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06-03-2013, 06:31 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-03-2013, 06:32 PM by Contrarian.)
Here is another PAP MP talking sense... MP Liang Eng Hwa, thank you for echoing the public commuter's voice...
Making the call during the second day of the Budget debate in Parliament was Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency Liang Eng Hwa, who said operating costs may well have gone up for the public transport operators (PTOs) but that was justifying it from the company's perspective.
From the public and commuter standpoint, he felt that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the public transport operators have not delivered their duty in providing reliable and convenient public transport.
Mr Liang said commuters felt they have been let down and are disappointed by the current under provision of services and the series of disruptions in trains, LRTs and buses.
He said LTA and the PTOs have to restore public confidence before even talking about a fare increase.
Mr Liang recounted that it has a trying experience working with the PTO on the ground.
He said each request submitted to improve bus services would often end up as long drawn-out discussions.
Often, the final answer from the PTO was that they had no drivers to increase bus services.
Mr Liang hoped that the Transport Ministry would move away from the two-PTO model and use more private operators to help expand the bus capacity.
He added that the privately-run bus operators were very entrepreneurial and resourceful and this was evident from the way they scaled up their bus fleet in 2010 when they provided the island-wide free shuttle bus service to Resorts World Sentosa.
Mr Liang said that if the two public transport operators are incapable of increasing the bus capacity fast enough, the government should not waste time with them and quickly look to other private operators to do the job.
Making the call during the second day of the Budget debate in Parliament was Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency Liang Eng Hwa, who said operating costs may well have gone up for the public transport operators (PTOs) but that was justifying it from the company's perspective.
From the public and commuter standpoint, he felt that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the public transport operators have not delivered their duty in providing reliable and convenient public transport.
Mr Liang said commuters felt they have been let down and are disappointed by the current under provision of services and the series of disruptions in trains, LRTs and buses.
He said LTA and the PTOs have to restore public confidence before even talking about a fare increase.
Mr Liang recounted that it has a trying experience working with the PTO on the ground.
He said each request submitted to improve bus services would often end up as long drawn-out discussions.
Often, the final answer from the PTO was that they had no drivers to increase bus services.
Mr Liang hoped that the Transport Ministry would move away from the two-PTO model and use more private operators to help expand the bus capacity.
He added that the privately-run bus operators were very entrepreneurial and resourceful and this was evident from the way they scaled up their bus fleet in 2010 when they provided the island-wide free shuttle bus service to Resorts World Sentosa.
Mr Liang said that if the two public transport operators are incapable of increasing the bus capacity fast enough, the government should not waste time with them and quickly look to other private operators to do the job.