Keeping our MRT system ‘Alive, sustainable & safe to meet growing needs and expectation: A Proposal to the Minster for Transport, cabinet ministers and MPs

Dear Minister Khaw Boon Wan,

Reference the above matter.

As you are also open to useful suggestions and feedback, I forward this proposal to you and your team and would appreciate if this idea can be considered for implementation.  Active Citizenry plays a very useful role in helping the Government of the day to make Singapore the best home to live, work and play in.

I would appreciate a reply from you, Mr Khaw give that I have given much thought into this proposal. .

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Raymond Anthony Fernando

PROPOSAL

Like many of our citizens, I deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took place on the Pasir Ris MRT station where two young technicians lost their lives (“Shock and grief ripple through close-knit families”; March 23).

I offer my deepest condolences to the affected families and hope that with support from government agencies and the community, they will in time overcome their grief.  It is a healthy sign that government agencies have stepped forward to provide assistance to the bereaved families, for grief takes time to heal.  It will come and go.

 

Age can to some extent be cruel. In a certain way, trains are similar to human beings. With age, all will slow down, and given that our trains are  ageing fast, we have to accept that trains services will breakdown time and again – more so when it is transporting thousands of commuters every day and running at full steam almost the whole day.

Most certainly, the trains need a break, just like we do.  To this end, commuters must be willing to sacrifice a little so that our MRT system that has been serving us for close to three decades now is sustainable in the long run. 

We must be willing to test out bold and new ideas to keep our public transport systems alive – more so when the MRT network is being expanded.  Perhaps the Land Transport Authority and the public bus companies could collaborate to try out a pilot project by working out services to provide an island-wide bus service to run parallel with the MRT lines at late hours – say from 10pm onwards once a week, every fortnightly or monthly when people traffic is lower than peak periods.  This can be carried out at different zones on different dates so that there is less inconvenience. 

Given that there are no bus operators in the market who have promise comfortable and safe rides, this is an ideal time to translate words into action.  If this pilot project proves good, it will also enable the bus operators to be commercially viable.

Most importantly if this scheme can be successful,  it will not put too much pressure on the trains as well as the MRT staff and maintenance work can be carried out smoothly ensuring the safety of all our commuters.

 

RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO

Blogged on RAY OF LIGHT

Then, check out my letter to the press on this same matter:

http://www.todayonline.com/voices/trains-needa-break-too-humans-do