PUBLIC TELEPHONES ALONG EXPRESSWAYS (Conversion into emergency telephones)

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for National Development whether all the public telephones along expressways have been removed for the sake of road safety and whether they will be substituted by hot lines linking directly to the Police and the Fire Brigade for emergency use.

The Minister for National Development (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, emergency telephones are a necessity along expressways for motorists in distress to seek assistance. It is also a standard provision along such roads in the developed countries.

In Singapore, public telephones were installed for motorists to use as emergency telephones. But motorists are using them for personal and business calls. On the average, 66 calls per day are made from each telephone. Vehicles stopping along the expressways pose a hazard to other road users. In the first six months of 1986, there were nine cases of serious accidents attributable to the use of public telephones along expressways.

The Public Works Department together with the Police and Telecoms is looking into the conversion of these public telephones to emergency telephones which only allow calls for help to the Police, Fire Service and towing companies.