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In setting out some of the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) priorities, S. Iswaran highlighted the need for Singapore's transport system to be inclusive and accessible to all.

Addressing attendants at a Sep. 20 conference held by MOT to commemorate the 20-year milestone of its formation, Iswaran said this included creating “a culture of graciousness among all who share our transport system”.

The Transport Minister said he often told others to think of Singapore's roads "not as territory to be fought over but as commons to be shared".

“If commuters, cyclists, and motorists can be more mindful of each other’s needs and concerns, it will go a long way towards safer and more comfortable journeys,” he added.

The exhortation came at the tail end of a speech where Iswaran spoke on the importance of Singapore's transport system being "reliable, resilient, and ready for the future", a theme influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic and the long-term challenge of climate change.

Those three attributes, said Iswaran, would allow Singapore to be prepared for disruptions in supply chains, changes in work and travel patterns, and shifts in technology.

Less than 10 per cent of bus captains not available due to Covid-19

Speaking to reporters after his speech, the minister gave an update on the clusters of Covid-19 cases that had emerged at several bus interchanges.

He said that as of Sep. 20, slightly fewer than 10 per cent of bus captains were either recovering from the virus or in quarantine.

The manpower shortage had caused five express bus services to be withdrawn, while the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also warned of longer waiting times for commuters.

"What has really been happened is LTA and the bus operators have been working very hard behind the scenes to organise operations and to try and redeploy resources where necessary, so as to minimise the impact on bus services," said Iswaran.

Ridership at 60 per cent but fare hike not inevitable

When asked about the impact of the pandemic on public transport ridership and if it would affect fares, Iswaran noted that ridership was at about 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

Yet, the transport minister suggested that the drop in usage might not directly lead to a fare increase.

"We should not be drawing conclusions from what might be happening in a crisis period because this may or may not be indicative of what might be the longer-term trajectory," he said.

"I think our overriding priority is to make sure that we keep public transport services running, and make sure that they are safe and available for Singaporeans to use."

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Top image by Kharl Anthony Paica via Unsplash