COST OF BUS SERVICES

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether he does not think it timely in view of the increased passengers using the bus services and the increase in revenue reported by Singapore Bus Service that a committee should now be appointed to study the cost of the bus services and what economies could be effected with a view primarily to reducing the bus fares for commuters.

Dr Yeo Ning Hong: There is no need to appoint a committee to study the cost of bus services. This is best left to the bus operators who have shown that they are aware of the need to keep cost down.Bus operators have implemented various productivity and cost-saving measures including increased automation and computerisation and the conversion to one-man-operated buses. These measures have enabled bus fares to be held constant since January 1982.