Good morning,

Ladies and gentlemen

I am very pleased to be here this morning to join you at this Public Transport Carnival.

I am especially pleased to see the three major public transport operators – Singapore Bus Services, Singapore MRT, Trans-Island Bus Services and their service company TransitLink, coming together for the first time to organise this special event to promote the use of public transport. This is indeed commendable.

Coming at the start of the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) shows also that the transport operators are proactive in persuading motorists to switch to public transport.

As part of this public transport promotion, mailers with a trial ride coupon have been sent to some 370,000 motorists to encourage them to try public transport. This coupon is valid for use on any Sunday in September for a ride on either the MRT trains, SBS or Tibs buses.

As some of you are aware, I took public transport to get here this morning. Instead of coming straight from Clementi Station by train, which is a smooth journey, I transferred from the train to a bus at Queenstown MRT Station. This was made easy by the integrated commuter facilities linking the two modes of transport. I also enjoyed the rides in cool air-conditioned comfort.

Many motorists are reluctant to switch to public transport. But if they try, they will realise that using public transport takes away the stress of driving, not to mention the stress of looking for a car park space. If more motorists switch to public transport, there will be fewer cars on the roads. This will help to ease traffic congestion as well as reduce air pollution. What’s more, you get to enjoy great savings.

For example, a journey here cost $1.35, after deducting the transfer rebate of 25 cents. If I had chosen to travel by bus alone, it would have been only $1.10. To drive here, I would need to incur a $1 ERP charge, a $2 parking fee and $1 in petrol costs. That’s already $4, three times the cost of taking public transport. Don’t forget that we have not even taken into account payment for the car, road tax, insurance, maintenance and depreciation costs.

A motorist who commutes from Tampines to his office at Raffles Place in a 1.6 litre car can save at least $16,000 a year if he switches to public transport. With the high cost of owning and using a car and the current economic downturn, motorists may want to seriously consider taking public transport as an option. It is a very real alternative since our public transport modes such as the MRT and buses are easily accessible, efficient, reliable and safe. In addition, we will continue to expand the public transport network. The LTA is pressing ahead with the construction of the North-East and Changi Airport Lines and with the LRT system in Bukit Panjang. Construction of the Sengkang and Punggol LRT systems will begin as planned. And in spite of the current economic climate, we have given the green light to proceed with the Marina Line.

Singaporeans today enjoy the convenience of a public transport system that is comparable to the best in the world. But the operators are not resting on their laurels. They are constantly looking for new ways and innovative ways to improve their services. I am glad that SBS, SMRT and Tibs are committed to delivering their best for Singaporeans. This resolution is clearly spelt out in their Customer Charters which outline the standard of bus and train service that commuters can expect. It is also heartening to note that the operators not only met most of the service standards set by the Land Transport Authority, they exceeded some of them too.

For the comfort and safety of commuters, SBS, SMRT and Tibs have invested heavily in modern buses and trains with comprehensive, safe, passenger-friendly features. The latest feature in buses includes the low floor board for easy boarding and alighting and air-con temperature control systems that automatically adjust the saloon temperature according to the weather. Door sensors ensure that the exit door will not shut on alighting passengers. Newspapers, magazines and radio entertainment are now available in some buses. In future, commuters may even get to enjoy TV entertainment on board the buses and trains.

I am also happy to learn that Tibs has taken the initiative to pilot a new type of bus service-the Rapid Bus Service which calls at limited stops with high passenger demand. This is the first service to make use of an advanced bus priority system. This system makes use of transponders on buses and detectors at traffic junctions to prolong the green light or turn the green light on early so that bus commuters can enjoy a faster ride to their destination.

The Rapid Bus Scheme will provide a fast bus service for commuters and is an attractive alternative for motorists who plan to switch to public transport. Likewise, I understand that SBS will rationalise its Services 16 and 36 from tomorrow to provide commuters with a fast link between Changi Airport and the CBD corridors of Orchard Road and Marina Centre via ECP. These are timely moves to reach out to motorists who would like to consider alternatives to driving.

The operators are not alone in pursuing the vision of providing Singapore with a world class public transport system. The LTA is working tirelessly to provide the necessary infrastructure such as the rapid transit network, better linkways between the different transport modes and upgrading bus stops and interchanges. Improving public transport to make it the preferred mode of travel is the cornerstone of our land transport policies as public transport is the only sustainable solution to Singapore’s transportation needs.

On this note, I am happy to launch the Public Transport Carnival. I hope that all of you, especially the motorists, will find out more about what our public transport operators have to offer.

Taking public transport is to be chauffeur-driven. So, "Be chauffeur-driven. Use public transport!

Thank you.

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