More Reasons to Travel Early - August 2014 - Land Transport Authority
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
August 2014 More Reasons to Travel Early
2
Thomson Line: Work starts
On 27 June at the Woodlands MRT station, works on the upcoming
Thomson Line which is slated for completion in 2019 officially started.
1
Those living in Woodlands, Sin Ming, Thomson and Kim 2
Seng are one step closer to enjoying a faster and more
direct train connection to the city.
Works on the 30-km long Thomson Line - which will
comprise 22 stations along the North-South corridor
starting from Woodlands and ending at Gardens
by the Bay – officially started on 27 June during the
groundbreaking ceremony held at the worksite for
Thomson Line’s Woodlands Station.
Slated for completion in stages between 2019 and
2021, the fully underground Thomson Line boasts six 3
interchange stations which will link to other MRT lines.
The Thomson Line’s projected 400,000 commuters will
enjoy time savings. For instance, Woodlands South More Quality Time
residents will take 35 minutes to get to Orchard on the With My Mum!
Thomson Line, as compared to a 50-minute bus and
train journey today.
“Once the Thomson-East Coast Line starts, going to the gym after work will be
so much faster. I’ll be able to reach so early, I might even see my mother there!”
The line is Singapore’s sixth MRT line, and will help to Daryl Yeap with mother Anna Yeap
realise Singapore’s vision of doubling its rail network
Residents of Springleaf
by 2030.
CONTENTS
2-3 Thomson Line: Work starts 8 More Sheltered Walkways: From 46km to 200km
4-5 Save $400 a year by travelling early on the MRT! 9 FASTER Uses Data for Better Emergency Response
6 From 2016: Government Contracting Model 10 Upcoming: Improving the Bukit Panjang LRT
for Public Bus Industry 11 Fare Changes from 6 July
7 Newer Sleepers, Smoother Rides 12 Who Are Stacey, Martin and Glenda?
3
4
5
Fun Facts
• Names of the new stations along the Thomson Line
were chosen by over 4,000 people who voted in a
public poll in May 2013.
• Sections of the Thomson Line will need to be
built around existing train lines underground.
In a first for rail construction in Singapore,
special pipes will be used to freeze the
ground to prevent water seepage.
• Construction will be extremely challenging
at some existing rail stations. Orchard
station, for example, is located in a densely
built-up area with high pedestrian traffic
and mining works have to be carried out
under the station’s multiple-level platforms.
1 Minister Lui Tuck Yew and invited guests pose with young
performers from the ACE The Place Community Club Dragon and
Lion Dance Troupe who gave a special performance at the event.
2-3 Station hoarding designs feature local grassroots leaders,
residents and business owners from around the neighbourhood.
4-5 Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew and guests viewing the
exhibition panel featuring station footprints and exhibits at the
Thomson Line Groundbreaking event.
4
Save $400 A Year
By Travelling Early On The MRT!
Your savings from free MRT rides can pay for a cup of coffee every day,
a dress in two months, or an overseas holiday in a year.
1 2
You may think it is too much of a hassle to wake up earlier How it works is that commuters who tap out at 18
to take advantage of free MRT rides. designated MRT stations* before 7.45am on weekdays
will travel free.
Well, think of it this way: The money you save every day
could go a long, long way. All the way to Bali, in fact. In the past year, the trial has helped to shift about
7 per cent of commuters out of the morning peak
How? In just one year, accumulated savings - based on
period, which means the morning crowds are more
the average $1.80 for a MRT ride - adds up to over $400
evenly distributed.
which can fund a trip to Bali.
To tell more commuters about the benefits of free pre-
If you have not already tried the free rides, the good news
peak travel, the LTA has put up banners and posters,
is you can do so until 23 June 2015.
and distributed specially-designed travel free tissue
Free pre-peak travel was a one-year trial introduced by packets, to commuters at MRT stations.
the LTA in June 2013 to encourage commuters to travel
In May, it also ran a four week radio campaign over SPH
out of the morning peak hour.
radio stations and distributed free Ya Kun breakfast
vouchers at selected city stations. LTA has also
3
partnered with sponsor, Mr Bean to give out breakfast
vouchers together with flyers at selected high-traffic
heartland stations.
“ The Pre-Peak Free Travel initiative has helped
me to save about $30 each month on train
rides. I think this is a great initiative.
”
Yvonne Quek
Neurotechnician, Raffles Hospital
* The 18 designated stations are Bayfront, Bras Basah, Bugis, Chinatown, City Hall, Clarke Quay, Dhoby Ghaut, Downtown, Esplanade,
Lavender, Marina Bay, Orchard, Outram Park, Promenade, Raffles Place, Somerset, Tanjong Pagar and Telok Ayer.
5
4 5
LTA_Pre-Peak Programme Web Banner
Size: (W)794p x (H)234p
TRAVEL FREE ON THE MRT
FOR ONE MONTH
AND SAVE UP TO $36*
That’s a platter full of authentic sushi for your dinner gathering!
LTA_Pre-Peak Programme Web Banner*Savings are based on the average train fare of S$1.80 per trip.
Size: (W)794p x (H)234p
TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY
6
TRAVEL FREE ON THE MRT
FOR ONE MONTH
TRAVEL
AND SAVE FREE UP ONTO THE $36*MRT
AND
That’s a platterSAVE UP TO
full of authentic sushi $1.80* A DAY.
for your dinner gathering!
That’s a*Savings
freshare
cuppa ready
based on to perk
the average you
train fare up every
of S$1.80 per trip.morning!
*Savings are based TERMS
on the average train
& CONDITIONS fare of S$1.80 per trip.
APPLY
LTA_Pre-Peak Programme Web Banner TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY
Size: (W)794p x (H)234p
TRAVEL FREE ON THE MRT
TRAVEL FREE ON THE MRT
AND SAVE FREE
TRAVEL UP TO ON THE A
$1.80* MRT DAY.
FOR ONE MONTH
That’s a fresh cuppa ready to perk you up every morning!
ANDFOR SAVEONE UP TO YEAR $36*
*Savings are based on the average train fare of S$1.80 per trip.
AND SAVE UP TO $432*
That’s a platter full of authentic sushi for your dinner gathering!
That’s more
*Savings thanonenough
are based totrain
the average
TERMS pay
& CONDITIONS farefor
APPLY a Bali
of S$1.80 pergetaway!
trip.
*Savings are based on the
TERMS average train
& CONDITIONS APPLY fare of S$1.80 per trip.
TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY
TRAVEL FREE ON THE MRT
TRAVELFOR ONE
FREE ONYEAR
THE MRT
ANDAND
SAVESAVE UP$1.80*
UP TO TO $432*
A DAY.
That’s
That’s more
a fresh than ready
cuppa enoughtotoperk
payyou
for up
a Bali getaway!
every morning!
*Savingsare
*Savings arebased
basedononthe
theaverage
averagetrain
trainfare
fareofofS$1.80
S$1.80per
pertrip.
trip.
TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY
TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY
1-5 On-site distribution of Ya Kun free breakfast vouchers and flyers bundled with Mr Bean vouchers at MRT stations
to encourage more people to travel early.
6 Three poster versions illustrating what commuters can do with the savings accumulated.
6
From 2016: Government Contracting
Model for Public Bus Industry
The Government will own all public buses, depots and fleet management
systems under a new Government contracting model from 2016.
1
Today, operators own buses, run routes and earn responsive to changes in ridership and commuter
revenue. In a major overhaul of the public bus industry, needs, inject more competition into the industry and
the Government will: raising service levels for commuters over time.
• own buses and bus infrastructure and contract out
About 20 per cent of buses will be tendered out in
packages of routes for operators to operate
3 packages between 2014 and 2015. The remaining
• retain fare revenue
80 per cent of buses will be grouped into another
• pay the operators a fee to operate and maintain the
9 packages to continue to be run by incumbents,
bus services
on contracts to be negotiated.
With the Government overseeing the entire bus system,
this promises to make public bus services more
1 Commuters can expect raised service standards through this bus contracting model.
7
Newer Sleepers, Smoother Rides
1
Come later this year, commuters travelling on the 2
North-South line may notice that they are reaching their
destinations in a shorter time.
This is because the replacement of sleepers –
rectangular pieces of timber or concrete which support
the rails upon which train wheels run – is well under way.
Over the years, these sleepers have deteriorated as
train frequency and ridership increase. Since November
2012, about 600 workers have been replacing the
timber sleepers with new concrete ones in the wee
hours of the morning when the trains are not running.
About 33 per cent, or 30,000 sleepers, on the North-
South Line have been replaced since November 2012.
This is about 17 per cent of the 188,000 wooden
sleepers on the North-South and East-West Line that What are “Sleepers”?
has to be replaced. “Sleepers” are the rectangular blocks that support
The sleeper replacement programme is part of the on– the rails. The first sleepers in Singapore were made
of wood, with an average life span of about 25 years.
going upgrading and renewal of Singapore’s ageing
MRT system.
1 The Road Rail Vehicle (RRV) loads old timber sleepers onto the trailer and replaces them with new concrete sleepers.
2 Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew (second from left) showing appreciation to the workers who are carrying out
re-sleepering works.
8
More Sheltered Walkways:
From 46km to 200km
1
If laid end-to-end, all the sheltered walkways in 2
Singapore now would measure 46km in length.
The LTA intends to quadruple that to more than 200km
by 2018. This is equivalent to running from Tuas to
Changi Airport 4 times.
Under the Walk2Ride programme, the intention is to
enable commuters to walk to key transport nodes like
MRT stations and bus interchanges rain or shine.
These sheltered walkways will also be fitted out with
rest stops, signs and locality maps to help direct
commuters who may not know the way, and even
health information.
The first contract to build these sheltered walkways
around 24 MRT stations in the north-western part of
Singapore was awarded to Singapore Piling & Civil
Engineering Pte Ltd – Shincon Industrial Pte Ltd Joint
Venture for $80.3 million.
The second contract to build these sheltered walkways
around 35 MRT stations in the north-eastern part of
Singapore was awarded to Planar One & Associates
Pte Ltd for $76.3 million.
1 Existing sheltered walkways at Farrer Park MRT Station.
2 The new sheltered walkways will link to public amenities within a 400m radius of all MRT stations and a 200m radius of LRT
stations and bus interchanges.
9
FASTER Uses Data for Better
Emergency Response
In case of transport emergencies or disruptions, LTA and SMRT will work with Starhub and
IBM to improve how the event is managed through the use of data.
If there is a train disruption, some processes have already The data will also mean that during an emergency,
been put in place to manage such emergencies. credible, up-to-date information can be given to staff on
the ground and commuters.
However, to further improve how such emergencies are
managed, the LTA, SMRT, Starhub and IBM are working The collaboration, which was announced on 2 June,
together to share commuter data. SMRT for instance will has been named Fusion AnalyticS for public Transport
share video feeds from certain MRT stations, Starhub can Emergency Response, or FASTER.
provide telecommunications data while LTA and IBM can
make sense of farecard data.
With a better idea of commuters’ real-time travel patterns,
the authorities can make better decisions, for instance, on
where the most crowded areas are and how to manage it.
10
Upcoming:
Improving the Bukit Panjang LRT
1
From the fourth quarter of this year, Bukit Panjang 2
residents who take the LRT will enjoy shorter waiting
times as the first of 13 new LRT train cars will be added to
the existing fleet of 19.
This means that trains between the Choa Chu Kang and LRT
stations will arrive every 2.2 minutes instead of 2.5 minutes
today, and trains between Petir and Senja LRT stations will
arrive every 4.4 minutes instead of 5 minutes today.
The new trains will be tested for safety and reliability
before they go into service.
To further boost service levels for Bukit Panjang
commuters, the LTA is also:
• Building two new additional platforms at the Choa Chu
Kang LRT station for separate boarding and alighting, as
the current single platform gets crowded during peak hours
• Adding extra faregates so the crowds can clear quickly
• Widening the staircase which commuters use to transfer
between the MRT and LRT station to avoid commuter jam
1-2 Arrival of new train cars for Bukit Panjang LRT.11
New and Enhanced Fare Concessions
Help Commuters Cope with Travel Cost
1
If someone you know may benefit from these concessions and is not aware, 2
don’t worry: The LTA is going all out to make sure they know.
The information have been publicised in newspapers and television
advertisements, displayed on banners and posters at MRT stations and
bus stop, and with brochures placed at MRT stations and TransitLink Ticket
Offices. Fifteen bus services comprising double and single deck buses are
also wrapped with special advertisements to create awareness and remind
commuters about the concession scheme.
Enhancements have also been made to existing concessions schemes
since 6 April. Have you taken advantage of them? For example:
• Adults can buy a monthly bus and train pass for $120 which,
for the first time, offers unlimited travel for a month.
• Senior citizens can buy a monthly bus and train pass for $60 which,
for the first time, offers unlimited travel for a month.
• Children aged below 7 travel for free with no height restriction.
All the above passes can be applied for at the TransitLink Ticket Offices.
For more information, visit transitlink.com.sg.
How WIS recipients and Persons with Disabilities can benefit?
WORKFARE INCOME SUPPLEMENT (WIS) RECIPIENTS
Since 6 July, WIS recipients below 60 years old can apply for the Workfare Transport Concession Scheme
which offers 15% off bus and train adult fares. The scheme is open to WIS recipients who have received
Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) payouts from the CPF Board from 1 December 2013.
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (PWD)
Since 6 July, PWD below 60 years old can apply for the PWD Concession scheme, which offers 25%
off adult fares, and they pay no additional fare for distance beyond 7.2km. They can also buy a Monthly
Concession Pass for unlimited bus and train rides at $60 a month.
1-2 Bus wraps publicising the new concession schemes.12
Who Are
Stacey, Martin and Glenda?
There’s a thoughtful side in all of us. But sometimes, we Stand-up Stacey, Move-in Martin and Give-way Glenda
get too caught up in our daily lives. We may daydream, are cartoon characters who epitomise the sort of
watch TV dramas or listen to music while commuting to gracious behavior which the LTA hopes all Singapore
work or school, and not notice people around us who commuters can show.
are in need. So sometimes we need a little reminder to
The characters were launched as part of the Graciousness
notice. LTA created 3 characters as part of this year’s
Campaign, to “Bring out the thoughtfulness in you”.
Graciousness Campaign, to encourage commuters to
“bring out the thoughtfulness in you”. In the coming months, look out for new characters
created by members of the public, who will join Stacey,
When taking public transport, Stacey always gives up
Glenda and Martin, nudging our commuters to make
her seat to those who need it more.
travelling on public transport more pleasant.
Martin makes it a point to move in when people are
trying to squeeze onboard.
And Glenda is the sort of commuter who always lets “ The characters are quite cute and I enjoyed the
video. If everyone behaves like this on public
others alight before she boards. transport, I think we will all have a better ride.
”
Alex Leong, 16
Secondary 4 student
Connect is a bi-monthly newsletter of the Land Transport Authority. All rights reserved. © 2014
Please contact Connect Editor regarding permission to reproduce any material within. ISSN:1793-4931
Managing Editor: Sharon Lok (sharon_lok@lta.gov.sg)
Corporate Communications GroupYou can also read
