USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT

USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT

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(Encouraging courtesy): **

44.

Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport with the rise in the number of people using public transport (a) if the Ministry has any plans to encourage the public to exercise courtesy when travelling on trains and buses; and (b) whether public transport operators will deploy inspectors to check on passengers who do not give up priority seats to the elderly and pregnant women.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: Er Lee Bee Wah asked if we will encourage the public to exercise courtesy when travelling on public transport. We are indeed doing so. Since 23th May 2009, the Public Transport Council (PTC), in partnership with the Land Transport Authority (LTA), SBS Transit (SBST), SMRT and the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM), have been carrying out a public education programme entitled "A Happy Journey Starts Like That!" This programme encourages commuters to be gracious to one another. It focuses on specific behaviour such as giving way to others who want to alight from a train, giving up reserved seats on board buses and trains to those who need it more and moving to the middle of train cabins or the rear of buses to give more room to other passengers.

To better reach out to the public, the PTC enlisted the help of local television characters Phua Chu Kang and family, to star in publicity materials such as posters, videos and audio recordings. For example, in the MRT stations, you can often hear Phua Chu Kang’s voice over the speakers, reminding passengers to behave graciously. In addition, the operators’ service ambassadors in the MRT stations have also helped to remind and encourage commuters to act graciously, especially during the morning and evening rush hours.

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The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is also improving the signs that remind commuters of gracious behaviour. For example, the LTA is now testing out new queue markings in front of the train doors in MRT stations. You may have seen the new green arrows, which are visually more striking than the old yellow markings. A green arrow also suggests that alighting passengers have a right of way, just like in traffic lights. If found to be effective, the LTA will implement the markings in all MRT stations.

The LTA has also worked with the operators to standardise the signs to encourage commuters to give up their seats. The new signs state 'reserved seating' and there is also an additional sign on the seat itself in case people miss the first sign.

Er Lee also asked if the operators will deploy inspectors to check on commuters who do not give up their seats. Yes, the operators have been deploying service ambassadors and customer service officers to patrol the trains, to ask passengers sitting in 'reserved seats' to give them up to those who need it more. Ticket inspectors are doing the same on the buses.

However, we must strike a balance between enforcement and public education. Public education is our primary approach as that is how best we can ensure that graciousness becomes an ingrained part of our behaviour when using our public transport system, with enforcement as a last resort to remind the recalcitrant few. A recent survey carried out by the LTA indicate that a majority of commuters find the posters, videos, audio clips and re-designed markings to be effective in encouraging gracious behaviour. If we continue to work together and be more mindful of the needs of others every day, our society will become more gracious, and a journey on our public transport system happier.

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