RAILWAYS (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

7.19 p.m.

The Minister of State for the Prime Minister's Department (Tuan Haji Yaacob Bin Mohamed): (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This Bill seeks to amend the Singapore Railways Ordinance to enable automatic half-barriers to be installed at five railway level crossings in Jurong. Under section 17 of the Ordinance, the Malayan Railway, which has extended its services to the Jurong Industrial Estate, is required to provide manned gates at level crossings. Owing to the prohibitive costs of operating manned gates, the Railway Administration has suggested the installation of automatic half -barriers, and at some of the crossings where traffic is not heavy, for such crossings to be declared open level crossings without any gates.

The Economic Development Board supports the installation of automatic half-barriers as they are expected to provide more efficient services - costs of employing gate-keepers and provision of houses for gate-keepers would be eliminated and delay to road traffic curtailed.

In order to allow the installation of automatic half-barriers, it is necessary to amend section 17 of the Singapore Railways Ordinance. The amendment will empower the Minister to exempt certain level crossings from the requirement to have manually operated gates. However, the Railway Administration will be required to erect warning boards alongside the public road as well as whistle signs upon the railway at suitable distances from the level crossings.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. -[Tuan Haji Yaacob Bin Mohamed]

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.