PUBLIC TRANSPORT (Concessions to senior citizens)

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

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(Concessions to senior citizens): **

20.

Dr Ong Seh Hong asked the Minister for Transport whether he will consider (i) extending simpler and broader-based concessions to senior citizens who use public transport such as MRT and buses; and (ii) urging transport operators to remove restrictions to which these concessions apply, specifically the time belts when these concessions kick in and, if not, whether the operators can adopt the same restrictions to avoid confusion for senior citizen commuters.

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Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Travel concessions are granted by the public transport operators for senior citizens in Singapore to help lower the cost of travelling. These schemes do not need approval by the Public Transport Council (PTC), as PTC regulates only the standard or full fares. Any decision to improve on or to grant more concessions is therefore a matter for the transport operators to decide.

Dr Ong has asked if the transport operators could extend broader-based concessions and relax their restrictions on concession hours for senior citizens. I will convey Dr Ong's suggestion to the PTOs. They would need to study the implications carefully, as further concessions for senior citizens would mean that they have to recover more from the full-fare paying passengers. Nevertheless, the transport operators have been extending the concessions for senior citizens over the years. For example, up to five years ago, the special fares for senior citizens on Saturdays started only from 2.30 pm. The operators then extended Saturday concession hours to begin earlier, at 10 am. And recently, both operators extended the Saturday concession to the whole day. This, together with the extension in concession hours during weekdays, will benefit about 140,000 senior citizens making trips on buses and trains each day.

I agree with Dr Ong that it would be less confusing if the same concession restrictions or guidelines could be applied by both public transport operators. We will continue to encourage the operators to work together to harmonise their concession schemes for the benefit of their commuters.

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