PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM (Committee to review)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Communications whether he will consider setting up a committee to review the public transport system in the Republic; to assess public needs in the next five years, and to make recommendations.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications (Mr Phua Bah Lee) (for the Minister for Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member for Punggol may recall that in July 1968, the Minister for Communications announced in Parliament that he would establish a Transport Advisory Board to study ways and means to improve the present public transport service in Singapore. This Board was, in fact, set up the following month and has since been holding regular monthly meetings.

The Board submitted its first interim report to the Minister in February this year and Government's acceptance of most of the Board's recommendations was announced in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Transport and Communications Exposition on 1st August. The most important recommendation, being the compulsory wearing of crash helmets by motor cyclists, scooterists and their pillion-riders, is being implemented in stages as from November 1969.

The Board is currently studying the problem of uniform legislation for bus companies in Singapore and also the possible re-routing of existing bus routes so as to provide more efficient and direct services for commuters from their homes to their places of work.

As for long-term solutions of our transport problems, this needs the attention of better qualified professional experts and planners. Two senior officials from the London Transport Board have already submitted "a preliminary study of possible new measures to improve and expand Singapore's mass transport facilities", which report is being examined by officials from my Ministry and those from the Ministries of National Development and Finance. Furthermore, a team of United Nations advisers attached to our State and City Planning Office have in the past two years been studying and assessing Singapore's long-term needs in public transport, including the long-range aspects of providing a mass transit system for Singapore.

In view of the existence of the Transport Advisory Board to find short-term solutions to our transport problems and the assistance of U.N. experts now attached to the State and City Planning Office to examine our long-term needs in public transport and to recommend ways and means to meet them, I do not think there is a need to set up yet another committee for the purpose, as indicated by the Member for Punggol.