BY RACHEL CHAN

WHILE it is true that some commuters are paying more under the new distance-based fare system, more will benefit in the long term because it allows more options in route-planning, said Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport.

She was responding to a resident yesterday during a one hour dialogue with residents of the Bukit Gombak Division in Hong Kah Group Representation Constituency.

The resident's concern: Those taking short trips to work are paying a higher fare instead, as it is not feasible for them to make a few transfers within a short journey.

Acknowledging that this group of commuters are not benefiting from the fare revamp, Mrs Lim hoped they would review their travel pattern weekly instead of on a "per trip basis".

Singapore's public transport switched to a system of distance-based charging on July 3. Bus and train fares are calculated based on the distance of the journey and the type of service taken to get to a destination.

The objective of this, said Mrs Lim, is to provide "maximum choice and flexibility" so that commuters would not be deterred from taking a shorter route for fear of being penalised for making transfers.

The Government is also expanding rail lines and changing bus routes to better serve commuters, she said. She said that "in due course", commuters currently paying higher fares as a result of the changed fare structure will benefit as well.

Residents also raised other transport-related issues. One suggested that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) make it mandatory for bicycles to be registered.

She was worried about the danger cyclists pose to pedestrians on footpaths, and to drivers on roads. She also said it is unfair to road-tax payers, as cyclists do not have to pay road tax.

Pointing out that registering each bicycle would be an "onerous" task, Mrs Lim said the longer- term challenge would be to educate all parties on how to share space.

Another resident suggested that LTA adopt the practice in countries such as Malaysia and Vietnam, which install traffic- light timers for motorists, indicating in seconds how much time they have before the red light comes on.

Mrs Lim said this will need to be studied as it could change motorists' behaviour.

In reply to a resident's complaint about crowded MRT trains during peak hours, Mrs Lim said that 1,300 train trips have been added since February 2008. And as recently as March, both SMRT and SBS Transit have added another 270 trips.

Wherever possible, the Government will make improvements to the infrastructure, she said. A new station platform to be completed soon at the Jurong East interchange and additional tracks will allow trains to turn around faster.

This, and the operation of 22 more trains, will raise capacity by 15 per cent and trim waiting time from more than three minutes to 2.6 minutes, said Mrs Lim.

rachchan@sph.com.sg

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