Transport — Topics

24 Mar 2016

Reason for Delay in Completion of Sheltered Linkway at Woodleigh Close

Sitoh Yih Pin inquired about the delay in completing the sheltered linkway at Woodleigh Close under the Walk2Ride programme and asked for LTA's revised completion date.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that the original completion estimate was May 2016, but LTA required more time to avoid impacting utilities and trees.
The new expected completion date for the sheltered linkway is now August 2016.

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24 Mar 2016

Justification for Building Sheltered Pedestrian Overhead Bridges

Sitoh Yih Pin questioned why some pedestrian overhead bridges are sheltered and others are not, and requested shelter for the Braddell Road bridge and its linked walkways.
Khaw Boon Wan stated that the Land Transport Authority prioritizes shelters for more frequently used bridges.
Khaw Boon Wan confirmed that the case for the Braddell Road bridge will be reviewed.

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24 Mar 2016

Illegal Parking at Taxi Stands

Mr Ang Hin Kee asked the Ministry for Transport about the number of illegal parking cases at taxi stands over the last three years, the breakdown between taxis and non-taxis, and the efforts to reduce such incidents.
Minister Khaw Boon Wan reported 4,329 cases of illegal parking or misuse of taxi stands and taxi stops over the past three years.
Out of these cases, 325 were committed by taxis while the rest were by non-taxis.
The Ministry, through the Land Transport Authority, will continue to deploy enforcement officers to deter motorists from misusing taxi stands and taxi stops.

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24 Mar 2016

Review Full-day Bus Lane Implementation

Ang Hin Kee proposed limiting full-day bus lanes only to roads with heavy congestion instead of all city-area bus lanes, and asked if taxis should be allowed to pick up or drop off passengers along bus lanes during operation hours as public transport vehicles.
Khaw Boon Wan clarified that not all city bus lanes are full-day, and only roads with high bus volumes throughout the day are designated as such.
Khaw opposed allowing taxis to stop within bus lanes during operation hours, arguing it would slow down buses and reduce timeliness, harming bus commuters.

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24 Mar 2016

Extension of Operating Hours of MRT Station Pedestrian Walkways

Sitoh Yih Pin asked if underground pedestrian walkways at Potong Pasir and other MRT stations can stay open after the stations close early in the morning.
Khaw Boon Wan stated that pedestrian links are typically kept open 24 hours for public convenience unless strong security reasons justify otherwise.
He explained that at Potong Pasir, the walkway leads directly to the platform and keeping it open after hours could pose vandalism risks.
The default policy is to maintain 24-hour access but exceptions are made for security concerns.
The debate highlighted the balance between public convenience and the need to protect MRT infrastructure.

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24 Mar 2016

Difference between Parking Fees for Surface and Multi-storey Car Parks

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef requested a review of monthly parking fees at HDB estates, specifically the difference between surface and multi-storey car park charges.
Lawrence Wong explained that multi-storey car parks cost more to maintain, justifying higher fees, but in some precincts with both types, charges are equalized to address congestion and underutilization.
HDB has no plans for islandwide equalization of parking charges due to no widespread imbalance in demand.

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14 Mar 2016

Accidents Involving E-bikes

Dennis Tan Lip Fong requested statistics on accidents involving e-bikes for each year from 2010 to 2015.
Khaw Boon Wan responded by referencing a table containing the number of road accidents involving power-assisted bicycles for those years.
The debate focused on the need for official data to understand the scale of e-bike-related incidents.
The Minister's reply indicated the availability of such statistics, but the table itself was not included in the transcript.
The exchange highlighted parliamentary interest in monitoring road safety concerning e-bikes.

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14 Mar 2016

Covered Walkways from MRT Stations to Public Hospitals

Ang Wei Neng asked if there is a plan to build covered walkways from MRT stations to public hospitals like KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Khaw Boon Wan confirmed that LTA is building such walkways as part of the Walk2Ride programme within a 400-metre radius.
Most of these walkways are already completed, and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital will have a covered walkway to Little India station by 2017.

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14 Mar 2016

Measures to Limit Price Hikes in Motorcycle COEs

Mr Zainal Sapari questioned the percentage of motorcycles registered under the Open Category COE in 2015 and proposed increasing supply or allowing five-year renewals to curb price hikes.
Minister Khaw Boon Wan clarified that no motorcycles used Open Category COEs in 2015 and explained that the COE system aims to manage vehicle growth through market pricing, not to artificially lower prices.
The Minister noted that five-year COE renewals for motorcycles are already permitted if the vehicles are deregistered afterward, indicating existing flexibility in the system.

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14 Mar 2016

Ensuring People-centric Desing in Pedestrian Linkway Planning

Tan Wu Meng raised concerns about the Clementi overhead bridge, noting that the lifts close after midnight, leaving elderly and mobility-impaired residents without barrier-free access once the ground-level crossing was removed, and urged LTA to provide 24-hour lift operation.
He also suggested that the Building Code should require private developers in HDB town centres to provide barrier-free pedestrian links to public developments, citing missed opportunities in Clementi, and advocated for better sheltered access to public hospitals like KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
Minister Lawrence Wong affirmed a people-centric approach to urban planning, shared ongoing efforts to enhance pedestrian connectivity, and announced that LTA and SMRT would adopt the suggestion for all-day barrier-free access at the Clementi bridge, while studying legislative options to compel pedestrian links from private developments.
The Minister highlighted initiatives like expanding sheltered walkways under the Walk2Ride scheme, improving hospital connections, and promoting car-lite culture through measures such as car-free Sundays in the civic district.
Both speakers emphasized the need for a holistic, user-focused design language in planning to create a more walkable and inclusive Singapore.

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14 Mar 2016

Criteria for Installing Elevators for Overhead Pedestrian Bridges and Within Train Stations

The Minister for Transport confirmed that MRT and LRT stations must be barrier-free with elevators from platforms to street level, and that elevators at overhead bridges are prioritized for locations near transport hubs, healthcare institutions, and neighbourhoods with higher elderly populations.
In response to a query about Farrer Park MRT station’s accessibility, the Minister acknowledged the concern and committed to reviewing it as part of the broader first-mile-last-mile connectivity programme, which aims to enhance public transport accessibility for all, especially the vulnerable.
A Member raised the need for a timeline for elevator installations in his ward, and the Minister explained that while prioritizing elderly-heavy areas, rollout depends on funding and competing demands across many overhead bridges.
The criteria for elevator installation apply equally to public and private estates, with priority given based on the concentration of elderly residents rather than estate type, though public estates often see faster implementation due to larger affected populations.

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14 Mar 2016

Prohibiting Electric Bicycles in Designated Areas in Toa Payoh East-Novena

Saktiandi Supaat requested a prohibition on electric bicycles on pedestrian walks and crossings in Toa Payoh East-Novena to protect elderly residents and young children.
The Senior Minister of State for Transport clarified that electric bicycles are only allowed on roads and are fined if used on footpaths, with strict technical requirements like weight and speed limits to enhance safety.
Saktiandi Supaat highlighted resident concerns about incidents involving electric bicycles exceeding speed limits and asked for more enforcement plans.
The Minister confirmed a comprehensive review is underway by Parliamentary Secretary Assoc Prof Dr Faishal Ibrahim to address enforcement and other safety aspects.

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14 Mar 2016

Ensuring Essential Services are Not Affected by Flash Floods

The Ministry outlined a comprehensive flood management strategy using source, pathway, and receptor measures, including drainage upgrades, runoff controls, and elevated platform requirements for critical infrastructure, alongside monitoring systems and public alerts.
No disruptions to essential services like hospitals or public transport were recorded in recent flash floods, which typically receded within 30 minutes, and agencies have protocols to warn emergency vehicles of affected routes.
To minimize delays for emergency vehicles, agencies use real-time flood monitoring and alerts, with the public also able to report floods via a hotline, though there is no specific case of hospital access blockage.

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14 Mar 2016

Revisions to Road Usage Charges and COE System with New Island-wide ERP System

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah raised concerns about the new island-wide ERP system, specifically whether it would charge based on office hours, if road tax and COE might be adjusted to offset costs, and implications for transport and delivery businesses.
The Minister for Transport clarified that the new ERP system aims to price only congested roads using distance-based charges for fairness, but it is too early to assess impacts on motorists or policy adjustments.
The Minister emphasized that the system’s technology supports congestion pricing but did not commit to reviewing road tax or COE, nor address specific sector concerns raised by the Member.

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1 Mar 2016

Update on Electric Vehicle (EV) Phase 1 Test-bed

Mr Ang Hin Kee asked if the EV phase 1 test-bed data is sufficient to review policies and infrastructure plans, and whether support measures for EV adoption will be introduced.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that phase 1 (June 2011 to December 2013) gathered technical data on EV deployment in Singapore.
A second phase is testing fleet-based operations, with a nationwide EV car-sharing programme under evaluation and trials for electric taxi services being studied.
These fleet trials aim to determine the optimal charging infrastructure and costs to support wider EV use in Singapore.

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1 Mar 2016

Prosecutions for Illegal Use of Electric Bicycles

Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport for the number of prosecutions for illegal use of electric bicycles each year from 2010 to 2015.
The Minister for Transport, Khaw Boon Wan, responded by providing tables showing the number of general cycling offences and electric-bicycle specific offences for those years.
Offenders in these cases were issued warnings, offered composition fines, or charged in Court.

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1 Mar 2016

Cycling Offences in Past Two Years

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Transport about the number of cyclists booked for errant or dangerous cycling offences, complaints against errant cyclists, and participants in the Safe Cycling Clinic for Youth over the past two years.
The Minister responded that government agencies received about 600 complaints in 2014 and 800 in 2015, and issued around 1,300 summons each year.
Since its launch in 2014, the Safe Cycling Clinic for Youth has trained about 150 secondary school students, and additional educational programmes on safe cycling have been conducted at community events.

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1 Mar 2016

Compensation for Injuries Caused by Cyclists

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked about compensation avenues for injuries caused by cyclists and plans to regulate cyclists.
Khaw Boon Wan stated that victims can seek compensation through civil court action or private settlement, similar to motor accident victims.
He noted existing regulations, such as cyclists not being allowed on footpaths, and that a panel is reviewing rules and considering a code of conduct.
The panel is expected to submit recommendations to the Ministry soon.

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1 Mar 2016

Publicity for and Feedback on Silver Zone Project

The Member of Parliament asked about the extent of public consultations and any adverse feedback on the Silver Zone project before and after implementation.
The Minister confirmed that the Land Transport Authority engages residents through brochures, posters, newsletters, and events prior to construction.
The Minister noted that while there is some feedback on noise, dust, and traffic impact during construction, most residents support Silver Zones for their benefits to vulnerable pedestrians.

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1 Mar 2016

Sale of Land Parcels around Major MRT Interchange Stations

Cheryl Chan asked how the Ministry balances selling land near MRT stations with managing traffic when new developments are occupied.
Lawrence Wong explained that land sales provide homes with transport access but agencies ensure road networks can handle increased traffic from new residents.
He noted that land parcels are released progressively to spread traffic growth over time and that developers may be required to do road improvements and follow strict rules on entrance and exit points to avoid traffic disruptions.

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