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SPEECH BY
MR RAYMOND LIM, MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND SECOND
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AT THE VISIT
TO KIM CHUAN DEPOT, DOUBLING
OUR RAIL NETWORK 1 It
is my pleasure to join you here this morning at the Kim Chuan Depot. 2 Last
week, you heard about our major initiatives to improve bus services. Today, I
will share with you the exciting plans that we have for the rail network, and
how we will meet the transport needs of diverse groups of people. 3 Let
me start by telling you what commuters can look forward to in the future. 4 By
2020, people who live or work in the city and those who shop and find
enjoyment there will be able to reach an MRT station within 400m on average,
a mere 5-minute walk. Travelling across the
city will be a breeze, because we will have a dense network of MRT stations
like what we see in 5 Outside
the city, many more areas that are not served by the MRT now, such as Sin
Ming, Marine Parade and Tuas will get high speed access to the city. 6 Commuters
will also enjoy a more comfortable ride and a shorter wait during peak
periods on the existing lines, as additional train trips will be added to
increase capacity. 7 I
will touch on the new rail lines first. New Rail Lines to be Built Thomson Line and Eastern Region Line 8 From
the heart of Marina Bay, a new MRT line, the Thomson Line, will travel northwards, through the Central Business
District and up through Ang Mo Kio
all the way to Woodlands connecting estates such as Sin Ming, Kebun Baru, Thomson and Kim Seng which do not now have a direct MRT link. From 9 The
TSL and ERL will shorten journey times and significantly enhance the connectivity
of the rail network. Commuters staying in Sin Ming can save 20 minutes out of
their current 45-minute journey to the city, whereas a trip from Marine
Parade to New extensions to North-South and East-West Lines 10 We
will also add extensions to the North-South and East-West Lines, which should
be completed around 2015. 11 The
North-South Line now ends at the 12 The
East-West Line will be extended by another 14km into Tuas. Today, a commuter
who lives in Clementi and takes the MRT to work in Tuas has to alight at Boon Lay station and then take a 35-minute
bus ride to get to his workplace. With
the new Tuas Extension that brings the East-West
line right into the heart of Tuas, more of the
journey will be on the high speed MRT, reducing his journey time by 20
minutes. Doubling of rail network by 2020 13 These
new rail lines will cost us some $20 billion to build, over and above the $20
billion that government has already committed for the on-going Boon Lay
Extension (BLE), the Circle Line (CCL) and the Downtown Line (DTL). The government has decided that all these
rail projects are a necessary investment to ensure that our transport
infrastructure meets the needs of a growing population and an expanding
economy. 14 Together
with the rail lines now under construction, the new rail lines will double
our network from today’s 138km to 278km in 2020. We expect our rail
network to carry 3 times as many journeys, rising from today’s 1.4
million a day to 4.6 million in 2020. 15 Many
more people will be served by the MRT, and they will be able to use it to get
to many more places. The density of
our rail network will increase by 60%, from 31 to 51 km per million population by 2020, comparable to cities like A More Comfortable Ride on Existing Lines 16 Let me turn to the existing rail
lines. Train ridership is increasing steadily and commuters
have said that they are feeling the squeeze, especially on the North-South
and East-West lines. Now, we are far
from the crowded conditions of 17 However, we are not about to let
conditions deteriorate and commuters need not worry about getting morning
massages any time soon. LTA closely
monitors the passenger loading on our trains. To ensure a more comfortable
ride for commuters, LTA has worked with the train operators to run 93 additional
train trips per week during the morning and evening periods from February 2008
on the North-South East-West and the North-East lines. For commuters, this
will mean less crowded trains and a reduction in waiting time by about 10-15%
during peak hours. 18 Beyond
that, we will also expand the carrying capacity of the North-South and
East-West Lines. We will be working
with SMRT to purchase more trains and address infrastructure constraints so
that peak hour train frequencies can be increased. When completed in about 4
years’ time, carrying capacity will be increased by a further 15%, and
commuters can look forward to shorter peak waiting times of 2 minutes, compared
to the current 2.5 to 4.5 minutes at
stretches that experience heavy loading, and an even more comfortable ride. A Shorter Wait for the
DTL and CCL 19 Many people are counting down to the day
they can use the Circle Line (CCL). Others have asked whether we can speed up
the building of the Downtown Line (DTL). We have taken to heart such feedback
and worked hard with the Ministry of Finance and other partners such as URA,
to see how we can bring forward the opening of these lines, to make public
transport a choice mode. DTL 3 to be brought forward by 2 years 20 To benefit residents of Bedok Reservoir and Tampines, we
will bring forward the completion of DTL 3 by 2 years, from 2018 to 2016. The completion date of DTL 3 will now be
just one year after that of DTL Stage 2 serving the Bukit
Timah corridor. As we speed up the development of
the DTL, LTA will continue to maintain stringent safety and quality standards
in construction. Earlier opening of Circle Line in 2009 21 Likewise, we will bring forward the
Circle Line which was due to open from 2010 onwards. We will now open Circle
Line Stage 3 in mid-2009 to benefit residents in the north and north-east. This CCL segment connects Bishan station on the North-South Line and Serangoon station on NEL and opens up multiple new
connections for residents in the north and north-east. With the CCL 3, Serangoon residents will take only 25 minutes to get to Yishun by transferring to the North-South line at Bishan station, compared to 45 minutes by bus or by taking
the NEL all the way to Dhoby Ghaut
before transferring to the North-South line.
As for residents staying in Marymount, Lorong Chuan and Bartley, they will enjoy more seamless
and direct travel to the city and other parts once CCL 3 commences operation.
More Circle Line
stations will be opened 22 Other than bringing forward CCL 3, we
will also open more stations on the Circle Line. This will enhance the reach
and connectivity of the Circle Line, and allow many more people to benefit
from the MRT. We had earlier decided to build the Thomson and West Coast stations
as shell stations and fit them out only when there are sufficient
developments around them. As the pace of development around these stations is
picking up, LTA will now fit out these stations and open them together with
the other CCL stations. To enhance the accessibility of the 23 With all these developments that I
have highlighted, commuters can look forward to new extensions or stages of
new lines opening almost every other year until 2020. Platform Screen Doors
for Above-ground Stations 24 The safety of our rail commuters is key. The incidence of people entering the train track area
of above-ground MRT stations has risen from an average of 16 cases a year to
30 in 2006 and 31 in 2007. Besides endangering lives, such incidents disrupt
train services and inconvenience many commuters, especially during peak
hours. 25 To enhance safety and reduce the incidence
of track intrusions, LTA has been studying the feasibility of installing
platform screen doors on above-ground MRT stations. With platform screen
doors being adopted in more transit systems worldwide, their cost has fallen,
making them more cost-effective now. 26 We will therefore install platform
screen doors at all above-ground MRT stations, so that commuters can have
safer and more reliable train services. LTA will carry out a pilot at Yishun, Jurong East and Pasir Ris stations in 2009 to
ensure that operational considerations are met, before rolling this out to
all stations by 2012. Rail Financing and
Industry Frameworks to be Strengthened 27 Besides the slew of initiatives I have
described - extending the rail network, opening MRT lines earlier and giving
commuters more comfortable and safer rides - we will also strengthen the
financing framework to facilitate rail expansion. At the same time, we will introduce greater contestability
in the rail industry to ensure efficient rail operations and keep costs
competitive. Review financing
framework to support rail expansion 28 From
now till 2020 and beyond, we are rolling out ambitious rail expansion plans to
meet the travel needs of a growing population. 29 As we expand the rail
network, future lines will be more expensive to build, operate and maintain
as they will be mostly underground. New lines will also need time to build up
their ridership, compared to mature lines which
serve the more densely built-up corridors. Hence, to keep up the pace of rail
expansion, MOT will work with the Ministry of Finance to refine the financing
framework. The framework should allow for a network approach, instead of a line
approach, to be adopted in evaluating new lines. This would potentially enable
future new lines to be implemented a few years earlier than otherwise, so
long as the entire rail network remains viable. Greater contestability in the rail industry 30 We will also strengthen the rail
industry framework to enhance efficiency and maintain cost competitiveness. 31 We currently have two rail operators.
This enables the regulator to benchmark the operators against each other in
terms of service standards and cost efficiency. 32 There
have been suggestions to merge the separate rail operations to reap greater economies
of scale. Others see value in
retaining the existing structure, as competition between the operators helps improve
efficiency and service standards. 33 Following an extensive study, LTA’s assessment is that the key issue here is not
so much whether there are one or two operators but that the threat of
competition must be real to the incumbents. Further, competition must not
compromise the integration of the network as the seamless working of the
whole network is what gives value to the commuter. 34 Going forward, we will make the
rail industry more contestable, to drive efficiency and enhance service
standards for commuters. A key step in enhancing contestability is to have
shorter operating licences, say 10 to 15 years,
compared to the existing 30-year licence periods. Operators
will compete for the right to operate rail services. They will have to meet
service obligations or risk being replaced at the end of their term. LTA will
study the implementation issues carefully with relevant stakeholders.
Meeting Diverse
Needs Ensuring
Accessibility for All 35 As we enhance the rail network, we will
ensure that our MRT system and the wider transport network are accessible to
all, including elderly commuters, families with young children, people with
disabilities and those who are less well-off. This is part of our broader commitment
to meet the needs of diverse groups within our people-centred
land transport system. Pedestrians 36 Pedestrians can look forward to a more
comfortable walking environment, as we build more covered linkways
and pedestrian overhead bridges, and make it more convenient to get to bus
stops and MRT stations. 86% of
pedestrian overhead bridges will be covered by 2010. Walkways and commuter
facilities will also be made accessible to all, including the less mobile. By
2010, LTA will have completed its $60 million islandwide
programme to make pedestrian walkways, access to
MRT stations, taxi and bus shelters, and all public roads barrier-free. Elderly and Less
Mobile Commuters 37 The introduction of low-floor,
wheel-chair accessible buses has also been welcomed by elderly commuters and
wheel-chair users. By 2010, 40% of our
buses will be wheelchair accessible, and we intend that by 2020, the entire
fleet will be so. 38 More will also be done for MRT
users. All MRT stations have already
been provided with at least one barrier-free entrance inclusive of a lift. However, the elderly or less mobile
commuters sometimes have to make long detours to get to that one entrance
with the lift, which defeats the purpose. We
will therefore provide 17 additional lifts for 16 MRT stations at the cost of
$70 million. Currently, these 16 stations have entrances that are either far
apart or are separated by major roads. Putting in a lift at another
entrance will benefit, among others, the elderly residents at the Boon Keng housing estate, enabling them to get into the MRT
station more easily. So too the people who alight from Boon Keng station to go to the Helping Poorer Singaporeans Access Public Transport
39 Another
group that we pay close attention to are the less well-off Singaporeans. While
fares have to reflect the cost of operations, we will see to it that public
transport remains accessible to the poorer Singaporeans. Fares will continue
to be regulated by the Public Transport Council by a fare cap formula, so public
transport operators cannot charge whatever they think the market can bear. This will help keep public transport fares
affordable for the general public. As for lower-income families who need more
help with their public transport costs, the government is committed to providing
targeted help through schemes such as Workfare. Help from the community is
also available, such as through the transport vouchers provided by the public
transport operators and government. Improving Taxi Services 40 While we enhance public
transport and ensure that all have access to it, we will also facilitate a
wide range of transport choices, including taxis and cycling. 41 Taxis offer commuters high-end
door-to-door service like cars. The taxi industry is liberalized and taxi
supply and fares are determined by the market. LTA sets the Quality of
Service standards to protect commuters’ interests. 42 To further enhance taxi
services, LTA will tighten the call booking Quality of Service standards to ensure
that taxis are available when commuters call for one. 43 LTA will also set up a common call booking telephone
number for taxis by July 2008, to complement the taxi companies’ call
booking systems. This will make it more convenient for the public,
especially the tourists, to call for a taxi as they will only need to
remember one telephone number, instead of the different telephone numbers of
each taxi company today. Facilitating Cyclists 44 Cyclists
are another group that we will facilitate. There is a growing interest in
cycling, with more people cycling for
recreation, or to get around the neighbourhood. 45 We invited some of them to our land transport
review focus group discussions to see how we could better cater to their
needs. Some cyclists asked for more
bicycle stands around our bus and MRT stations. Others made the point that
some foldable bicycles were not much bigger than prams, so why not allow them
onboard our trains and buses? 46 Responding
to this, LTA together with the public transport operators will launch a
six-month trial from March 2008 to allow cyclists to carry their foldable
bicycles on board trains and buses.
LTA will also work with NParks and other
agencies to leverage on the park connectors to enable cyclists to get to
public transport interchanges more easily. Bicycle parking facilities at the
MRT stations and bus interchanges in housing estates will be improved. 47 The
cyclists also shared their ‘war stories’ and asked us to help
improve safety on our roads. Following a pilot in Changi,
LTA will put up signs to alert
motorists to the presence of cyclists along frequently used cycling routes
such as those in West Coast and Thomson from March 08. LTA and the Traffic
Police have also started a trial to allow cycling on pedestrian footways in Tampines. 48 But
at the end of the day, it is also an issue of mutual accommodation –
for the motorists to look out for cyclists on the road; and for cyclists to
have a care for pedestrians. Protecting the Environment 49 Greater
use of our MRT and buses as well as non-motorised transport like cycling will
help reduce greenhouse gases and protect the environment. Land transport has a critical role in whether
a city is liveable or choking on its own exhaust. Our transport policies as a whole serve to
ensure a high quality living environment for all Singaporeans. 50 LTA
will work with the transport operators to further improve the emission
standards of their fleets. By 2014, all our taxis will comply with Euro IV
emission levels. By 2010, about 40% of public buses will have achieved this
emission target, with 100% by 2020. Through schemes like the Green Vehicle
Rebate, LTA will also work with other agencies to promote more energy efficient
vehicles as well as the use of cleaner fuels such as CNG (Compressed Natural
Gas). Conclusion 51 By
2020, we will have an integrated, efficient and user-friendly public
transport system that enables every Singaporean, including those with special
needs, to take part in the life of the city. With a vastly expanded rail network and a
bus network that works in partnership with rail, commuters will have fast and
reliable connections that bring them where they want to go. A gamut of
transport choices including premium buses, taxis and cycling among others, will
enable different needs to be met. As society evolves and people’s needs
change, our land transport offerings must keep pace as well as encompass the
diversity of needs and aspirations. To achieve this, we will plan our land
transport system around people, not the other way round. This then will be our touchstone in the
planning of land transport policies going forward. |
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