenders were caught for using unapproved motorised bicycles since the penalty regime was enhanced. This is lower than the average monthly figure of 84 in 2010.

Bicycles, including motorised ones, are not allowed on expressways. Cyclists must not cycle against the flow of traffic or in a manner that would compromise the safety of other road users. Cyclists who cycle in a rash or in a negligent way that endangers the life of pedestrians or other

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road users are also liable for prosecution under the Penal Code.

To introduce a system to mandate bicycle owners to register their bicycles would not be practical. Cyclists would not only have to register their bicycles when they buy them, but also when they sell or give up their bicycles. This would be a rather burdensome process. Personally, I now have four bicycles, and we exchange bicycles all the time between friends and team mates. It is a rather burdensome process. Bicycles were exempted from registration requirements in Singapore in 1982. To re-introduce this would not only be regressive but will also unnecessarily subject bicycle owners to onerous requirements. The Cycling Facilitation Committee (CFC), which I chair, re-examined this issue recently and came to the same conclusion. Within this Committee, we have representatives from different agencies: grassroots leaders, community leaders, bicycle-interest groups and civic groups. And we have come to a conclusion that registration may not be the right way to go about it but we can continuously improve upon infrastructure, increase our efforts on education and also enforcement.

Sir, developed countries such as the UK, Australia and New Zealand, similarly do not impose registration requirements on conventional pedal bicycles and low-powered motorised bicycles because it is better to focus on improving cycling behaviour, which is more critical from the road safety point of view.

Mr Ang Mong Seng requested for statistics on the number of accidents involving cyclists in the last two years. There were a total of 569 fatal and injury accidents involving cyclists in 2010. This is down from 592 in 2009. The number of cyclists who died in accidents also

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decreased from 17 fatalities in 2009 to 16 in 2010.

Safety concerns also prompted Dr Lim Wee Kiak to propose that cyclists have to pass a test on traffic rules, and Mr Ong Kian Min to ask if there are plans to discourage cyclists from riding on our main roads.

To protect the interests of cyclists and other road users, LTA has been working with other stakeholders such as the Traffic Police (TP), Safe Cycling Task Force (SCTF) and local community leaders to shape and promote good cycling behaviour through our public education and enforcement efforts. They have chosen this approach, which I related earlier, as we do want to inadvertently deter them as a formal test might.

Safe Cycling Clinics will be conducted and some have been conducted in Tampines, and there are plans to replicate them in all the other cycling towns. A Volunteer Cycle Warden Scheme is in place to police any unsafe cycling behaviour at "hotspots" such as junctions and bus shelters in Tampines. Similar efforts to educate cyclists have been carried out successfully in Aljunied, Eunos, and Paya Lebar with the support of the local communities and LTA.

Apart from these efforts, TP has been giving customised talks in schools and at community-level events to provide tips on safe cycling. At these talks, TP shares case studies of traffic accidents involving cyclists and the benefits of using a pre-riding checklist for cyclists. In addition, road safety exhibitions, which provide safety tips for cyclists, have been held at HDB neighbourhoods, schools and workplaces. These teach them about what equipment they need before they cycle: helmet, may be even knee guards, lights, and bicycle rings. Some Members have brought some equipment here to show.

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Sir, LTA will continue to work with the various agencies to promote social graciousness and mutual accommodation among road users through public education and enforcement.

Sea transport

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Mr Chairman, Sir, as the world increasingly looks towards Asia for trade, Singapore has been quick to capitalise on our strategic position to further develop the maritime industry that supports the world trade.

The Singapore maritime industry is an important part of our Singapore economy contributing approximately 7.5% of our GDP as well as employing over 170,000 people. The cluster comprises more than 5,000 maritime establishments in different sectors such as shipping and port-related, offshore, shipbuilding as well as repair and maritime services.

What is the Singapore Government doing to promote the growth of the maritime industry here? Singapore was the busiest container port for many years until last year when Shanghai overtook us. Should we be concerned that Shanghai had overtaken Singapore as the world’s busiest container port in 2010?

I also understand that, with our fast economic recovery, cargo volumes are picking up. Asia’s share of the global shipping market is expected to rise and our maritime sector is poised for growth and diversifications as well. What steps have been taken to meet the manpower needs as well as the space requirement for the maritime industry?

Marine industry

Mr Teo Siong Seng (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, Members of Parliament, good afternoon. Speaking as a board member of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, President of the

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Singapore Shipping Association and Managing Director of a local shipping line, I am glad to note that during the Budget 2011 speech, the Singapore maritime industry contributing 7.5% of our GDP was recognised by our Government as one of the key sectors supporting Singapore's vision to become a Global-Asia Hub. The industry was given some incentives in this year's Budget to realise this vision.

We are happy to note that there will now be certainty of withholding tax exemption for interest payments on loans to build or buy ships without having to apply for it on a case-by-case basis. This is important as ship finance is harder to come by after the last financial crisis. Such a move would also help to grow ship financing activities in Singapore.

5.30 pm

The maritime industry welcomes the new measures aimed at simplifying GST compliance. In particular, we applaud the introduction of a GST scheme to zero-rate supplies of goods to "approved marine customers". We also welcome the expansion of the scope of zero-rating of repair and maintenance services of ship parts and components, without having to maintain the requisite documentary proof for GST relief. This is in line with the treatment enjoyed by the aerospace industry.

Not only will this allow the industry to optimise its human resources and reduce GST compliance cost, it will also raise productivity and facilitate the development of the marine supply and repair businesses.

Initiated to attract new ship operators to Singapore, the Maritime Sector Incentive (MSI) is only valid for five years and cannot be renewed, unlike the 10 years of tax benefits offered by the existing Approved International Shipping

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Enterprise (AIS) scheme. We understand that this is based on the assumption that, before the end of the fifth year, these companies will have grown in size so as to qualify for the main AIS tax incentive.

However, the past two years have shown that shipping is heavily dependent on the health of the global economy. If the companies are marginally unable to meet the AIS criteria, could some form of grace period be given?

I would also like to raise the following issues which were not included in the 2011 Budget Statement, but are of great concern to our maritime industry.

First, is the funding for green initiatives. In terms of CO 2 emissions per tonne of cargo transported per mile, shipping is the most efficient form of commercial transport. However, this efficiency does not come cheap.

From the industry perspective, we strongly encourage that, instead of simply relying on punitive measures, regulators should also provide additional incentives for responsible shipowners who are willing to invest in new measures aimed to further reduce pollution from ships. As such, for those shipowners who are willing to be early adopters of new technologies, may I suggest some form of port dues concession like operators of "green ships" get to enjoy in Hong Kong.

Next an EXIM Bank for shipping. In my speech during my cut on the Ministry of Finance yesterday, I advocated setting up an EXIM Bank in Singapore to develop Singapore as an International Maritime Centre. I hope this would be given due consideration in view of the importance of the maritime sector.

Overall, I am pleased to note that the Government has taken a positive note of

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the maritime industry's wish list and proposals have been incorporated in the Budget Statement. This is also a testament of the close cooperation between the public and private sectors to propel our economy forward. I hope that these initiatives can be implemented quickly, smoothly and with clarity, especially when there is inter-Ministry work involved, so that the business climate in Singapore remains conducive for shipping companies to compete internationally and strengthen our position as an international maritime centre.

Air services liberalisation

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I strongly believe that open and free trade is beneficial for our businesses, consumers and economy as a whole.

I am pleased to note that we have adopted a liberal air services policy, as demonstrated in our active role in Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum and our membership in the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalisation of International Air Transportation.

I understand that under Singapore's chairmanship of the APEC Small Group, we have advocated for more competitive air services with fair and equitable opportunity for all member countries. We have played our part to facilitate many APEC economies liberalise their air services at their own pace. We also urge economies worldwide to consider maximising the opportunities for air services liberalisation.

It widely known that the Asia-Pacific is now the world's largest air travel market with immense potential for further growth and development. I would like to ask the Minister what the Government is doing to ensure that Changi Airport and our carriers are able to tap on the growing air transport market in our region. In

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addition, what are the Ministry's future plans in air services liberalisation, especially among countries in ASEAN?

Aviation industry development

Mr Charles Chong: Sir, Singapore aspires to be an aviation industry hub. Could the Minister tell us how is the Government supporting the growth of the aviation industry in Singapore? What is the Government doing to ensure that the aviation industry in Singapore continues to have a steady pool of talent and manpower so as to remain competitive globally?

Sir, last year the Government announced the establishment of an Aviation Development Fund. A budget of $100 million was allocated to this fund over a five-year period from 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2015. Could the Minister tell us how much of this $100 million has already been dispersed to the industry since 1st April last year? And what are some of the projects that have received funding from the Aviation Development Fund?

Seletar Airport

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I understand that the international visitor arrival to Singapore hit the highest ever recorded figure for the month of January. Based on a recovering and improving economy as well as the continuing success of our Integrated Resorts and Singapore's attractiveness for the Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) sector, I believe that this trend will continue spurring greater growth in the tourist and services sector. Within this growing trend, an equal number of the rich and high rollers follow. I understand that a segment of these international visitors use the Seletar Airport in their trip to Singapore.

Sir, I would like to know how has the air traffic at Seletar Airport grown over

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the years. Which segments of the society or industry are currently patronising its services? Is the current state of the facilities and amenities at Seletar Airport able to meet the needs of the clients? What are the future plans of the Ministry for Seletar Airport and the area close to it?

Budget Terminal

Mr Charles Chong: Sir, the number of passengers carried by full-service carriers to Changi Airport has shown a very marginal decline, from 33.1 million passengers in 2008 to 32.6 million last year. However, the number of passengers flown by low cost carriers has more than doubled over the same period, from 4.6 million in 2008 to 9.4 million last year. Despite the increase in the number of budget carriers operating from the Budget Terminal, some major budget carriers continue to operate from Terminal 1. Could the Minister tell us the possible reasons for this situation and what is being done to improve the facilities and the services at the Budget Terminal, especially for passengers transferring to flights to and from the main terminals?

The Chairman: Dr Ahmad Magad is not here. Mr Charles Chong.

Civil aviation safety

Mr Charles Chong: Sir, could the Minister provide us with an update on Singapore's compliance to Annex 6 of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) standard and recommended practices? Annex 6 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation requires states to mandate implementation of safety management systems by air operators and maintenance organisations by January 2009. While CAAS can and has mandated their air operators in aviation, maintenance organisations under its jurisdiction to implement adequate safety management

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systems, could the Minister tell us what measures are being put in place to ensure that foreign air operators operating aircraft into Singapore air space comply with safety measures and airworthiness standards that would not endanger the travelling public and the larger population?

The Second Minister for Transport (Mrs Lim Hwee Hua): Mr Chairman, Sir, I will now address the cuts raised by Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Mr Teo Siong Seng, and I thank them for their interest in the maritime sector.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked about the competitiveness of the Singapore port. I am pleased to inform Members that our port performed well in 2010. We retained our positions as the world's busiest port by vessel arrival tonnage and the world's top bunkering port, setting records in both vessel arrival tonnage and bunker sales.

The growth was felt Asia-wide. Many other Asian ports similarly experienced a robust recovery in container volumes last year. Dr Lim asked about Shanghai overtaking Singapore as the world's busiest container port, a position that we had held since 2005. Sir, this is not surprising given China's strong domestic growth. As China's import and export volumes increase, we can expect Shanghai and the other gateway ports in China to continue to expand in tandem. Shanghai's pole position was not achieved at Singapore's expense. In fact, China's prosperity will continue to be a plus for us as a significant portion of our container volumes comes from or goes to destinations in China. As a major transhipment hub, Singapore is well placed to capture the growing trade volumes of not just China, but the rest of Asia as well. This is borne out by the 10% rise in our container volumes last year.

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The port constitutes a major part of our maritime services sector. Hence, we will continue to direct efforts at fostering a vibrant maritime services cluster. Today, there are about 110 major shipping groups and over 5,000 maritime-related companies operating in Singapore, employing more than 170,000 people and contributing about 7.5% of GDP. Industry-led initiatives like the Singapore Ship Sale Form have placed Singapore firmly on the international maritime law map. Indeed, Singapore has become a natural point of confluence for the international maritime community to exchange ideas, gather intelligence and do deals. This congregation has added considerable buzz to Singapore as an International Maritime Centre.

Looking ahead, our maritime industry will continue to benefit from Asia's growth but we remain watchful for uncertainties that may threaten the maritime industry. Meanwhile, it is essential that we continue to invest in our port and maritime services sectors.

Sir, to sustain our hub port leadership and to accommodate future growth, we are pressing ahead with the expansion of the Pasir Panjang Terminals. Beyond Pasir Panjang, we will explore if longer-term needs could be met at Tuas. To enhance navigational safety in and around Singapore's waters, we will also launch a new Port Operations Control Centre at Changi.

To further promote Singapore as the location of choice for ship owners and maritime service providers, we are continually developing new initiatives to meet their needs. I thank Mr Teo for his positive feedback on the recently announced Maritime Sector Incentive and the enhanced GST zero-rating scheme for marine supplies. We will certainly look into his suggestions on how to enhance our schemes further to make sure that they are relevant to the industry.

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Sir, when we discussed the MOF budget yesterday, I responded to Mr Teo's suggestion of an EXIM bank to support the maritime sector. In the meantime, I am assured that both the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore and the Monetary Authority of Singapore will continue to promote the growth of our shipping finance companies through the Maritime Finance Incentive, certainty in withholding tax treatment in the recently-launched Maritime Sector Incentive and other finance-related schemes. Today, there are more than 20 banks in Singapore with a shipping finance portfolio. We will continue to attract more of such banks to Singapore to serve the needs of the maritime industry.

I agree too with Mr Teo that as a responsible port and member of the international community, Singapore must do its part to protect the marine environment. The Government has supported research and development (R&D) projects on clean energy and fuel cell technology through our S$100 million Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund. We will continue to explore more ways to promote green shipping, including the possibility of providing incentives to early adopters of green shipping technology.

As the maritime sector grows and diversifies, I agree with Dr Lim that demand for maritime professionals will increase. Besides going to sea, there are actually many exciting shore-based careers in ship-broking, maritime law and banking. We are therefore working closely with companies and tertiary institutions to enhance maritime education and raise awareness of these maritime career opportunities. Last September, we launched the Singapore Maritime Institute to groom maritime talent and to drive maritime R&D. MPA also has a suite of manpower development schemes to encourage investment in human capital.

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Sir, the Government remains committed to the growth of the maritime sector. We will continue to nurture our close partnership with the industry and the unions to entrench Singapore as a leading International Maritime Centre.

Let me now go on to the cuts in aviation.

5.45 pm

Sir, let me once again thank Members for their interest in the aviation sector. I will begin by providing an update on the state of our air hub. Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim enquired about plans to tap on the growing air transport market and air services liberalisation and Mr Charles Chong has asked about low cost carriers and the Budget Terminal.

Changi Airport recovered strongly from the global economic downturn that adversely affected the international aviation industry in 2008 and much of 2009. In 2010, Changi Airport handled a record 42 million passengers, or a robust 13% year-on-year growth. This is buoyed by a combination of the economic recovery, air services liberalisation, as well as increased tourism to Singapore. The airport handled over 1.8 million tonnes of cargo, representing a rise of 11%. Looking ahead, we expect traffic growth to moderate, in line with the International Air Transport Association’s projection of global long-term annual growth of about 5% to 6%.

Sir, our air hub continues to benefit from our pursuit of Open Skies. We now have Air Services Agreements with more than 100 countries, of which more than a third are Open Skies Agreements. Such liberalisation has facilitated the commencement of new services at Changi Airport such as Singapore Airlines’ upcoming passenger service to Sao Paulo

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which represents Singapore’s first scheduled air link to South America. The nine new foreign carriers which commenced operations at Changi Airport in 2010 will continue to add vibrancy to our air hub.

The expansion of our bilateral air services arrangements with countries like Malaysia and the Philippines has led to a surge in the number of short-haul services to Changi. Low cost carriers (LCCs) have flourished with the opening of such regional sectors. This has benefited the travelling public in terms of wider travel options and more competitive air fares.

At the multilateral level, Singapore plays an active role at various fora to facilitate greater people and trade flows through air services liberalisation. As noted by Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal, we are party to the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberation of International Air Transportation (MALIAT) which was initiated by APEC member economies as a path-finder agreement for international open skies arrangements. We have also worked closely with ASEAN member states to bring about air services liberisation within the region and with ASEAN's key dialogue partners. A new Multilateral Agreement, signed by ASEAN Transport Ministers last November, extends unlimited passenger access beyond the ASEAN capitals to all ASEAN cities. This brings ASEAN-wide open skies closer to reality. The ASEAN-China Air Transport Agreement was also concluded last year, paving the way for a liberal air services regime between ASEAN and China. The agreement is the first of its kind and sets the stage for similar agreements to be concluded with other ASEAN dialogue partners, such as India and South Korea.

Sir, we will press on with our liberalisation efforts. Only then can we

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continue to enhance our air hub status and fully tap the potential of the fast-growing Asia-Pacific air travel market.

Let me now touch on the Budget Terminal (BT). Given the growth opportunities ahead, we will continue to enhance Changi’s passenger facilities. In addition to the ongoing $500 million upgrading of Terminal 1 that will be completed by 2012, there are plans to expand the BT in the next two years.

We are thus well-positioned to welcome more LCCs to Changi. As Mr Charles Chong has pointed out, not all LCCs operate out of the BT. While cost is a key consideration, there are other factors that shape the airlines’ choice of terminals to operate from. For example, some LCCs may prefer operating at the main terminals to facilitate flight connections for their passengers.

For passengers transferring from a flight at the BT to another at the main terminals, there is a free 24-hour shuttle bus service that plies at regular intervals between the BT and Terminal 2. While such transfers between the BT and the main terminals are a relatively new trend and the numbers are still small, we expect them to increase in tandem over time with the growth of LCCs. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is thus working with the airport operator, Changi Airport Group, and other stakeholders to study ways of enhancing connectivity between the BT and the main terminals, for the convenience of passengers.

Sir, in addition to ensuring that we cater to the evolving needs of our air hub at Changi, we will need to sustain developmental efforts for the wider aviation industry. Let me highlight some of the initiatives that we have introduced to support the growth of Singapore as an aviation hub, a question which was raised by Mr Charles Chong.

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First, the Aviation Development Fund (ADF). In April 2010, CAAS launched the $100 million ADF. To date, more than half of the ADF funds have already been allocated to three incentive programmes, namely the Aviation Partnership Programme, the Aviation Innovation Programme and the Aviation Manpower Programme. These programmes support initiatives by local companies to raise productivity, promote innovation, grow talent, and enhance the competitiveness of the industry.

Projects that have received ADF grants so far include the development of new capabilities for the repair of aircraft engines and the setting up of Southeast Asia’s first flammability test lab. Funding has also been provided to encourage the adoption of quality management systems by local aerospace companies. Such projects are estimated to generate more than $20 million of direct value-add over five years.

Earlier this month, CAAS also launched the Process Innovation Challenge to encourage productivity improvements in work processes. Local aviation companies with qualifying projects could receive grants of up to $50,000. By supporting the innovative spirit of the industry, we hope to boost the quality and productivity of our aviation companies.

Sir, the past year also saw several noteworthy enhancements to Changi Airport’s airfreight-handling capabilities. For example, the SATS Coolport is Asia’s first on-airport perishables handling facility, while the Singapore Freeport is Asia’s first and the world’s largest dedicated facility for art collectibles. These specialised facilities will enable our airlines and airfreight partners to better tap the evolving and increasingly sophisticated needs of the Asia-Pacific market. Looking ahead, the opening of the Air Cargo Express (ACE) hub in 2012

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will enable air express companies to use Singapore even more effectively as a gateway to serve the Asia-Pacific market.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faisal asked about the Seletar Airport. Like Changi, Seletar Airport's traffic was also affected by the global economy downturn in 2009. We are now seeing a gradual return to pre-crisis levels with the 16% growth in passenger traffic last year. Seletar Airport also serves the wider aviation industry. Our ongoing efforts to develop Seletar will therefore help to spur further traffic growth.

Seletar Airport and its surrounding areas are being transformed as part of a multi-agency effort to develop Singapore into a leading hub for aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) in the Asia-Pacific region.

Singapore is currently already among Asia’s largest and most comprehensive MRO hubs. The phased development of Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP) from 2007 to 2018 will strategically put in place infrastructure to secure a good share of the huge growth potential for aerospace MRO in Asia. The SAP will also help to attract aviation-related design and manufacturing centres. I am happy to report that industry response to the SAP has been good. Seventy-five percent of the land in Phase 1 and 2 have already been spoken for, with infrastructure works for Phase 3 slated to begin next year.

Sir, I also want to inform Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal that we would want to develop Seletar into a regional business aviation hub. The prospects for business aviation are promising, given Asia’s strong growth momentum. Business aviation will complement our strength in commercial aviation and provide further depth to Singapore’s value proposition as a major air hub.

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The upgrading of Seletar Airport is therefore critical to our plans. We are in the midst of major upgrading works at the airport, which will be fully completed in 2014. These include extending the existing runway to accommodate larger aircraft, constructing additional taxiways and aircraft parking areas, as well as implementing a new landing system for flight operations, even in low visibility conditions. Next-generation air traffic control facilities, including a new control tower, will also be put in place. To date, about a third of these works have been completed. When fully developed, Seletar will inject new vibrancy to the aviation sector in Singapore.

Manpower is an important issue. Having the right infrastructure is important, but ensuring a ready pool of competent human capital is even more important. We will intensify efforts to attract talent and develop our workforce to support the aviation industry. In addition to student outreach efforts, CAAS will be launching an industry scholarship programme later this year to attract top polytechnic graduates to the sector.

To groom the next generation of industry leaders, we will also provide more opportunities for professional development. For example, CAAS collaborated with the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to launch a Masters in Business Administration in Aviation programme in February this year.

Sir, let me now move on to an important area – which is that of civil aviation safety, for which Mr Charles Chong has raised some queries. Singapore’s strength as an air hub is predicated on the safety record of our air transport system. We remain firmly committed to ensuring the safety of the travelling public and aircraft operations in

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Singapore. This is even more critical as traffic volume expands at Changi.

To this end, CAAS ensures that Singapore’s safety regulations and procedures comply with and, where practicable, exceed the standards and recommended practices set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), including Annex 6 of ICAO’s standards and recommended practices referred to by Mr Charles Chong. The regulations and procedures govern almost every aspect of civil aviation carried out in Singapore, including aircraft airworthiness and flight operations, airport operations, the provision of air navigation services, aircraft maintenance, and the training and licensing of aviation personnel. CAAS also takes proactive steps to ensure the safety of foreign carriers that operate to Singapore. For example, there is an existing system of inspections to check on the airworthiness of these aircraft and the qualifications of their flight crew.

Our safety regime is regularly reviewed and updated to incorporate international best practices and to address new safety issues. In August 2010, Singapore was audited under the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme and was found by ICAO to be effective in all aspects of our safety oversight functions. This is testament to the strong commitment of CAAS and the various stakeholders in ensuring the safety of the travelling public.

However, a strict safety regulatory regime cannot guarantee that there will never be any aviation incident. What CAAS has done is to put in place procedures to handle aircraft in distress, so as to minimise risk to life and property in the air and on the ground, such as assisting aircraft in distress to keep clear of populated areas, and guiding them to an eventual safe landing. The rigour and effectiveness of these procedures were clearly demonstrated during the A380

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aircraft engine failure incident last year. All the stakeholders, including the flight crew, air traffic control and emergency services responded effectively and the aircraft landed safely in Changi. By acting in accordance with established contingency plans, the risk to people on the ground at any time was well managed and not significant.

Singapore’s aviation safety record has thus far been exemplary. Members should be assured that CAAS will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to continually enhance the safety of civil aviation in Singapore.

Sir, Singapore celebrates 100 years of aviation history this year. We have come a long way since Singapore witnessed her first flight at the Old Race Course at Farrer Park in 1911. Even as we commemorate the centennial milestone, we remain committed to securing Singapore’s position as a leading aviation hub in the long term. We will continue to work in close partnership with key industry stakeholders to build on our strengths as an aviation hub.

The Chairman: There is some time for clarifications. Dr Lim.

6.00 pm

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Sir, I would like to assure Senior Parliamentary Secretary Teo that many Members of this House know what a pedestrian crossing look like and we do walk around our estates and we are walking every day.

I have four clarifications for the Minister. First of all is on the electronic information display board at the bus stops. Currently, it is available at some bus stops and this is very useful. You know there are many requests to roll this out islandwide. Will there be a day where we will see all our bus stops fitted with electronic display units to tell us what time, in real-time, the next bus is arriving?

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If the Ministry cannot do it for all bus stops now, then maybe for the more popular bus stops, including those in Sembawang and Yishun.

Second: taxi surcharges. It is very confusing for all of us. I know that if I need to perform a surgery, the Ministry of Health would like me to counsel my patient and present all the charges before treatment and my patient has to agree. Likewise, is it possible for taxi drivers, if I tell them my desired destination, to tell me from the very beginning when I board the taxi, what the estimated charges will be because there are ERP charges, there are other surcharges and so on? So, regardless of whether I am a local or a tourist, when I board the taxi, I have a mental picture of how much I am paying, and I would not be ripped off. I hope that will be instituted.

Next, I would like to ask Senior Parliamentary Secretary Teo regarding lifts that will be installed at the overhead bridges. Will this be maintained by the LTA, or will this be maintained by the Town Councils?

Last of all, the cycling issue. Hon. Member Mr Ang Mong Seng has shown that there were four cases of fatality in the month of January but Senior Parliamentary Secretary quoted over 500 cases per month. I was quite shocked by the numbers. It means there are at least one to two cases of serious injury, or even death, per day. Is that not serious enough for MOT to do something about cycling safety? Will MOT consider licensing or mandatory education for all cyclists? I would like the Senior Parliamentary Secretary to do a random survey on all cyclists now to see how much they know about traffic rules in the first place.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: I think the first question the Member raised was the real-time bus arrival information, and

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whether we could proliferate it to all the bus stops in Singapore. I am speaking from memory, so I may be off here. We have about 3,600 bus stops. What LTA has done is to look at usage, that is how many people use the bus stops and the flow in deciding where to put this bus arrival information. I am not sure whether Sembawang and Yishun qualify but we will have a look at this. What is important is that we should have multiple platforms to deliver this information. My children get it on the mobile phone – there is a service which you can use. You can also go on to the Internet, find the website and you can find the bus arrival information. Intelligent Route Information System (IRIS) is one such example, the Member is right. Individuals can also go to the Journey Planners websites. We will try to proliferate this. I think the Member has made an important point. The more information people have, the better they can manage their time, thus lower the frustration level in waiting for buses.

On taxi surcharges: this has been de-regulated but the LTA will work closely with the operators to see how best to get this done. I accept the Member's point. The Member is saying that it is better if the person knows exactly what the different charges are before the person boards the taxi. If we could get the information panels up, a commuter would know exactly what the different charges are. It would help, so, we will look into that.

Mr Teo Ser Luck: Sir, the Member asked about lifts on pedestrian overhead bridges. LTA is working with operators on the costs of maintenance, so it is not the Town Councils that will pay. I am also glad to know that the Member walks across pedestrian crossings.

Cycling safety. I share Dr Lim Wee Kiak's sentiments and concerns because I

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cycle very often on the road. I have lost quite a few friends and that is why I set up a Safe Cycling Taskforce a few years ago that now plays an active role in conducting cycling clinics. There is not going to be a "finish line". It is a continuous effort, taking a multiple-pronged appoach, improving infrastructure, enforcement and a lot of education.

Registration is an administrative process, we all know that. We can do the registration but as Members know, it is not practical to put number plates on some bicycles. It is the responsibility of both the cyclists and motorists on the road. We must learn to accommodate one another, have that kind of cycling culture in place. It is a continuous effort. There are some improvements today. We are continuously conducting clinics and education sessions on having a checklist of equipment, what to do, and what kind of behaviour to observe on the road. We want to make sure that cyclists are not reckless on the road; they must obey traffic rules, not go against traffic flow, and motorists must accommodate them. It is a road safety campaign that focuses especially on cycling safety on the road. I urge Members to consider implementing these clinics within their towns and we will fully support them.

Mr Ang Mong Seng: Mr Chairman, in my maiden speech on the Budget debate, I did appeal to the Government to consider reducing the road tax by 20%, seeing that more and more ERP gantries are being installed on the roads. I would like the Minister to respond to this.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: I think the better approach to help Singaporeans cope with the cost-of-living pressures is that which has been outlined by the Finance Minister. That is, instead of trying to bring specific costs down, it is better to give help on the income front. And so, the Member should look at the package that the Finance Minister has

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announced, for example, the Growth Dividends, the Workfare Income Supplement and so on. This is a bettter approach because if we make increases on the income side, then we leave it to the individual to decide how best to spend the money, rather than to target specific items such as road tax or other expenditure items.

Mr Charles Chong: Sir, I would like to thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his assurance that my residents will not be left in the air when they use the overhead bridge across Sengkang East Way. I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary to give me an indication when they can be expected to be brought down to earth in these lifts or escalators.

Mr Teo Ser Luck: Sir, we will have the lifts on pedestrian overhead bridges for the six different locations by 2013. We will ensure that we do not leave them in the air.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, with regard to the Central Bus Planning, I like to ask the Minister, what is the time-frame that grassroots leaders and residents can expect to wait. I understand that LTA staff has gone down to meet the grassroots leaders and residents, but yet, not much has been done. They are waiting and waiting. Can the Minister give us a time-frame? The elderly, in particular, would like to see more inter-connectivity at different estates so they can move about and still able to enjoy their lives.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: Sir, we have already started implementation in January. It is an ongoing process. I would just like to stress that it is not as though we have done this one-off exercise and that was it. This has to be on a continual basis because needs change, travel patterns might change. We did the first

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four in January. I am not sure whether any bus services were affected in the Member's ward but we would have sent him an advisory, explaining whether any changes would be taking place in this particular exercise.

We can understand that most people would like direct connectivity. When we do planning, LTA and the public transport operators really have to decide at the margins because the resources are scarce. Do we put in the extra resources to create a new direct service, or do we put the extra resources in enhancing an existing service where we might have a transfer element in it? These are the things we have to balance. Sometimes, the reason why we cannot give a direct service is because those resources might be better used in one where there is a transfer service. So, residents might still have the bus service to connect from point A to point B, but they might need to make a transfer. We are working on making transfers as seamless as possible so they will be convenient.

The Chairman: No further clarifications? Dr Lim.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Mr Chairman, Sir, over the last three hours, we have covered land to sea to air and back to land again. Certainly, we are very happy to hear the good news that for the MRT system, the capacity and the number of train trips will be ramped up. I hope that the Ministry will monitor closely the response on the ground and, hopefully, my residents will get their trains earlier.

The vision that is spelt out in the Land Transport Master Plan is one that all Singaporeans look forward to. We do have an excellent public transport system and infrastructure but I know that the Ministry will not rest on their laurels and they will continue to work hard towards achieving it.

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On behalf of the GPC as well as the Members of the House, let me just thank Minister Raymond Lim, Minister Lim Hwee Hua as well as Senior Parliamentary Secretary Teo Ser Luck for the comprehensive answers they have given to all the issues. We would also like to express our thanks to the men and women in MOT as well as LTA, as well as the sea and air transport sections for keeping our traffic flowing and, thereby, keeping us flowing.

With that, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $475,476,300 for Head W ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $3,981,835,900 for Head W ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.