Encourage more people to take public transport

Editor
Forum Page
Straits Times

During the past year, I take the MRT train regularly to visit most places in Singapore. I find the train to be more convenient that driving a car. I avoid paying high ERP and parking charges and driving in congested roads.

I wish to give the following suggestions to make it more convenient for commuters to take the MRT train:

1. Have a digital display above each door of the train to announce the previous, current and next train station as the train moves along the journey. The names of the stations can be displayed in English and Chinese. This system is used in the Taipei system and is helpful for passengers.

2. Have a green light at each door, to indicate the left or right door that will open at the next station. This system is adopted in Hong Kong.

3. Mark the space near the door with a yellow box. Passengers standing in this box should make way for disembarking passengers.

4. Display a map prominently at the exit of the MRT station, showing all buildings and bus services serving each bus stop within 2 kilometers of the station. This will make it easy for a commuter to take a connecting bus to their final destination.

5. Allow independent operators to use a light bus to run a feeder service to serve the catchment around each MRT station. This service can be operated at a low cost, with a short waiting time.

The first four suggestions are low cost and easy to implement. It will make it more convenient and enjoyable for commuters to take public transport, instead of driving a car.

Tan Kin Lian