预算辩论 · 2026-03-04 · 第 15 届国会
2026交通部供给委员会辩论：AI驱动基础设施与跨境智慧工厂
MOT Committee of Supply 2026 — AI-Enabled Infrastructure & Cross-Border Smart Factories
交通部供给委员会辩论涉及两个重要AI议题。一是大士新一代港口利用自动化、先进传感器、预测分析和AI保持基础设施全球竞争力，但需负责任部署以管理劳动力转型。二是议员提出更宏大的愿景：在新柔廖(Sijori)框架下，国家AI使命可作为"力量倍增器"，实现跨境智慧工厂、多式联运优化、贸易金融嵌入和区域医药生物制造供应链强化，将基础设施扩张升级为协调的AI驱动经济引擎。
关键要点
- • 大士新一代港口部署AI和自动化
- • 国家AI使命作为区域经济"力量倍增器"
- • 跨境智慧工厂和多式联运AI优化
- • 需要负责任部署并管理劳动力转型
积极推动交通基础设施AI升级
Gerald Giam和Sylvia Lim关注劳动力影响
AI从单点应用走向区域经济引擎定位
参与人员（6）
完整译文（中文）
Hansard 英文原文译文 · 翻译日期：2026-05-02
主席：交通部（MOT）W项负责人。田佩玲女士。
下午3时43分
战略未来的全球连通性
田佩玲女士（海滨坊-布莱德尔高地）：主席，我提出动议，“将预算中W项的总拨款减少100元”。
我们与世界的连接对于国家的相关性和经济活力至关重要。作为一个小型开放的城市国家，新加坡的繁荣依赖于与其他国家和全球枢纽的紧密联系。为了维持这一优势，我们必须保持最先进的空中、海上和陆地节点，具备处理当前需求和未来需求的能力和灵活性。
为此，新加坡正在进行重大且长期的投资，正如我们在过去和现在的预算中所见。在硬件基础设施方面，一个庞大的第五航站楼（T5）正在建设中，其规模超过我们现有几个航站楼的总和，此外，兀兰超级港口正在分阶段扩建，预计将在2040年代全面完成。这些项目旨在将新加坡定位为人流、货物流和信息流的持续枢纽。
如果这些项目顺利完成，将帮助新加坡吸引资本、人才和先进技术。更重要的是，为我们的企业创造新机遇，为新加坡人创造优质就业。改善生活必须是这些投资的最终目标。
然而，我们也必须认识到这些是跨越数十年的项目，消耗大量公共资源。它们是在一个不同的全球环境中规划的，而该环境变得更加动荡和不确定。近年来，出现了突如其来的关税壁垒、供应链重组和“热战”，扰乱了能源和关键材料供应。这些冲击可能迅速改变贸易和人员流动。新加坡不会对这些变化免疫。
因此，我有以下问题要提出。
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首先，需求和相关性。我们对T5、兀兰港和其他重大项目能够满足持久的实际需求有多大信心？我们有什么保证这些资产在建设完成时仍对区域和世界保持相关性？随着全球宏观环境的变化，有哪些机制可以调整项目的进度、范围和成本，以最大限度地降低财政和战略风险？我们能否分阶段或模块化交付，以便在有利时加速，或在不利时放缓并重新校准？有哪些应急措施来管理成本上升并保护纳税人的价值？
第三，时间和能力。交通部能否向议会更新T5和兀兰港发展的当前状态？我们是否按计划抓住近期机会？在可行的情况下，能否加快交付而不影响质量、安全或长期灵活性？
具体到我们的海事部门，容量和连通性，以二十英尺标准箱（TEU）和港口停靠次数衡量，是竞争力的关键决定因素。兀兰港完成后，将如何实质性提升新加坡的吞吐量、连通性和服务方案？交通部预计其对国内生产总值（GDP）贡献、增值服务以及为新加坡人创造的就业和生计类型有何经济影响？为迎接这些机遇，将有哪些针对性计划培养和维持海事人才储备？
我们还必须为数字时代准备基础设施。兀兰的下一代港口就是一个好例子。利用前沿技术——自动化、先进传感器、预测分析和人工智能（AI）——将保持我们的基础设施在全球的竞争力。但我们必须负责任地部署技术，以提高生产力，同时管理劳动力转型和再培训需求。
因此，我们必须积极思考如何利用技术推进新加坡的连通性和经济优势。为此，交通部政府议会委员会（GPC）计划在今年晚些时候，可能在七月，提出一项实质性动议。
最后，全球连通性是一项必须积极维护、面向未来且包容的战略选择。我们应建设得足够快且足够好以捕捉价值，同时也要足够灵活以预见任何宏观冲击。与此同时，我们必须始终审慎地适应并保护公共利益。主席，我请求通过该动议。
【（程序文本）提议问题。（程序文本）】
主席：田佩玲女士，您的第二项削减。
陆路交通的未来
田佩玲女士：陆路交通关系到每个新加坡人的日常生活。它塑造了我们的工作、学习、照顾家庭和参与社区的方式。多年来，我们的陆路交通系统变得明显更高效、更可靠、更一体化。
对公共交通的大量投资——扩展地铁（MRT）网络、现代化列车和信号系统、升级公交车队和开发综合交通枢纽，仅举几例——提升了容量并改善了连通性。这些升级使多模式出行更顺畅，帮助乘客转向公共和主动出行方式。
展望未来，技术进步、人口结构变化和生活方式演变意味着我们的陆路交通必须继续适应。无论是步行还是骑行，乘客都期望更多选择、更快的首末公里连接，以及一个安全、包容和有韧性的系统。
因此，我想问交通部正在实施哪些具体计划，以建设一个更可靠、以用户为中心、更包容且更安全的陆路交通系统，以满足这些不断变化的乘客需求？具体来说，将引入或扩大哪些措施以拓展首末公里选项？
基础设施也会老化。因此，更新和扩展必须齐头并进。交通部如何平衡紧迫的资产更新任务，同时交付新线路和容量？有哪些治理和资金方法确保升级及时、成本效益高，并在施工期间最大限度减少对乘客的干扰？
技术将重塑交通运营和服务交付。一个确定趋势是随着脱碳，电动车（EV）将增加；另一个是自动驾驶车辆（AV）的试验和部署日益增多。
为支持更绿色、更智能的出行，交通部正在做些什么以提升支持基础设施的容量、可用性和可靠性，包括电动车充电网络、电网准备、互操作支付和远程信息处理标准，以及自动驾驶车辆就绪的路边系统？交通部如何与其他机构和行业协调，确保有足够电力、快速充电标准和有效通信，以支持大规模电动车和自动驾驶车辆的采用？
随着更多技术的部署，陆路交通的转型令人期待。随着传感器和连接系统，包括越来越智能的电动车和自动驾驶车辆，实时共享数据，智能道路和交通管理成为可能，实现更紧密的协调和更准确的交通预测。这应带来更顺畅、更可预测的出行，显著改善道路使用者体验。
值得一提的是，自动驾驶车辆的大规模部署可能显著改变车辆数量和拥有模式。如果自动驾驶车队增加共享出行和拼车，可能会对减少私家车使用产生压力。相反，更便捷的门到门交通可能增加车辆行驶公里数。
配额证（COE）是管理汽车数量和道路需求的重要政策杠杆。交通部如何预见自动驾驶车辆的采用影响中长期的配额证系统设计和其他拥有控制？是否有计划重新校准需求管理，例如对共享自动驾驶车队与私人拥有车辆采取差异化措施？
我期待一个预见未来需求、以用户为中心的陆路交通系统。一个拥有灵活基础设施、能适应不确定性的系统。技术有效部署以提升乘客体验，需求管理工具设计反映不断变化的出行模式。
主席：沙拉尔·塔哈先生，请一并发表您的两项削减。
新加坡航空增长战略
沙拉尔·塔哈先生（巴西立-樟宜）：谢谢主席。主席，如果我们退一步，想象并审视T5及樟宜东部城市区的建设规模，这不仅仅是机场扩建。
这是经济架构，T5每年增加1500万乘客容量，樟宜东部工业区将货运量从每年300万吨扩大到540万吨，配合机场物流园2、淡滨尼物流园、樟宜南、巴西立、晶圆厂园区、实里达航空园区、樟宜和罗阳的维修、修理和运营（MRO）业务，以及通过罗阳高架桥增强的连通性。新加坡正在组建世界上最综合的航空航天半导体物流平台之一。
但仅有基础设施并不能创造优势，生态系统才是关键。樟宜东部城市区必须发展成为下一代航空城市，整合先进的MRO、可持续航空燃料、数字航空服务和与樟宜商务园及罗阳工业区相连的AI驱动物流指挥中心，形成从创新到生产再到出口的无缝走廊。
连通性还必须超越航空，延伸至丹那美拉渡轮码头，并与柔佛-新加坡特别经济区及巴淡-民丹-卡里蒙自由贸易区整合。新加坡可以锚定高价值职能、资本、知识产权（IP）、人工智能、金融和先进制造协调，而柔佛和廖内群岛则可在Sijori框架下提供工业规模和能源深度。
国家人工智能使命可以成为倍增器，实现跨境智能工厂，优化多模式流动，嵌入贸易融资，加强区域医疗和生物制造供应链。战略问题是如何将这次基础设施扩展提升为协调的AI驱动经济引擎，创造高价值就业，锚定资本，并确保新加坡东区和东北区数十年的竞争力。
关键是交通部如何与贸易与工业部、数字发展与信息部、人力部、财政部及区域合作伙伴携手合作，不仅仅是协调，而是统筹这一国家级生态系统转型？
航空和海事人力
随着新加坡巩固其全球物流枢纽地位，我将就三个方面寻求澄清。
首先，随着空海连通性的扩大，我们是否跟上了航空和海事的人力需求，并为更高价值岗位建立了强大的本地人才储备？此外，“一航空人力计划”和“海事集群基金”在吸引和培养人才方面取得了哪些进展？最终，增长必须转化为优质就业、更强技能和新加坡人的真实机会。
女性在航空业
傅丽珊女士（森巴旺西）：主席，当我18岁成为飞行员时，我是少数，因为空军中女性飞行员不多。如今，女性飞行员增多了，但我们仍是少数，不仅在空军，在整个天空中也是如此。
主席，作为一名搜救飞行员，我必须说，航空作为职业选择是终生冒险，是我无可替代的选择。但这也是非常个人的选择。因此，我的发言目标不是设定女性航空人员的目标或配额，而是提供更多机会和可能性，在我们充满活力且世界级的航空枢纽中。
首先，我想问一些数据。我们航空业高级领导层中女性的比例是多少？我们知道她们很可能是少数，但1%和20%之间差别很大。
第二，我想提供一些数据。航空业正处于黎明期。全球前景非常光明。全球客运量预计到2040年将翻倍。区域内航空枢纽正竞相扩大跑道和航站楼容量，以应对疫情期间的放缓。樟宜机场在T5建成后，年容量将再增加5000万乘客。
但我们远非唯一。香港国际机场正在建设第三条跑道。印度，世界上人口最多的国家，过去十年建成了75个新机场，且即将再建70个。中国计划到2035年建成200多个新机场。
第三，我想说这对我们的意义。2025年7月，新加坡民航局（CAAS）宣布设立2亿新元的一航空人力基金，旨在吸引、培养和留住航空人才。鉴于航空业快速增长且男性占主导，交通部采取了哪些措施吸引人才，特别是理工科年轻女性毕业生？航空公司飞行员、航空工程师、地勤操作员、空中交通管制员、机场规划师——这些岗位机会众多，且近年越来越多女性从业。
这些都是蓝天上的好工作。在亚太地区，新加坡拥有有利生态系统，培养强大的女性航空专业人士网络。我们是领先的区域航空枢纽，拥有繁荣且互联的机场、全球主要航空货运枢纽和成熟的MRO生态系统。航空公司、机场、货运和物流公司，以及飞机制造和维修公司都提供大量岗位。
当然，确保女性在航空业顺利发展不仅是政府的责任。若要改变男性主导的工作环境，营造更包容的文化转变是必要的。
举两个前线岗位的例子，如飞行、地勤和飞机维修。基本设施如女性洗手间的适当配置不可忽视。此外，孕期和产假期间的人力资源政策也需妥善考虑，以及奖学金和实习机会。
政府不必独自承担这些工作。航空业中有组织，如2021年成立的“国际女性航空新加坡分会”，连接女性航空专业人士，提供指导支持和奖学金机会。
在此，我声明本人为该组织顾问及航空业从业者。我想问部长，交通部如何与此类组织、航空公司和高等院校合作，吸引更多女性进入该行业？
主席：请总结发言。
傅丽珊女士：目前航空业女性员工约占20%。随着行业扩展和对技术劳动力需求增加，天空无限广阔。无论男女，凡在航空业找到热情者皆是如此。
自动驾驶车辆部署
杨婉玲女士（榜鹅）：主席，我的榜鹅居民对自动驾驶班车试点项目非常关注。这些试验是了解自动驾驶服务如何最终融入更广泛公共交通生态系统的重要步骤，尤其是在加强首末公里连接方面。
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同时，居民有实际问题。成本是一个。随着自动驾驶服务规模扩大，它们是否能保持作为日常通勤的可负担性，还是成为高端选项？信心是另一个。是否会与不同群体，包括可能对乘坐自动驾驶车辆感到不确定的长者，进行更深入的交流？采用不仅关乎技术准备，也关乎公众准备。
在监管方面，仍需明确。在发生故障或事故时，责任归属如何？当系统失效时，是否期望人类操作员或安全司机承担责任？我们也必须坦诚，劳动力影响尚未解决，尤其是对我们的公交司机和点对点（P2P）司机。
我们尚未明确定义新的自动驾驶相关岗位将如何设定，合理报酬应如何，以及职业路径如何从现有驾驶和技术维护岗位演变为未来自动驾驶岗位。
正如我在预算辩论澄清中早先强调的，虽然拥抱新技术很重要，但必须以不破坏生计的方式进行。因此，我敦促运营商在三方框架内与工会密切合作，共同制定公平的自动驾驶职业路径，确保工人在转型中得到支持。进步应同时强化我们的公共系统和人民。
主席：刘路易斯先生，请一并发表您的两项削减。
加速自动驾驶车辆推广
刘庆伟先生（盛港）：主席，新加坡在城市道路上对自动驾驶车辆的研究和小规模测试已经进行了相当长时间。最早的研究和试验之一是在one-north与nuTonomy合作进行的。另一项由新加坡科学技术研究局（A*STAR）于2014年在one-north启动的试验，是新加坡自动驾驶车辆计划的一部分。
2015年，交通部（MOT）与新加坡港务集团（PSA Singapore）签署了一份谅解备忘录（MOU），以进一步扩大自动驾驶车辆（AV）的试验；同时还与圣淘沙发展公司（Sentosa Development Corporation）和新加坡科技工程有限公司（ST Engineering）签署了另一份谅解备忘录，我有幸亲自体验过。
此后进行了各种试验，快进到2025年，由代理部长主持的17人委员会成立，负责研究自动驾驶车辆在新加坡道路上的推广。如今是2026年，少量车辆已在榜鹅的住宅区参与试验，陆路交通管理局（LTA）计划采购六辆自动驾驶巴士，预计于2026年年中开始运营，初期运营期为三年。
相比之下，在此期间，中国和美国等地的自动驾驶车辆产业蓬勃发展，其最大企业Pony AI、WeRide和Waymo已在其运营的城市中开展完全无人驾驶的商业服务。Waymo目前拥有约2,500辆车辆，目标是至少达到10,000辆车辆和每周一百万次机器人出租车乘坐。Pony AI计划到2026年拥有超过3,000辆车辆，WeRide的目标类似。
中东国家在自动驾驶车辆的实施方面也表现出明显更快的速度。迪拜自动驾驶交通战略目标是到2030年，迪拜总交通量中25%实现自动驾驶。沙特阿拉伯交通总局设定目标，到2030年，所有货运车辆中25%实现完全自动驾驶。
此外，据SMRT称，我们的公共巴士系统在招聘巴士司机方面面临困难，尤其是本地劳动力。作为巴士的自动驾驶车辆将缓解这一压力，然而尽管全岛各地进行了多次试验，新加坡的自动驾驶车辆推广仍处于试验阶段，已持续约12年。除了声明新加坡将在五年内拥有“许多自动驾驶车辆”（原话），交通部能否提供具体的数字目标以体现我们的自动驾驶车辆雄心？
正如我的同事Gerald Giam先生在2015年十多年前所分享，新加坡处于引领全球无人驾驶汽车采用的绝佳位置。但我们必须确保立法促进而非阻碍这些车辆的测试和公共使用。我希望我们能够加快新加坡自动驾驶车辆的推广，尤其是巴士领域，鉴于司机严重短缺。
加快电动汽车快速充电器推广
作为新加坡实现净零排放目标的一部分，新加坡旨在减少陆路交通排放，车辆电气化是帮助新加坡实现这一目标的关键举措之一。
路线图的关键支柱之一是部署电动汽车充电基础设施。根据我今年2月的议会质询，我了解到新加坡目前约有28,300个充电点。绝大多数（约88%）为交流电（AC）充电点，其中约50%功率等级为7.4千瓦（kW）及以下。TotalEnergies的充电器占新加坡充电站的13%，其充电器功率为3.7 kW，是公众可用充电器中最慢的，充满一辆典型电动汽车需时长达16小时。
相比之下，只有约11%的充电器为直流电（DC），其中大多数DC充电器可归类为“快速充电器”。典型的交流充电器充满电需四至八小时，而根据2024年5月SP集团的文章，直流快速充电器可在30至45分钟内将电池充至80%。
我想强调的是，该领域技术发展迅速。2025年3月，比亚迪（BYD）宣布其超级电平台，五分钟充电即可实现400公里续航。比亚迪目前正在中国推广此类兆瓦级充电基础设施。相比之下，1,000 kW约等于1兆瓦，这比新加坡典型的7.4 kW充电器高出135倍。
这一差异极为重要。陆路交通管理局已认识到，高功率快速充电器对于满足高里程用户，特别是出租车和商业车队的需求至关重要。2025年注册的所有汽车中，已有45%为电动车。
目前，组屋多层停车场通常仅配备三个慢速充电器。随着电动车普及超越早期采用者，普通居民将发现这一配置日益不足。我强烈敦促政府加快电动汽车快速充电器的推广，或增加高使用率组屋多层停车场的充电器数量，这已成为盛港部分社区的重大挑战。
组屋停车场的电动汽车充电
侯旺区议员陈立丰先生：过去几年，交通部指出大多数组屋停车场已有充电器。现已是2026年2月，虽然“覆盖率”提高，但各区“接入质量”仍不均衡。
交通部为当前扩展速度的主要辩护理由是平均使用率仍低。然而，“平均”使用率是误导性指标，可能掩盖高峰时段的实际情况。对于晚上9点回家的组屋居民来说，当多层停车场的三个充电位全满时，低“平均”使用率毫无安慰。
更重要的是，我们必须立即扩大规模，以应对未来停车场中大多数车辆将为电动车的情况——这是我们应争取提前实现的目标，符合2030年和2040年的目标。如果注册量持续上升，何时才能实现所有心脏地带停车场的“规模扩大”？
此外，存在“快慢两速”过渡。新建组屋通常配备更高功率充电器，但许多成熟社区仍仅有7.4 kW的慢速充电器。
我想问部长：触发在组屋停车场增设充电器的具体高峰时段使用率阈值是多少？交通部何时承诺实施“成熟社区快速充电”规定，确保包括侯旺部分地区在内的老社区居民不被落下？最后，交通部如何计划在所有公共充电运营商中强制实施“空占费”，以防止占用充电位？
为更多电动车推广做准备
西海岸-裕廊西区议员洪伟能先生：主席，我声明本人为Strides Premier首席执行官，该公司租赁超过300辆电动车等业务。随着新加坡近45%的新车注册为电动车，强化充电基础设施正当其时。虽然组屋停车场慢速充电器的推广支持了便捷的夜间充电，但许多电动车用户，尤其是点对点用户及商业司机，需要白天快速充电设施以维持运营。
因此，我敦促陆路交通管理局在组屋区内，特别是在便利且人流密集的地点，如餐饮场所和邻里中心附近，主导部署更多快速充电器。
同时，电动车的快速增长要求未来具备相应技能的劳动力。车辆技师必须掌握新的技术能力，以安全有效地维护电动车，并获得适当的培训和认证。我鼓励交通部与行业伙伴及培训机构紧密合作，支持技师顺利完成这一关键转型，确保我们的汽车维修劳动力保持技能、相关性和为新加坡电气化交通未来做好准备。
人行道上的安全骑行
阿裕尼区议员严彦松先生：主席，行走在人行道上应是无压力的体验，但许多行人，尤其是老人和带小孩的家长，常感必须时刻保持警惕。一些骑自行车者在人多的人行道上持续按铃，仿佛期待行人让路。我本人经历过，许多居民也向我反映类似情况。
陆路交通管理局需强调行人始终享有优先通行权。公众教育必须明确，铃声仅用于提醒，而非要求清空道路。我们还应教育行人靠左行走，避免突然变向，以保障自身安全。
居民经常遇到骑车者穿越公交站，危及下车乘客。同样，居民在电梯口出入时，也面临骑车者高速经过的风险。
夜间无照明时危险更大。2023年至2025年间，因缺灯被开出167张罚单，但大多发生在道路上，而非人行道，显示人行道安全存在漏洞。为何在人行道上对灯光要求的教育和执法不够积极？
此外，2025年7月，靠近自行车道的人行道改为仅限行人，但反之不成立——行人未被禁止走自行车道。如果有专用人行道，为什么不强制行人使用？混合使用增加事故风险。交通部是否会重新考虑立法禁止行人在有专用路径时使用自行车道？
无障碍基础设施与通勤
阿裕尼区议员林秀雅女士：主席，最近我一位亲戚中风，需使用轮椅。虽然我认为开车接送他理想，但发现乘坐公交在某些路线更方便。我们的公交站和巴士均适合轮椅使用，巴士司机也会及时起身协助轮椅升降平台。这类基础设施和最后一公里考虑极大提升了轮椅使用者的出行便利。
然而，行动不便的情况多种多样。除了轮椅使用者，还有许多依靠拐杖或其他辅助工具的通勤者，他们往往无法上下楼梯。我们的系统在多大程度上为他们提供无障碍环境？
以一些新型电动巴士布局为例，越来越多巴士设计旨在最大化站立空间及轮椅和婴儿车空间，导致座位数量减少。有些巴士前半部仅有四个座位，其余座位位于巴士后部的高架区域，乘客需攀爬较陡的台阶。许多能行走但无法爬楼梯的乘客因此遇到困难。交通部能否审视巴士布局，如何更好地满足此类行动不便乘客的需求？
另一个长期问题是行人天桥缺乏电梯。这是全岛普遍问题，我所在的阿裕尼集团选区巴耶利峇区居民也面临同样情况。
2023年2月，我曾就后港大道3段沿线天桥何时安装电梯提出议会质询。时任交通部长许文远先生表示，老年人和行动不便通勤者数量将作为优先考虑因素，并确认后港大道3段的四座天桥将被优先处理。
两年后，即2025年4月，我再次提出质询，确认优先天桥及电梯安装时间表。时任交通部长齐鸿达先生指出，优先天桥为101、172、241和248座楼附近的天桥，施工计划自2025年第四季度逐步展开。
根据陆路交通管理局顾问向我们镇议会的最新信息，电梯工程预计仅于2027年第三季度开始，较齐部长所述的2025年第四季度晚近两年。为何会有如此长的延迟？
我希望新任负责部长能给出更令人满意的答复。
公寓区的有盖人行道
陈立丰先生：主席，我原本为国土发展部提交此问题，但被转交给交通部。打造无车新加坡的愿景必须为每位新加坡人提供无缝且有遮蔽的首末公里体验。政府已取得实质进展，但仍有提升空间。
2025年7月，位于侯旺街32号的Parc Vera公寓176名居民提交请愿书，要求建造一条80米长的有盖人行道，将公寓后侧大门连接至现有组屋有盖连廊。后侧大门通向一条开放人行道，该人行道兼作有盖排水沟，居民频繁使用，连接至组屋有盖连廊，通往最近的公交站——侯旺大道3段1座，步行仅需数分钟。
对于老人和带小孩的家庭来说，这条路径最为便捷，但在大雨时存在挑战。
我代表公寓向陆路交通管理局提出申诉。请求建造有盖人行道的尝试遇到困难。土地归公共事业局（PUB）管理，但其不建设有盖人行道。陆路交通管理局不受理距离地铁站800米或公交换乘站400米以外且非地铁管理道路的最后一公里连接请求。镇议会无权为非主要惠及组屋居民的项目拨款。
该请求主要通过机构边界而非通勤者体验进行评估，形成系统性“无人区”问题。为何居民是否能在遮蔽下抵达公共交通，取决于其脚下土地或排水沟由组屋、陆交局或公共事业局管理？若目标是鼓励公共交通使用并气候适应基础设施，最后一公里应视为连续旅程。
为解决此类情况，我提出三项具体建议。
第一，能否在设计阶段制度化连通性？当侯旺的Riverfront Residences公寓建设时，相关部门允许开发商建造通往最近公交站的有盖连廊。此举可作为标准要求，提前规划有盖连廊，而非事后补救。
规划许可阶段，城市重建局（URA）和陆路交通管理局能否强制开发商提供至最近公共交通节点的有遮蔽连通，包括从各公寓侧门的有盖通道，或将此纳入开发控制手册，指导开发商确保设计阶段即具备连通性？
第二，对于现有公寓如Parc Vera，能否启动弥合差距框架，实施协调共资或促进计划？
第三，政府能否指定连通性主责机构？若管理公司愿意推动具有明确公共连通目的的人行道，政府应由指定机构提供一站式资金和审批服务，机构可为城市重建局、建筑与建设局或陆路交通管理局。
为家庭打造包容性公共交通
碧山-大巴窑区议员陈慧莎女士：主席，我的儿子未来入伍时，每次外出都要携带15公斤的标准战斗装备。如今，当我抱着13公斤重的儿子和尿布包乘坐公共交通时，也感觉像是出征。曾有一次，我独自带孩子，试图单手抱着尿布包和婴儿车上车，差点把儿子从婴儿车里摔出来。
许多带小孩的家长分享了类似的挑战，如何安全顺畅地使用公共交通。家长们还指出运营商之间存在不一致，尤其是婴儿车坡道的部署。高峰时段上下车对家长和残障人士仍然困难，婴儿车和轮椅区空间有限。
支持安全顺畅的通勤对新加坡成为家庭宜居地至关重要。
感谢陆路交通管理局和公共巴士运营商采取措施，使公共巴士对年轻家庭和残障人士更友好。但我们还能做得更多。
交通部能否分享计划采取哪些进一步措施，使巴士和地铁对年轻家庭和残障人士更具包容性？陆路交通管理局是否会研究他们的通勤体验？能否统一运营商间坡道部署的标准操作程序（SOP），并配合公众教育？
家长肩负重任，让我们通过确保公共交通安全、便捷和支持家庭，减轻他们的负担。
为聋人提供公共通讯
丹戎巴葛区议员王慧玲小姐：主席，去年地铁中断时，一位聋人乘客分享她感到困惑和害怕，因为乘客开始下车时，没有视觉或手语更新说明发生了什么。
虽然如牛车水地铁站的手语虚拟助理SiLViA等举措令人鼓舞，但此类支持尚未覆盖整个网络。政府能否更新是否会扩大视觉和手语通讯工具，使中断和紧急公告对聋人乘客在公共交通系统中均可访问？
快车与缩短通勤时间
非选区议员卢武扬先生：主席，陆路交通总体规划2040设定了雄心勃勃的目标，即90%的高峰期公共交通行程在45分钟内完成。作为榜鹅居民，我有切身体会。对我和大多数邻居来说，45分钟门到门的市区通勤几乎是梦想。
在一个住房极为昂贵的城市里，居住在榜鹅、盛港、兀兰及其他偏远城镇的家庭，在选择安家地点时做出了务实的决定。每天早晨，他们都要为这个选择付出时间的代价。
我们不应有一个两速的新加坡，让时间成为少数人的特权。
雄心勃勃的目标需要雄心勃勃的基础设施。要了解雄心不足时会发生什么，我们只需看看东北线（NEL）。
我和其他议员在过去几个月里多次提交关于东北线容量危机的议会质询。解决方案寥寥无几。加长列车需要进行挖掘工程，这将导致线路停运超过一年。选择性车门操作已被研究并否决。即使在最高峰频率下，后港和高文的乘客也只能眼睁睁看着满载的列车从身边驶过。东北部的居民已对漫长拥挤的通勤感到无奈。
我们建造了一个没有增长余地的东北线。这个决定现在已成定局。
实里达线给了我们一个做得更好的机会。2018年，跨岛线的快车服务曾被研究，但因成本效益原因被否决。但基于某一时点的成本效益计算，并不适用于需要服务多代人的基础设施。
在首尔，他们的地铁9号线的快车服务也曾遭遇相同的质疑。需求赶上了，甚至超过了预期。这种规模的基础设施不仅仅是满足需求，它还会创造需求。
因此，我敦促政府从一开始就在实里达线中纳入快车服务的相关条款，特别是在非换乘的郊区车站设置旁通轨道。旁通轨道将使我们能够用本地列车服务沿线所有主要未充分服务的客源区——三巴旺和义顺东、实里达和惹兰加尤、黄埔及更广泛的南部海滨——同时快车服务可在这些车站超越本地列车，快速抵达市中心。
做出这一决定的时机是在当前的可行性研究阶段，而不是在动工之后，更不是线路投入运营后。
先生，我们要求年轻家庭为了负担得起的住房搬得更远。我们至少应该让他们能够快速回到市区。我敦促交通部以东北线所缺乏的远见和下一代新加坡人应得的雄心来规划实里达线。
快速交通系统
Poh Li San 女士：主席先生，预计今年年底，通往柔佛的快速交通系统（RTS）将开通。它将连接汤申-东海岸线的兀兰北地铁站。很快，去一个有好折扣和家庭出游的地方，车票可能只需5至7新元。
我在三巴旺西的许多居民都期待RTS的开通。有些人有亲戚在柔佛，许多人去那里购物、家庭旅行以及做理发、配眼镜、牙科治疗和面部护理等简单服务。RTS将帮助新加坡人更好地利用他们的钱。
但每一次变化都会带来波动。使用汤申-东海岸线的新加坡人将增多。同时，我们已从报纸报道中得知，曾在新加坡租房的马来西亚工人可能会搬回去，并乘坐RTS来新加坡工作。每天10新元的通勤费用，可能在经济上比在新加坡租房和消费更划算。
我们确实希望人们使用这条线路，我预测需求不足不会是问题。问题可能恰恰是需求过旺。
由于这些流动的增加，兀兰北站的早高峰时段和汤申-东海岸线的客流可能会大幅激增。陆路交通管理局（LTA）有何计划确保居住在兀兰并使用汤申-东海岸线前往市区的新加坡人在高峰时段仍能享受顺畅且便捷的公共交通服务？部长能否更新实际票价将是多少？
许多马来西亚人在兀兰工业区的半导体和食品制造工厂工作。工人们可能选择乘坐RTS通勤，然后骑自行车或步行两公里到工作地点，而不是在这里租房。LTA是否有计划拓宽居民也使用的共享路径，以更好地应对潜在的骑行和行人流量增加？
新地铁站及最后一公里连接
Ang Wei Neng 先生：主席，我想声明我是SMRT旗下子公司Strides Premier的首席执行官。
地铁仍是我们公共交通系统的骨干，塑造着新加坡人的生活、工作和联系。全岛居民都热切期待下一阶段的轨道扩展。
首先，请问环线第6阶段，连接港湾坊至滨海湾，途经吉宝、军营和爱德华王子路车站，是否会如早前宣布的那样在今年第二季度开通？居民和企业都期待环线闭环的长期完成。
其次，部长能否确认汤申-东海岸线和市区线将在2026年下半年通过西林和勿洛南车站在双溪勿洛站交汇？这一关键换乘站将显著增强网络韧性，为乘客提供更可靠的出行选择。
主席，在西部，裕廊区域线（JRL）的期待尤为强烈。对于南洋及裕廊各地的许多家庭来说，这条线路意味着更短的通勤时间和更便捷的就业及设施访问。
请问裕廊区域线第一阶段计划于2027年底开通的目标是否仍在轨？如果时间表有风险，交通部是否会投入必要资源确保项目按计划推进，使数十万居民如期受益？
最后，轨道扩展必须配合强有力的最后一公里连接。居住在裕廊西91街的居民靠近未来的吉宝地铁站，但距离步行范围之外。没有直达公交线路，包括聚英中学的学生。
我敦促交通部在公交连通性提升计划下引入新的公交服务，使居民、学生和工人能够充分受益于裕廊区域线。
提升轨道可靠性
Sharael Taha 先生：谢谢，主席。轨道可靠性工作组已提出明确建议——加快更新老化的核心系统，包括列车信号和牵引电力，加强备份和韧性措施，改善资产管理和备件规划，深化劳动力能力建设，并提升中断期间的乘客沟通。关键问题是执行。
谁对每个里程碑负责？具体时间表是什么？我们如何平衡必要的服务关闭与乘客不便？有哪些具体应急计划能最大限度减少困难？乘客能获得哪些保证的服务水平，如备用巴士、响应时间和公平对待？
我们如何加强关键轨道部件的供应链韧性？除了硬件，我们如何建设工程深度，完善恢复协议，确保实时乘客信息准确、及时且可操作？
主席：请姚婉玲女士。请将您的两项质询一并发言。
轨道发展与车站更新
姚婉玲女士：主席先生，我的第一项质询关于轨道发展。主席，随着我们继续加强轨道网络，我们必须认识到人力资本是建设韧性可靠轨道生态系统的关键。随着部分网络老化，包括线路、资产和设备，更新和升级工作将加剧。
在此背景下，我想了解轨道工作人员在公平竞争的薪酬待遇、培训和更安全的工作环境方面可以期待什么更新。
我们理解根据轨道安全报告，将推动轨道技术员的统一培训。这一点非常重要。
目前，轨道系统在维护实践、设备和维修流程上仍存在显著的本地化差异。缺乏统一培训，工人的技能将局限于某一系统、线路或运营商。统一培训将帮助确保轨道工人发展可迁移技能——这些技能可应用于不同线路、系统和运营商——从而增强运营韧性和工人的长期就业能力。
我还想了解2019年1亿新元轨道人力发展计划的延续情况。虽然运营商可灵活使用这笔资金，我们如何确保其影响惠及更广泛的轨道工人群体？例如，是否可考虑设定行业层面的关键绩效指标，如到2030年使50%的工人掌握新技能？
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最后，随着公共交通的发展，越来越多乘客使用个人代步工具和自行车作为出行补充，轨道工作人员越来越需要引导乘客遵守安全和礼让的行为规范。我们如何更好地保护轨道工作人员免受言语辱骂或冲突？一个强大的轨道生态系统不仅依赖现代资产，也依赖技术娴熟且受保护的劳动力。
公交网络与劳动力
随着公交合约模式进入第十年，我们正是时候审视其运行情况——不仅是运营效率，也包括我们的公交司机。他们仍是公共交通系统的中坚力量。然而，目前新入职司机的起薪约为每月2250新元。虽然广告的总薪酬可能在3000至4000新元及以上，但很大一部分仍依赖加班，而高加班实际上是该行业的结构性问题。
这提出了一个重要问题：我们是在打造一个可持续的职业，还是一个收入依赖于长时间工作的职业？如果我们想保持强大的新加坡籍司机核心，必须重新审视公交司机的薪酬、工作条件和职业发展。
如今，司机们要应对分班、短暂用餐时间、长时间工作、疲劳、变化的乘客模式和日益复杂的乘客行为。随着社交媒体的兴起，他们也越来越容易遭受网络骚扰和人肉搜索，尤其是事件被录制和传播时。我们还能做些什么更好地保护他们的工作安全？
展望未来，预计到2030年，我们一半的公共巴士车队将是电动的。现有的培训路径是否足以让公交司机为这一转型做好准备？同时，随着今年下半年预计开始的营运巴士自动驾驶服务，我们必须确保受影响的工作人员获得明确的职业路径和公平待遇。
转型应提升而非扰乱。我们已见证轨道人力发展计划如何支持轨道工人应对变革。随着公交合约模式进入下一阶段，是否可考虑为公交司机提供类似的转型支持？更新后的公交合约模式应实现乘客、运营商和维持新加坡运转的工作人员的共赢。
加强交通无障碍
Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik 先生（盛港）：先生，Compassvale Crescent居民公交连通性持续存在差距，值得我们关注。政府虽多次引用400米标准和周边14条公交线路的事实，但这一技术标准未能完全反映居民的实际生活，尤其是老年人和残障人士的需求。
新加坡正快速老龄化。到2030年，每四位公民中就有一位年龄在65岁及以上。同时，我们正建设一个更具包容性的社会，关注身体残障人士的需求。对这些居民来说，即使是400米的步行距离也不仅仅是不便，而可能是真正的障碍。行动不便的老人、使用轮椅或助行器的人、术后康复者及慢性病患者在热带气候下可能难以承受这段距离。
技术无障碍与实际无障碍的区别极为重要。纸面上，Compassvale Crescent有公交服务，但实际上，弱势居民每天面临无法获得基本服务、医疗和社区活动的挑战。
我理解LTA对权衡的关注。延长371路公交可能会增加现有乘客的行程时间。但我敦促当局探索创新方案，比如引入新的短环线接驳服务，直接连接Compassvale Crescent与盛港地铁站——且不影响现有线路，或专为行动不便者试点社区穿梭巴士。我们的公交连通性提升计划应体现国家包容和关怀弱势的价值观。良好的公交连通性不是奢侈，而是实现独立、尊严和全面参与社会的基础。因此，我再次呼吁LTA重新考虑此事，关注的不应是居民是否技术上能搭乘公交，而是我们的交通网络是否真正服务所有新加坡人。
樟宜的出行与宜居性
Valerie Lee 女士（巴西立-樟宜）：主席，选举期间，我倡导支持夹心阶层、推动可持续发展和赋能青年。这些议题依然令我关切。但巴西立-樟宜的居民让我对另一件事充满热情——我们的陆路交通系统。
让我们从Flora Estate的公交连通性说起。该区位于新加坡东北角，是一个人口密集的住宅区，仅有两条沿Flora Road的公交线路和一条沿Flora Drive的线路，且班次频率较低，尤其是非高峰时段。
从数据上看，低乘客量似乎不足以支持新增服务或提高频率。但我认为，回顾性数据未能反映被抑制的需求。许多居民不得不勉强转向更昂贵、更污染的出行方式，导致道路拥堵加剧，因为他们觉得没有可靠的公共交通替代方案。
我的第一个建议是：交通部能否减少对回顾性乘客数据的依赖，在优化公交服务计划时更多地直接调查居民并利用社区反馈，以释放真实的乘客需求？连通性与道路拥堵密切相关。当公共交通选择有限或不可靠时，更多居民转向私家车，给已繁忙的道路如罗阳大道带来更大压力。
LTA曾分享即将进行的临时车道关闭模拟显示，可能导致最长9分钟的延误。我想问，交通规划模型是否模拟过公交服务增强的情景，这将有助于降低总旅行时间？
除了效率，我们必须确保安全。在最近的陆路交通法案辩论中，我提到我们巴西立居民Malar Singam女士去年12月被一名电动助力自行车骑手严重伤害。虽然法规已加强，但仍可做更多工作，明确划分路径，确保像Malar这样的老人安全。
道路安全也是关注点。罗阳大道与旧淡滨尼路交界处在2023至2025年间发生了13起事故。居民要求加强执法和在特定地点安装测速摄像头，但执法仍不一致，摄像头也未安装在报告的高风险点。交通部能否分享已采取哪些替代执法措施以提升该路段安全？
即使我们为长期改善建设，如罗阳高架桥和跨岛线，巴西立和罗阳的居民仍需承受基础设施施工带来的即时影响，如噪音和扬尘，相关投诉较2023年几乎增加了三倍，达到每年约230起。
实时噪音监测系统已部署。我的请求是执法也应做到实时。超标的承包商应迅速受到处罚，而非仅在投诉后才采取行动。
该地区许多居民也被深夜非法改装摩托车的噪音所扰，许多涉及外籍注册车辆。我们如何加强入境口岸的执法检查？是否已与人力部合作，探讨反复违规是否应影响工作准证？
总之，我意识到良好的交通政策，如加强连通性、提升安全和减少干扰，实际上是在切实支持夹心阶层及其周围的人，这也是我从一开始就致力于的目标。
交通管理
梁荣华先生（武吉班让）：先生，新加坡的交通拥堵明显加剧。不再局限于高峰时段或中央商务区。即使在周末，主干道和高速公路网络上也常见严重堵塞。交通事故和持续施工进一步加剧延误，影响的不仅是驾车者，还有公交乘客和私家车乘客。
先生，我必须承认我曾犹豫是否提交此质询，担心交通部的默认回应可能只是提高电子道路收费（ERP）价格或扩大ERP范围。因此，我希望这不是后续的回应。道路收费在管理需求方面有效，但它增加了企业和家庭成本，不能成为我们唯一的杠杆。因此，我敦促交通部也考虑非价格手段来管理拥堵。
先生，尽管我们实行了车辆零增长政策，交通拥堵压力依然存在。我们这座小岛上拥有超过一百万辆汽车，更高的车辆使用率似乎是拥堵的根本原因之一。私家车租赁服务和配送平台的增长加剧了道路使用。随着汽车拥有成本的上升，车主理所当然地希望最大化汽车的使用率，因为他们已经付出了沉没成本。
鉴于这些结构性趋势，我们应探索互补的解决方案。首先是工程和基础设施的提升。先生，Keppel路上的双层道路展示了垂直扩展如何增加容量。与地下隧道相比，这类方案可能更具成本效益且实施更快。由于土地有限，无法拓宽道路，垂直扩展可能是某些走廊中最可行的选项。那么，交通部是否有计划在易拥堵区域开发更多双层道路系统？是否有计划在交通繁忙的交叉口建设更多多层立交桥？
除了容量扩展外，小而有针对性的工程改进也能带来显著收益——改进匝道几何形状、更好的车道合流设计以及在瓶颈处增设转弯车道。先生，在关键交通瓶颈处的渐进式改进可以产生不成比例的好处。
第二，更智能地管理商用车辆流动。电子商务的增长大幅增加了配送交通。物流货车、服务车辆和承包商卡车加剧了白天的拥堵。我们能否鼓励在密集商业区实行非高峰时段配送？是否也能扩大城市整合中心以减少重复行程，或推广共享的最后一公里配送枢纽以提升物流效率？
第三，更快的事故检测和清理。轻微事故常常引发连锁拥堵，尤其是在高速公路上。检测和清理的速度至关重要。我们能否在主要走廊部署更多快速响应拖车单位，以迅速清理故障车辆？
在事故发生时，许多司机仍持有旧观念，认为车辆必须等警察到场后才能移动车辆。在当今环境下，车载摄像头和移动设备普及，这种做法往往不必要。相反，我们应考虑要求轻微且无伤害事故的司机在记录事故后，在固定时间内（例如仅10分钟内）清理车道，并对无理拖延实施执法措施。先生，我们需要缩短事故清理时间，相信这将显著缓解交通拥堵。
第四，跨境摩托车流量。根据我最近提交的一项议会质询，2025年平均每天约有69,000辆马来西亚注册摩托车进入新加坡，其中约22,000辆被开具交通罚单，约1,600辆涉及事故。
虽然这些骑士为我们的经济做出贡献，但高峰时段的集中流入已导致如武吉知马高速公路和泛岛高速公路等走廊的拥堵。请问交通部是否已研究跨境摩托车对交通流的影响，并是否有针对性的交通管理措施来管理高峰流入？
第五，更智能的交通信号灯管理。司机常遇到红灯，即使交叉方向交通稀少或无车辆通行。虽然已有自适应系统，但信号时长似乎不够响应或智能。我们能否朝着更先进的基于人工智能的信号优化迈进？一些建议包括整合车辆和公交的实时GPS数据，利用预测模型预判拥堵形成，并实施走廊范围的信号同步以创造更顺畅的“绿波”效应？
更动态和预测性的系统可减少停车启动交通，提升通行效率。一些城市已使用相当先进的计算技术，如量子技术，来增强交通管理。交通部是否也在研究此类技术？
第六，关于数据透明度和行为措施。除了物理和技术干预，行为引导也可能有帮助。提供更细化的实时拥堵数据并整合进导航平台，可能鼓励自愿改道或错峰出发。此外，通过跨机构协调的灵活工作安排，也可帮助平缓高峰需求。
先生，道路定价仍然重要，但必须采取多管齐下的方法管理拥堵。我提出的所有建议，希望也能帮助缓解拥堵。我期待交通部的回复，阐述新颖且前瞻性的非定价策略来管理拥堵。
道路安全的共同责任
林杰克逊先生（义顺）：主席，新加坡的道路是全球最安全的之一，这反映了数十年来在基础设施、执法和教育上的投资。最新数据显示，人均死亡率逐年下降。
但一个持续的挑战依然存在：道路交通事故责任的不匹配。碰撞或违规发生时，公众话语往往将责任完全归咎于“他人”——鲁莽司机、不体谅的骑行者或分心的行人。
这种心态可能掩盖了安全出行是共同责任的现实。行人、骑行者、司机和交通规划者各自承担确保道路安全运行的角色。
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例如，欧洲和北美部分地区采用的“零愿景”框架强调系统设计应预见人为错误并减少其后果。
因此，我想问部长，交通部是否考虑过采用适合新加坡的零愿景元素，使系统设计、速度管理和明确责任在所有道路使用者间协调一致？
其次，虽然工程和执法仍然重要，交通部计划有哪些超越传统宣传活动的新教育或行为倡议，以促进道路使用者间的相互尊重？
最后，鉴于微型出行工具使用的增加，将采取哪些措施明确行人与微型出行用户在共享空间中的权利和责任，并以数据驱动的执法支持，而非临时措施？
主席先生，这段政策发言旨在鼓励更深入、更系统地讨论我们如何共同承担道路安全责任，认识到仅责怪“他人”不足以推动有意义的行为改变。
配额证改革以实现准入和公平
谢炳辉先生（荷兰-武吉知马）：主席，我将谈三个方面：一是ERP 2.0带来的车辆供应增加；二是刷新配额证（COE）系统以实现更大公平；三是下一阶段陆路交通政策中汽车拥有的可及性。
先谈ERP 2.0。在《陆路交通法案》辩论中，我指出ERP 2.0为超越拥堵收费、迈向更智能交通优化提供了机会。通过利用更细化的实时数据，我们可以将ERP洞察与智能交通信号等自适应系统整合，引导基础设施规划和网络调整。
部长在总结发言中确认，通过ERP 2.0实现更好的交通管理可能为增加车辆数量创造潜力。
这是一个重要转变。如果供应增加，更多需要汽车照顾家庭的家庭可以获得汽车。配额证价格也可能趋于平稳。配额证价格受预期影响，信号不明确时市场会反应。
关键问题不是是否应增加车辆数量，而是任何调整是否与可衡量的拥堵结果挂钩并清晰传达。优化必须强化交通流和政策信心。
第二，刷新配额证系统以实现更大公平。配额证分类的初衷是公平，区分大众市场和高端车辆。
如今，这一区分日益模糊。制造商调整规格，无论是发动机功率还是电机设计，使得高端车型符合A类标准，而实用车型因技术标准落入B类，尽管它们并非豪华车。
例如，丰田Noah混合动力车，开价约28,000新币，属于B类。与此同时，宝马216 Gran Coupe豪华车型，开价约35,000新币，属于A类。这表明高端车可能归入A类，而实用车型归入B类，削弱了最初区分大众与豪华的意图。技术门槛已不再可靠反映负担能力或市场定位。
A类和B类之间的价格差距也在缩小，表明类别间的显著差异减少。事实上，在最近的配额证竞标中，A类溢价甚至超过了B类。这引发了当前框架是否仍实现预期细分的疑问。
如果公平仍是政策目标，我们应问发动机容量和功率输出是否仍是合适的衡量标准。
主席先生，开价（OMV）提供了更强的区分基础。它反映了车辆的真实购买成本，而非仅技术规格。我们已通过分级结构使用OMV计算额外注册费（ARF）。基于此，配额证框架可从分开A类和B类，演变为基于OMV的单一竞标池。将供应合并为一个类别，将平滑因类别间供需不匹配引起的价格波动。
第三，可及性与照护需求。随着社会老龄化，更多家庭照顾残疾或特殊需求成员，出行成为必需而非便利。
虽然配额证框架聚焦拥堵管理，我们应考虑校准机制支持真正的照护需求，同时不破坏系统完整性。对最终配额证价格进行分级调整，对低OMV车辆给予折扣，对高OMV车辆收取溢价，可提升低中收入家庭的可及性，同时保持市场纪律。此方法比引入额外特殊类别更清晰透明，后者定义和管理复杂。
主席先生，ERP 2.0让我们更好地优化有限土地资源，可能允许适度增加车辆供应，让更多家庭获得出行机会。通过以OMV为锚刷新配额证框架，能更清晰区分大众与豪华车辆；分级调整则能增强有照护需求家庭的可及性。如此，我们在保持市场纪律的同时，加强汽车拥有的公平与可及性。
配额证
洪伟能先生：主席，我声明本人为Strides Premier首席执行官。2024年11月，时任交通部长谢鸿达先生告知本院，未来几年计划注入20,000个额外配额证，A、B、C类配额证配额将逐季上升，直至2026年达到预期峰值。
然而，陆交局最近公布的2026年2月至4月配额证配额实际上低于上一季度。这是自2025年以来首次下降，似乎与交通部此前立场相悖。因此，我希望交通部澄清是否政策方向发生变化，如有，变动原因为何。
此外，我们观察到2026年2月至4月期间，A类配额证数量下降，而B类配额证供应较上一季度增加。因此，2026年2月首轮竞标中，A类与B类配额证价格差距急剧缩小至4,570新币，为58个月以来最小差距，自2021年3月以来首次。2月第二轮竞标中，A类配额证价格甚至比B类高出1,500新币。
刚结束的3月首轮竞标中，A类与B类配额证价格差距也较小，仅为5,782新币。这种趋同可能受市场发展驱动，包括电动车更易调校以符合A类标准，以及更多低排量高端内燃机车辆归入A类。
若A类配额证供应持续下降，B类供应持续上升，A类与B类配额证价格趋同将持续。这与维持乘用车细分类别的初衷相悖。
交通部曾表示，A类配额证的主要目标是保留部分车辆配额给大众市场汽车，确保普通新加坡车主更易获得和负担得起汽车。因此，我希望交通部澄清是否政策意图发生变化，如有，原因何在。
主席，许多居民向我表达了对持续高企配额证价格的沮丧。人生不同阶段，部分新加坡人对汽车需求更大，如有幼儿家庭、照顾年迈父母者，或依赖出行谋生的销售人员。我希望交通部继续关注这些新加坡人，确保政策公平平衡。
取消摩托车配额证
阿扎尔·奥斯曼先生（提名议员）：谢谢主席。新加坡实行配额证制度旨在防止道路拥堵，这是控制车辆数量的值得称赞的目标。然而，对摩托车征收配额证似乎不合逻辑，因为它们对交通拥堵贡献不大。值得注意的是，每天约有超过60,000辆摩托车通过关卡进入新加坡通勤和工作。
这一流入表明，新加坡人拥有的摩托车并非拥堵源头。我们面临的交通问题并非由摩托车引起，但配额证却给购买者带来经济负担。摩托车买家通常是低收入和中等收入者，他们依赖摩托车工作，包括配送服务。对他们征收配额证是不公的，尤其当他们并未加剧交通拥堵时。
取消摩托车配额证将减轻经济压力，让这些人节省开支，最终能赚取更多收入，改善生活。
主席：感谢各位议员的发言。现在请交通部长萧志杰先生回应。
代理交通部长（萧志杰先生）：主席，首先感谢各位议员提出的深思熟虑的发言。
听着各位的发言，我感到非常感激，感谢议员们提出的许多好建议和想法。今天我们可能无法回答所有问题，但会尽力而为。
交通部历来有许多发言，我深知这一点，因为我曾是该部公务员。我们常说“千刀万剐”，但这也显示出交通对新加坡人日常生活的重要性。
每天早晨，数百万人走出家门，信赖系统的正常运作。交通顺畅时，它成为日常生活的一部分；不顺畅时，则影响工作、家庭时间和心情。
我们交通部深知这份沉重责任。能处理如此重要的事务，是我们的荣幸。为履行好职责，我们秉持三大原则：第一，全球视野，因为新加坡的生存始终依赖与世界的连接；第二，面向未来，始终规划长远；第三，以人为本，因为交通存在是为满足人民需求。
先谈全球视野。新加坡通过航空与世界相连，我们所吃、买、用的大部分物资通过海运运来。世界其他地方发生的事对我们影响重大，包括我们密切关注的中东冲突。
随着周边世界日益动荡，我们需加强新加坡生存与繁荣的基础。国际规则和标准对航空和海运至关重要，这些领域跨越国界。
为塑造这些规则和标准，新加坡在国际民航组织（ICAO）和国际海事组织（IMO）理事会任职逾二十年。去年，我和团队竞选连任两理事会。我被其他国家对新加坡的强烈支持所感动。他们认可我们多年来的领导力、共识构建及培训项目的推动。
新加坡以本类别最高票数成功连任ICAO和IMO理事会。我们对此结果深感鼓舞。
与此同时，显而易见的是，以规则为基础的全球秩序正面临压力。国际民航组织（ICAO）和国际海事组织（IMO）达成共识变得更加困难，尤其是在可持续性等长期问题上。立场更加极化。我们看到更多的派系沿着国家利益划分，而非全球利益。
下午5点
为了增强我们在海外的影响力，我们依托国内的优势。我们的航空和海运枢纽都是世界一流的。樟宜机场是世界上最好的机场之一；PSA国际是全球最成功的港口运营商之一。
田佩玲女士询问了第五航站楼（T5）和兀兰港的最新进展。T5的建设于去年开始，预计将在2030年代中期完成。正如薄丽珊女士所指出的，这将使樟宜机场的年旅客容量增加约5000万人次。根据旅客增长趋势，我们有信心这项容量将满足潜在需求。T5的完成也将为未来改造较旧的1至4号航站楼打开可能性。
我很高兴邀请田女士和各位议员，实际上是所有在座的议员，参观樟宜机场的“T5建设中”展览，您可以预览T5及航空业的未来。
沙拉尔·塔哈先生询问了将配合T5的更广泛航空生态系统。确实，我们正在建设的生态系统不仅限于航站楼本身，还包括樟宜东工业区、樟宜东城市区，以及可能的丹那美拉渡轮码头，以实现更好的空海联运。借用沙拉尔先生的说法，这个航空城将是可持续且技术密集的，将创造许多优质就业机会，同时更好地服务乘客、航空货运用户和维修保养（MRO）公司。
关于兀兰港，我们去年开放了第12个泊位，今年将再开放四个泊位。第二阶段填海工程正在推进。高级国务部长穆拉利将分享更多信息。
这些重大基础设施项目的实现，得益于政府对长期规划的重视。我们13年前开始规划T5，兀兰港则近30年前开始规划。
在设计这些项目时，我们不仅考虑今天，更是为未来规划。这也是我很高兴听到田佩玲女士和运输总委员会今年晚些时候将提交关于运输技术部署的动议。我期待几个月后关于运输未来的另一场精彩辩论。
对于地铁线路，我们也进行远期规划。我听到了薄丽珊女士、洪伟能先生、刘安德先生和沙拉尔·塔哈先生对各地铁项目更新的请求。
一条地铁线路大约需要15年建设。在短短20多年里，我们几乎将整个地铁网络的长度翻了一番。这是一个了不起的成就，我们仍在建设中。
汤申-东海岸线第五阶段和市区线第三期延伸段将于今年晚些时候开放。两条线路将在双溪布洛站连接。
今年晚些时候，我们还将开放环线第六阶段，环线将真正成为一个完整的环路。
明年，我们计划启动跨岛线第三阶段的建设，将线路从裕廊湖区向西延伸。
我也答应了黄志明先生关于实里达线和中部线的更新。我有好消息告诉他。我们计划今年开始工程研究。黄先生的居民会高兴知道，我们将优先研究服务盛港西和实龙岗北的走廊。这也可能包括未来与跨岛线和环线的连接。
洪伟能先生询问了裕廊区域线（JRL）。他会高兴知道我们今年晚些时候将启动JRL西海岸延伸段的工程研究。延伸段第一阶段将连接JRL与跨岛线。
我还有更多好消息。陆路交通管理局（LTA）已开始建设一座新的JRL车站，位于中部和蔡厝港站之间。该站的工作名称为JS2a——非常缺乏想象力，因为上次我们尝试有创意时，当需要移动车站时很难改变人们的想法。JS2a计划于2030年代中期开放，将服务中部森林山地区的居民，配合该区住房开发的完成。
JRL原计划于2027年底开放。我的许多居民，尤其是中部的居民，都期待着它，因为这将极大改变他们的交通选择。不幸的是，由于施工延误和测试，JRL的开放将推迟约六个月，至2028年中。我知道一些已经搬入中部的居民会感到失望，但我们将尽最大努力尽快完成工程。
与此同时，我已要求LTA推出两条临时穿梭巴士服务，从选定的JRL车站前往该地区的主要目的地，直到JRL开放。
薄丽珊女士询问了跨柔捷运连接线（RTS Link）的最新情况。这是另一个长期项目，经过多年与马来西亚方面的讨论。
RTS连接线的经济效益明确。但该项目仍需两国政府持续承诺。RTS连接线将连接新加坡汤申-东海岸线的兀兰北站与柔佛巴鲁的武吉查加站，车程仅需五分钟。
我们已规划汤申-东海岸线的容量，足以容纳通过RTS连接线抵达的乘客数量。
薄女士询问RTS连接线的票价。我知道马来西亚方面已宣布票价为5至7令吉。我尚未与对方讨论票价。但根据双边协议条款，票价由运营商RTS运营私人有限公司（RTSO）决定。我们将等待RTSO适时公布票价。
开通新地铁线路令人兴奋，宣布新地铁线路更令人兴奋。但同样重要的是维护已建成的系统。
我们地铁网络中最老的部分——南北线和东西线——已有近40年历史。去年，当我们退役了第一代地铁列车川崎C151型时，我对此印象深刻。许多与我同龄的人会怀念小时候第一次乘坐这些列车的经历。我珍藏一张照片，是我和父亲第一次乘坐地铁的合影。
现在也是对一些老旧且深受喜爱的地铁站进行翻新的好时机，不仅仅是列车。例如，我们去年宣布将翻新义顺地铁站，新增入口、增设电梯和扩大站厅。LTA目前正在研究包括海军部、加冷和三巴旺在内的其他车站翻新计划。
除了地铁网络，我们还在规划自动驾驶车辆（AV）的未来。自动驾驶车辆对我们来说并不陌生，自2013年起我们就开始试验。技术成熟花了一些时间，但随着人工智能、传感器、地图和计算技术的进步，自动驾驶车辆终于成为现实。
最近，我们在机场和港口等封闭环境中积极部署自动驾驶车辆，用于行李和货物运输。但要在道路上大规模部署自动驾驶乘用车，还需要一段时间。毕竟，目前全球自动驾驶车辆不到7000辆，在新加坡的车辆总数中占极小比例。我们现在所做的是提前规划和早期准备，一如既往。
自去年9月起，我们在榜鹅试验自动驾驶车辆，了解其在新加坡环境中的运作情况。自今年1月起，我们开始邀请乘客乘坐自动驾驶车辆。试验运行顺利且安全，许多榜鹅居民表示强烈支持。他们一直询问高级国务部长孙雪玲和我，何时可以开始乘坐自动驾驶车辆。为此，我高兴宣布，从4月1日起，我们将向公众开放乘坐申请。这不是愚人节玩笑；4月1日起，公众可报名乘坐。短期内乘坐免费，之后将开始收费运营。孙高级国务部长将提供更多细节。
如果一切顺利，我计划在新加坡其他地区试验自动驾驶车辆。我们正在考虑圣淘沙、兀兰和万礼等地，具体取决于自动驾驶车辆公司和通勤者的兴趣。我感谢蔡厝港议员刘志豪支持加快自动驾驶车辆，特别是自动驾驶巴士的推广，正如他指出的，我们缺乏足够的巴士司机。
LTA计划今年下半年通过滨海湾的400路巴士和One-North的191路巴士启动自动驾驶公共巴士试验。但由于技术和商业原因，自动驾驶巴士的发展比自动驾驶汽车慢。因此，我们将继续密切关注这一领域。
自动驾驶车辆只是我们未来交通格局的一部分。我们正在制定下一版陆路交通总体规划。在制定过程中，有许多令人兴奋的内容想与新加坡人分享，也希望听取大家的意见，了解您的交通需求，共同创造解决方案。国务部长梅业成一直领导这项工作。过去三个月，LTA已与200多人进行面对面焦点小组讨论，并收到3500多份公众书面反馈。未来几个月，我们希望听到更多声音，进一步加强公众参与。
让我分享一些迄今收到的常见反馈。
关于公共交通，一个普遍反馈是旅行时间过长，尤其是来自远离市区的组屋区。如今，公共交通的时间可能是私家车的两到三倍，尤其是那些只有巴士连接而无地铁的地区。
我希望缩小这一差距，使其接近一到两倍。即将开通的地铁线路，如裕廊区域线和跨岛线，将助力实现这一目标。我们还需改善巴士网络以及首末公里连接。
针对刘安德先生关于快车线路的建议，快车服务确实能为部分通勤者略微缩短旅行时间，因为新加坡面积较小。但通常需要独立轨道和额外信号系统，这意味着占用更多土地、更高成本和更长建设时间。跳站服务本质上是快车与普通车共用轨道，技术上可行，但运营复杂，普通列车需在车站等待快车通过，这将对普通乘客造成显著不利影响。
我们会关注这一问题。如果技术进步，我们会考虑。但对于实里达线，我认为实施可能性不大。
另一个常被提及的话题是列车拥挤，刘先生谈到了东北线（NEL）——我认为他有些夸大了，但确实提到了。
从长远看，跨岛线和实里达线等新地铁连接将改善东北部居民的状况。但短期内，我已恢复东北线和盛港-榜鹅轻轨的免费早晨非高峰时段乘车，以鼓励更多乘客避开早高峰。
实施时间尚短，因为是在年初开始，但我高兴地分享，这项措施迄今相当有效。约8%的乘客已转移至非高峰时段，减轻了早高峰时段其他乘客的拥挤。
拥挤程度下降，相当于增加了两列额外列车或20辆巴士的效果。
第三个热门话题是是否能增加更多巴士服务。我收到许多此类请求，包括刚才半小时内在议会中提出的两项，我已记录——花园路和罗盘谷路。
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我的交通部同事和LTA一直尽力而为。自从10亿新元的巴士连通性提升计划启动以来，我们已新增25条巴士线路，并提升了全岛60多条现有线路。
我非常希望能开通更多巴士线路。为此，我需要购买巴士，还需建设车厂和换乘站，包括盛港河换乘站。但最重要的是，我需要招聘巴士司机。愿意成为巴士司机的新加坡人太少，我们已达到可招聘外籍巴士司机的上限。
杨婉玲女士建议提高巴士司机起薪，目前约为3600新元（含加班费），以吸引新员工。我支持她的建议。我们正与巴士运营商和全国交通工会讨论此事，以及进一步改善现有巴士司机的工作条件和职业发展。
第四个收到大量反馈的领域是车辆拥车证（COE）。
田佩玲女士和谢家辉先生询问，鉴于电动车（EV）、自动驾驶车辆（AV）和电子道路收费2.0系统（ERP 2.0）等新发展，我们是否会审视COE制度。
COE制度于1990年引入，旨在控制车辆数量，因为新加坡土地有限，不可能让每个人甚至每户家庭都拥有汽车。如果每户都有车，我们的道路上将有约150万辆汽车，是当前车量的两倍多。道路将在高峰和非高峰时段都堵塞，类似世界许多城市的状况。
每辆车都占用道路空间并加剧拥堵，包括摩托车。因此，回应阿扎尔·奥斯曼先生的提问，我们不能将摩托车排除在COE制度之外。但回应梁荣华先生的问题，我们正密切关注马来西亚摩托车的数量。我们预计，车辆入境许可证费从每天4新元涨至7新元，以及2027年RTS连接线开通，将减少新加坡境内的外国摩托车数量。
谢家辉先生观察到，最近A类和B类COE价格趋于一致。
这并非首次出现此现象。2014年，我们增加了功率评级标准以区分A类和B类汽车，回应公众反馈，因越来越多小排量但高功率汽车出现，A类和B类汽车界限变得模糊。此举曾奏效一段时间。
但正如谢先生指出，近年来制造商调整汽车规格以符合A类标准，导致A类和B类价格再次趋同。上个月，A类价格甚至超过B类，尽管刚刚结束的竞价中，B类价格又恢复高于A类。
由于A类配额供应去年达到峰值，而B类配额今年继续增加，两者价格可能在一段时间内持续趋同。因此，我已要求LTA审视此问题。我们将收集公众和业界意见，探讨如何改进汽车COE分类，包括谢先生提出的根据市场开放价值调整折扣或附加费的具体建议。
我希望议员们能从上述例子看到，交通部如何倾听反馈并尽力解决问题。我知道这对您们很重要，对我们也同样重要。然而，在陆路交通领域，许多问题是零和博弈。几乎每项决策都有权衡，因此，若有人觉得自己处于不利一方，难免不满。
例如巴士路线规划，李慧玲女士和阿卜杜勒·穆海敏先生曾询问。
LTA的巴士规划师在规划路线时，会考虑当前和未来的乘客量——不仅是当前，还有未来的乘客量——行程时间、出行模式、替代路线等因素。他们是专业人士，但即便如此，也几乎不可能满足所有人的偏好，尽管他们尽了最大努力。
让我分享我在蔡厝港的亲身经历。
我辖区一部分居民一直问，为什么一条受欢迎的巴士线路没有在他们家楼下的一个车站停靠。我向LTA询问后，经过进一步分析，LTA发现确实可以调整路线，于是进行了调整。调整后，那些组屋楼的多数居民非常满意。但几乎立刻，LTA和我收到了许多其他乘客的投诉邮件，抱怨他们的行程变长，巴士因多了一个停靠点而更拥挤。
我理解作为乘客，我们每个人都有具体的个人情况和需求。但同时，我希望新加坡人能理解，管理这些权衡并不容易。有人必须做决定，这就是我们交通部的责任，要采取系统视角，最大限度地造福最多人。
主席先生，我已分享我们将如何保持全球视野、规划未来并以人为本。当我说“人”时，不仅指乘客，也包括我们交通行业的工作人员，他们是我团队的核心。
过去九个月，我与许多交通工作者共进餐食、参加节庆和颁奖典礼。我知道他们工作多么辛苦。我们的轨道维护工人在夜间静谧时分辛勤工作。我们的海员远离家人数月。我们的空中交通管制员在高压环境中保持冷静。
这只是我们超过30万交通工作者大家庭中的几个例子。他们的工作虽不为人所见所闻，但正是他们让我们得以出行，他们永远拥有我的支持。
去年八月，我在中转巴士换乘站遇到了Hasri Bin Abiden。他当了十多年的巴士司机。最近新开通了一条巴士线路，Hasri主动要求负责这条新路线。对于一位经验丰富的巴士司机来说，这是一个挑战。这意味着要改变日常习惯，应对陌生的环境。Hasri告诉我，在被派遣之前，他自发地骑着摩托车，在夜间独自多次练习这条路线。他想熟悉路线，以便更好地服务未来的乘客。
Hasri并不孤单。每天早晨，他和许多像他一样的人都努力做到最好，因为他们为自己的工作感到自豪。这样明天早晨以及之后的每一个早晨，新加坡人都能自信地走出家门，前往他们想去的地方。[掌声]
主席：高级国务部长孙雪玲。
交通部高级国务部长（孙雪玲女士）：主席先生，我将回应议员们关于空中和陆地交通的问题。
我们专注于建设一个全球化、面向未来且以人为本的交通系统。新加坡的航空故事是不断演变的。从一个小岛国，我们已经建成了世界上最互联的航空枢纽之一。我们现在与全球170多个城市相连。
然而，作为枢纽，我们也无法免疫于全球的干扰。我们正在密切关注中东冲突。航班和乘客的安全仍是我们的首要任务。新加坡航空和Scoot已暂停飞往受影响中东目的地的航班，直至3月7日。我们将继续监控局势。其他从樟宜飞往中东的航空公司也取消或延迟了航班。
但即使在全球不确定的环境中，我们也从未忽视更长远的视野。
未来十年，我们预计樟宜机场将继续增长。迄今为止，我们的增长已直接创造了超过6万个优质航空相关岗位，从管理繁忙空域的空中交通管制员到管理飞机的工程师。到2040年，全球航空旅行需求将翻倍，亚太地区将推动其中三分之二的增长。我们已经在建设第五航站楼，为此做好基础设施准备。
同样重要的是我们的“一航空”劳动力。樟宜的增长将为所有人带来更多机会，包括为新加坡人提供良好且高薪的工作。
Sharael Taha先生问我们如何投资航空劳动力。民航局已承诺投入2亿新元设立“一航空人力基金”，以吸引、培养和留住“一航空”劳动力。过去六个月，民航局广泛咨询了航空公司、学校、工会和员工，了解如何帮助新加坡人获得航空业的优质工作并在职业上进步。形成了三个优先重点。
首先，民航局将与高等院校合作，将专业培训与本科教育结合。航空业提供许多有回报且高薪的职业，如空中交通管制和飞机工程。我们有一批正在接受此类培训的高等院校学生。
其中包括目前在淡马锡理工学院攻读航空航天工程文凭的Wong Rui Qi。
我去年见过Rui Qi。他向我分享了对航空航天工程的兴趣，以及尽快成为持证飞机工程师的渴望。今天，毕业后，Rui Qi仍需接受长达44个月的专业培训，才能获得民航局颁发的专业执照，成为持证飞机工程师。通过将业界认可的技能培训纳入高等院校课程，像Rui Qi这样的学生将更具就业准备，能更快开始航空职业生涯。
第二，民航局将改善樟宜机场劳动力的工作环境和体验。这可能包括提升基础设施、改善机场的交通可达性，尤其是在深夜和清晨时段，以及为员工提供更好的休息设施。
第三，民航局将与全国职工总会合作，开发全行业的导师计划，支持新入职航空劳动力在关键运营岗位的职业发展。这将帮助我们培养未来具备准备和韧性的下一代航空专业人才。
民航局将在未来一年分享这三方面的更多细节。
为配合这些努力，我们也加强了推广工作，让航空机会更贴近新加坡人。
上周六，我参加了在Heartbeat@Bedok举办的东区“一航空”职业博览会。航空和航天领域有超过2000个职位空缺，18家机构参与。
我期待与有兴趣的社区发展理事会合作，将航空和航天职业带到新加坡更多本地社区。让我再说一遍，我期待与有兴趣的社区发展理事会合作，将航空和航天职业带到新加坡更多本地社区。
Poh Li San女士问我们如何吸引女性加入航空业。
我最近见到了Megan Zheng女士，她担任空中交通管制员已有12年。她分享说这是一份独一无二的工作。除了深感满足，她知道自己发出的每条指令都帮助飞机安全着陆，她对机上所有乘客和机组人员的生命负责。
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虽然空管员轮班工作，Megan解释说她的排班提前规划，最长可达一年。这让她这样的有两个年幼孩子的员工能自信地安排家庭和个人时间。
目前约40%的空管员是女性，且比例稳步增长。随着空中交通持续增长，我们期待更多空管员加入。
除了天空，我们运营机场的方式也在演变。机场运营和规划是一门激动人心的学科，随着我们为第五航站楼做准备，将越来越依赖技术。
两个月前，我们在樟宜部署了首批无人驾驶自动行李拖车，这将提升员工安全，减轻体力负担，并允许全天候运营。自动轮椅也在第二航站楼试验，帮助满足未来乘客不断变化的出行需求。
这就是吸引像淡马锡理工学院Ng Yu Jing这样的学生的激动人心的未来。Yu Jing和她的同学们向我表达了参与第五航站楼建设、书写新加坡航空故事下一章的热情。
吸引女性进入航空业的努力不仅仅依靠政府。去年我参加了新加坡航空女性分会晚会，看到女性和企业积极为各级女性提供机会，我感到欣慰。这包括新加坡航空女性分会的导师计划，为年轻学员提供组织外的宝贵视角。过去四年，该计划支持了100多名学员。民航局也与该分会密切合作，开展面向学校女生和刚入职年轻女性的推广活动。
我们期待更多女性加入航空业，尤其是在我们持续面临人力短缺且有许多高薪职位空缺的情况下。“一航空”劳动力将继续走在航空业增长的前沿。
现在让我谈谈陆路交通领域。
我们确保公共交通网络保持便利和可达。但人力仍是限制因素。可持续的长期解决方案是利用技术，如自动驾驶车辆（AV）。
Yeo Wan Ling女士询问了榜鹅自动驾驶班车运营、自动驾驶车辆监管框架及人力转型支持的最新情况。
在榜鹅，约有740人试乘了1号和3号线路的自动驾驶班车。许多人评价乘坐平稳舒适，99%的人表示会推荐该服务。班车提供了此前无直达交通连接的最后一公里服务，减少了多达15分钟的出行中断。榜鹅居民看到班车巡回运营，表示期待尽快体验。
鉴于积极反馈，我们将从4月1日起向公众开放1号和3号线路的乘坐。乘坐时将配有自动驾驶车辆功能解说，初期免费。这将让更多人体验技术并为运营商提供改进建议。运营商Grab将公布注册乘坐的详细信息。今年中旬起，乘客可在1号和3号线路任意站点上下车，统一票价为每人4新元。
ComfortDelGro在榜鹅2号线路的自动驾驶班车熟悉度提升良好，我们期待不久后开始邀请制乘坐。
在榜鹅巡查时，我与自动驾驶班车上的安全员交谈。Victor Tan先生过去15年是ComfortDelGro的出租车司机和驾驶教练。他说，接受自动驾驶班车安全员培训让他能将驾驶经验与机器无缝结合。
Vincent Teo先生和Sarah Binte Ahmad女士在多年驾驶后想尝试新事物，见识新技术。他们在GrabAcademy和WeRide接受安全员培训，需达到90%及格分数。我听说Sarah的四个孩子为酷妈妈感到骄傲，Vincent很快将参加自动驾驶远程操作员课程。
这些是出租车和私家车司机尝试自动驾驶技术的例子。新工作不仅限于安全员岗位。
还会有更多个性化的现场客户服务岗位，这些是机器无法提供的。还有自动驾驶车队的维护和运营岗位。软件和工程岗位也将增加。这些是未来更高薪的工作，不仅当前司机可考虑，也适合对自动驾驶未来感兴趣的年轻一代。
这是一个不断发展的领域，许多国家如中国、日本、阿联酋和美国都在部署自动驾驶车辆。我们的最佳策略是准备好人才、基础设施和法律。正如总理所说，我们将确保自动驾驶技术和人工智能为我们服务。
我们与工会合作，开发司机培训和转岗项目。我们正在规划司机的新岗位和机会。我了解到全国职工总会正在举办自动驾驶车辆相关的交流会。这里呼吁——如果你感兴趣，欢迎报名参加！
我们还在制定更全面的自动驾驶车辆法律框架，明确生态系统中关键方的责任和问责。这将为员工、行业和公众提供清晰指引，明年我们将咨询各方意见。
我们也利用技术改善生活环境。电动车零尾气排放。空气质量将改善，孩子们不必再吸入车辆有害废气。电动车也更安静。我们经常收到交通噪音的反馈，电动车将改善这一点。
2026年1月，电动车新车注册占比创纪录达到55%。Louis Chua先生和Tin Pei Ling女士问我们的电动车充电网络是否足以支持不断增长的电动车队。我很高兴地分享，全岛已有超过29,000个充电点。我们已实现目标，为所有组屋居民提供便利充电，超过90%的组屋停车场配备慢速充电器。这满足了居民夜间充电的需求。
Ang Wei Neng先生和Dennis Tan先生建议增加快速充电器。我们已在组屋市镇中心和裕廊西JTC场所的70个停车场部署了150个快速充电点。
技术持续快速发展。越来越多电动车支持更快充电。新型超快速充电器能在10分钟内为电动车增加数百公里续航。还有更先进的电网管理方案，帮助我们减少昂贵的基础设施升级。
我们设想多样化充电选项以满足不同需求。喜欢夜间充电的车主可继续使用家附近的慢速充电点。喜欢在办事时充电1至2小时的，可在快速充电枢纽使用功率约50千瓦的多个快速充电点。需要10至20分钟快速充电的，类似现有加油站体验，可使用功率超过150千瓦的超快速充电点。
目前，快速充电枢纽设在商业和工业场所，如巴西立商场、滨海艺术中心和裕廊西Corporation Place。我们将部署更多快速充电枢纽，确保明年底前每个组屋市镇至少有一个快速充电枢纽，每个枢纽配备至少六个快速充电点。我们将优先在充电需求高、电力容量充足的区域启动，如盛港Compass One附近停车场、麦波申市场和中转Plaza。
我们也与业界合作探索超快速充电方案，并与相关机构优化电网以满足增长的充电需求。
Ang Wei Neng先生和Yeo Wan Ling女士强调为劳动力装备电动车转型技能的重要性。我们于2022年推出国家电动车安全专家认证，已为2000多人提供电动车维护基础安全培训。
我们将继续推进。交通部国家交通学院、SkillsFuture Singapore和新加坡工程师学会将推出电动车技术专家技能路径，规划电动车维护职业发展路线，包括高等院校、公交学院和全国职工总会学习中心提供的培训。主要汽车雇主如Borneo Motors、比亚迪、Cycle & Carriage和Komoco，以及公共巴士运营商也将提供就业机会。符合条件的个人和员工将享受至少50%的SSG批准课程学费补贴。
现在谈谈公共巴士及其劳动力。
巴士连通性提升计划于2024年7月推出，旨在增强巴士连通性，特别是距离地铁站较远的新兴住宅区，同时为高客流量轨道线路提供替代交通方式。
针对东北区，过去一年半内新增了12条巴士线路，包括11条高峰期线路，并延长了两条现有线路。居民对新巴士服务表示赞赏，但常问是否能增加更多通往其他目的地的巴士连接。
主席先生，限制更多巴士服务的不是巴士数量，而是巴士司机数量。正如Yeo Wan Ling女士所述，巴士司机的工作不易。多年来，我们与巴士运营商和全国交通工人总会合作，改善司机工作条件，如延长轮班休息时间和限制轮班时长，但本地招聘下降趋势未能扭转。
正如代理部长Jeffrey Siow所说，我们将加大力度鼓励本地人加入巴士行业，包括中年转职者。这包括与巴士运营商和工会合作，提高薪资，改善巴士司机的工作条件和职业发展。
Yeo女士还问我们如何为巴士司机准备自动驾驶转型。我们将于今年晚些时候在191和400号公共巴士线路开展自动驾驶巴士试验。政府由陆交局新加坡巴士学院牵头，与公共交通运营商如SBST、工会及自动驾驶技术供应商紧密合作，准备巴士司机。通过支持和培训项目，我们将提升司机技能，确保他们具备承担安全员、远程操作员、车队经理及技术和乘客服务等新岗位所需技能。我们的首要任务是确保巴士司机具备所需技能，能在安全负责地试点自动驾驶服务过程中承担新且有意义的角色。
我还想谈谈改善工人交通安全。政府机构与行业和非政府组织密切合作，提升工人交通安全。我们取得了良好进展，推出了要求运送工人的货车必须配备车篷和更高的侧护栏，限速更低，并满足最低空间要求。
在与我们的三方合作伙伴密切协商后，我们将迈出进一步的步伐。从2027年1月1日起，我们将不再允许用笼式货车运送工人。笼式货车的货台对后部乘客存在额外的安全风险。例如，如果一辆带有从外部锁定或扣紧的笼门的货车发生事故或火灾，工人可能无法逃生。
公司仍可使用其笼式货车运输货物。如果公司需要灵活地在后部货台运输工人或货物，可以选择用车篷、侧栏杆和雨罩替代笼式结构。
感谢非政府组织提出这一建议，并感谢他们在我们评估风险期间的耐心等待。
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针对林杰克逊先生关于交通部道路安全措施的提问，我们通过基础设施改进和社区参与不断提升道路安全。我们的“友好街道”计划就是一个典范，陆路交通管理局（LTA）建设新的信号控制人行横道、无障碍过街设施和更宽的中央隔离带以保障安全过街。此外，还实施了限速和其他交通缓解措施。
在五个“友好街道”试点地点，车辆平均速度降低了多达25%。更多居民也开始沿着这些友好街道步行或骑行。还有25个新地点正在筹备中，如荷兰/布奥纳维斯塔和榜鹅。鉴于积极反馈，我们将在未来几年内再推出20条新的友好街道。其中一些新地点包括班丹花园和甘榜格南。居民可以期待参与道路基础设施改进，以提升安全性、便利性和舒适度。
到2030年，每个镇至少将拥有一条友好街道。这意味着全岛至少有50条友好街道。
主席先生，交通将我们所有人连接起来，连接家人、工作和世界。我们对基础设施、人才和技术的投资将确保这些联系保持强大、安全和可持续，惠及新加坡和新加坡人。
主席：高级国务部长穆拉里·皮莱。
交通部高级国务部长（穆拉里·皮莱先生）：主席先生，大海一直是新加坡通往世界的开放通道。我们在整个历史中都依赖它。
如今，海面波涛汹涌。当我们谈论供应链中断时，正是海上航道决定了全球供应链的通行与否。当我们谈论地缘政治紧张局势时，正是这些实际的停靠港口在更大的波动和全球不确定性中发生变化。
【议长主持】
自上周末以来，我们这边世界的人们对中东持续的局势感到悲痛。这不仅夺去了生命，也开始扰乱约20%全球石油和天然气通过狭窄的霍尔木兹海峡的流动。已有多家航运公司宣布暂停通过该海峡的船只通行。这必然会对这些商品价格产生上行压力。所有这些后果仅在几天内发生。
在这场动荡中，海事行业可以成为稳定的通道，保持新加坡与世界的连接。新加坡的建立依托于两条海峡——马六甲海峡和新加坡海峡。只要我们坚守经过时间考验的本能和技能，培养我们的海员和海事劳动力，海洋依然能为我们带来过去的财富。如果我们做得好，我们将像历史上一样乘风破浪。
我们将推进四个重点方向。
首先，我们必须保持开放，支持贸易、人员和伙伴关系的自由流动。开放的海洋不是帝国的征服对象，而是受国际公认规则和法律约束的全球公地。作为一个小岛国，新加坡依赖这一规则作为我们的坚固防线。
但全球公地的治理不能由单一国家承担，尤其是像我们这样的小国。代理交通部长萧杰辉先生已说明我们将如何继续在国际海事组织（IMO）等关键国际机构推动集体努力。
我们还承诺与志同道合的伙伴合作，推动国际航运规则和标准的制定。一个途径是与其他国家建立绿色和数字航运走廊。这些合作使我们能够共同开发技术、基础设施和标准，促进更可持续和互联的海事生态系统。我们将继续寻找新的机会拓展这些联系。
第二，新加坡必须继续作为全球供应链中的关键节点。尊敬的议员沙拉尔·塔哈询问交通部如何加强海事行业的长期竞争力。
新加坡海事及港务局（MPA）正在制定《海事新加坡总体规划》。这将是一个面向未来的行业蓝图，指导该行业未来几十年的发展。目标是加强新加坡作为关键节点和枢纽港的竞争力，提升新加坡作为国际海事中心的吸引力，确立新加坡在海事创新（包括人工智能领域）的全球领导地位，并培养未来适应性的海事劳动力。
我们不会单独制定总体规划。未来几个月，MPA将成立一个由主要企业领导组成的本地行业小组，收集见解，同时与工会和公众沟通。MPA计划于2027年正式发布总体规划。
作为一个节点，意味着提供多入口点，并激发现有企业间的协同效应。我们正在发展新加坡成为海事技术、创新和研发中心。
正如代理部长萧杰辉所提，我们也在投资港口的能力和容量。尊敬的议员陈佩玲询问了大士港的发展进展及其如何提升新加坡竞争力。第二阶段填海工程已完成近80%，第三阶段规划正在进行中。大士港预计于2040年代完工，届时将拥有6500万标准箱的吞吐能力，成为全球最大的全自动化集装箱码头。这将进一步保障新加坡与世界的连接，巩固我们作为国际航运可信节点的竞争力。
未来几十年，我们将继续优化大士港设计，以适应运营环境的变化。这是我们采用分阶段开发大士港的优势所在。
作为全球最繁忙的港口之一，新加坡也是寻求在真实运营环境中试验创新海事解决方案的理想试验场和活实验室。MPA将于今年晚些时候推出海事集群基金业务发展计划下的新创新轨道，更好地支持企业深化技术和创新能力。根据该计划，在新加坡设立创新技术部门或企业风险投资职能的公司可获得资金支持，并增加研发专业知识及监管支持的获取。这将助力新加坡成为人才、创意和资本的全球节点。
我最近会见了Everllence新加坡的董事总经理尼古拉斯·布拉贝克。Everllence是航运业主要的发动机制造商之一。我很高兴听到Everllence选择在这里设立其欧洲以外最大的服务中心，不仅因为新加坡的基础设施和战略位置，还因为我们拥有技术娴熟且有韧性的陆上和海上劳动力。
我们将继续确保毕业生和工人具备抓住该行业众多高薪机会的能力。这些职位对新加坡人来说可能较为陌生，但它们是好工作。例如，陆上海事职位包括船舶租赁员和船舶经纪人，2024年其竞争力中位数总薪约为1万新元；海事及技术主管从2021年至2024年间的中位数总薪介于8千至1.3万新元。
事实上，海事行业不仅适合航海人员，也适合许多陆上工作人员。我几周前遇到的迪维卡·吉尔女士就是一例。她三个月前从新加坡理工学院毕业后加入该行业。她现在是一名装配工，这在海事界是对一名高度熟练技术员的低调称呼，负责支持工程操作并维持最高安全标准，使船舶适航。她立志成为海事工程师。她是越来越多在海事职业中找到意义和目标的女性之一。
沙拉尔·塔哈议员还询问我们如何培养新加坡技术人才。
首先，我们将继续投资海事人才。根据企业反馈，MPA正在简化海事集群基金管理培训生计划的要求，并更新该计划以跟上人才培养的最新实践。
通过这些调整，中小企业等较小公司将能够为员工创造结构化的职业发展机会。培养管理和领导人才有助于企业长期发展。MPA还将增加管理培训生在不同海事岗位的轮岗机会和时间，以加深专业知识。这将通过拓宽他们对海事价值链的理解，早期培养年轻专业人才。
其次，我们希望培养新加坡人担任海事行业领导职务。由于海事行业具有全球性，海事领导者需要具备管理国际运营和跨文化团队的经验和能力。这就是我们推出海事集群基金全球轮岗计划的原因。该计划为企业提供资助，共同承担本地中层管理人员的海外派遣费用，帮助他们获得担任监督职务的能力。
但吸引顶尖人才进入海事行业并留住他们，不仅仅是政府自上而下制定政策的问题。必须与行业领导者、企业、工会和高等院校紧密合作。
海事行业通过奖学金和实习支持有志者的良好记录，证明了该行业对人才培养的重视。事实上，如果尊敬的议员们向我右侧看，今天有五位奖学金获得者和新加坡海事基金会主席何永耀先生一同出席。他们来自不同背景，包括工艺教育学院（ITE）和理工学院，奖学金由多家海事公司和组织赞助。
我希望他们的榜样能激励新一代新加坡年轻人迎接挑战，推动海事行业转型。
我最近会见了李正威船长，他于1970年代初首次加入海事行业。他响应《海峡时报》上的一则招聘港口引航员的广告。他以为能在新加坡水域飞行，结果大错特错！他发现这实际上是海上工作。虽然他进入海事行业是偶然，但他在海事行业度过了五十多年的持久职业生涯。2008年至2013年，他还担任过我们的港务局长。
几十年来，李船长见证了我们港口和海事生态系统的发展。对他而言，行业与工会的紧密合作关系是海事新加坡成长和创造新工作的关键因素。
像李船长这样的观点对于我们理解三方合作在现实中的意义非常重要。我们将与行业利益相关者和工会一道，继续设定海事行业的共同目标，确保我们的海事劳动力准备好迎接下一阶段挑战。
最后，我们将利用技术帮助海事行业的每个人做更多工作，创造有意义的岗位。为此，MPA将在今年晚些时候扩大无人水面船的试验。无人水面船将实现自主运行，同时保留远程操控能力。它们将利用人工智能传感器和实时数据传输，提升MPA在海事监控和水文测量方面的运营效率。这也减少了人员暴露于危险环境的风险。释放的人力可投入其他增长领域。
去年，MPA推出了新加坡海事数字孪生，这是我们港口的动态虚拟模型。我很高兴宣布，MPA将扩展该数字孪生，邀请行业合作伙伴参与，测试其新产品和服务，以更好地为港口用户提供海事服务。今年将试点两个应用案例：第一个优化来新加坡船舶的补给服务；第二个提升对油污等事故的应急响应和准备能力。
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我们欢迎企业与我们合作，利用数字孪生构建其应用和仿真模型，包括人工智能相关应用。
在采用这些新技术的同时，我们将继续建立适当的保障措施，应对可能出现的风险。作为这些努力的一部分，MPA已推出加强网络安全培训的项目，包括利用船载技术测试平台培训船舶交通管理人员。
主席先生，大海一直是创新的场所。在海事传说中，《白鲸》常被引用为警示故事——人不可像亚哈船长那样教条和自负，而应像以实玛利那样灵活且能生存。但对我而言，《白鲸》也充满了关于导航科学和航海技术作用的启示——我们现在难以想象，写作时，航海者确定精确经度的能力才刚刚有90年历史。正是约翰·哈里森发明的计时器，即使在海上也极为精准，使得经度得以绘制，航程足够精确以追踪灵活的鲸鱼。
同样，新加坡必须保持对新技术变革力量的敏感，掌握新任务，开辟未曾试探的航程。旧方式已逝，现在是我们用自己的计时器成为新航海家的时刻。
主席先生，即使乌云密布，波涛汹涌，只要我们拥有全球强大伙伴，巩固作为可信节点的地位，培养人才，睁开眼睛拥抱技术力量，海事新加坡依然能乘风破浪。
最重要的是，只要我们铭记作为岛国的历史。大海塑造了我们的贸易和商业命运，赋予我们独特的繁荣——只要我们勇于维护和发展，保持航海的勇气和能力，这份繁荣将永远属于我们。
主席：交通部国务部长梅业成。
交通部国务部长（梅业成先生）：主席先生，我将详细说明我们如何让陆路交通以人为本并面向未来。新加坡人将在这段旅程中发挥重要作用。我们将共同塑造交通系统的下一阶段。
我先谈谈《陆路交通总体规划》的更新，然后介绍我们促进积极乘客文化和公共路径安全的努力。
陈佩玲女士询问陆路交通的未来以及交通部如何建设更好更安全、满足乘客需求的陆路交通系统。
正如代理部长所述，陆路交通管理局已启动全国范围的公众咨询，更新《陆路交通总体规划2040》。这是指导我们陆路交通系统下一阶段发展的长期战略蓝图。
为何需要更新总体规划？因为许多新兴趋势要求我们重新审视优先事项，强化战略。
首先，人口结构变化，如人口老龄化和人们生活方式的演变，意味着交通服务也必须发展，以满足远离工作地点的新住宅区的上班族、带小孩的家庭、老人、残障人士及其他乘客群体的需求。
气候变化和更极端的天气模式的影响也不可忽视。例如，我们需要持续改善交通基础设施，使乘客尽可能舒适地步行、骑行和乘坐交通工具。
同时，我们正处于重大变革的边缘。智能和自动系统的进步拥有巨大潜力，改善和扩展我们的出行选择。
这对交通的未来意味着什么？自去年底启动总体规划更新的公众参与以来，我们听到了许多新加坡人的声音。我想分享出现的“三个C”优先事项：连通性、舒适性和社区感。
为了实现第一个C，即保持新加坡人与不同出行需求的连接，我们必须继续投资公共交通网络，以及共享和主动出行方式。
代理部长之前已更新在建新铁路线的进展。随着新线路和车站的建设，我们也将继续维护和更新旧线路，以支持日益增长的需求，并确保对所有乘客包容和无障碍。
谈到最后一公里的连接，我们希望在基础设施规划中涵盖更多全岛范围的自行车和微型出行网络。这为城镇内较短距离的出行提供了安全、便利和积极的交通选择，例如使用自行车和主动出行设备。这种方法对于像新加坡这样密集的城市国家尤为重要且有益。
南北走廊就是一个很好的例子。随着更多交通转移到其地下隧道和高架桥，地面街道将腾出空间优先考虑步行、自行车、公交车以及公共和绿色空间。完工后，北部居民可以享受更快的通勤到市中心，以及沿走廊各地更愉快舒适的出行体验。
第二个C是舒适。我们希望旅程舒适愉快，使公共交通继续成为新加坡人的首选出行方式。
我们的陆路交通总体规划参与活动的一方面是让来自各行各业的新加坡人分享他们的日常通勤情况——不仅是关于旅行时间和连通性，还包括他们的出行体验。
参与者谈到了他们如何使用社区空间以及如何到达交通节点。正如高级国务部长孙雪玲所分享的，我们将在2030年前将“友好街道”扩展到所有城镇。
议员们还询问了支持步行的通勤基础设施，如有盖连廊和行人天桥。
陆路交通管理局（LTA）持续改善通往交通节点的首末公里旅程。例如，我们已经在地铁站400米半径范围内设有有盖连廊。现在，这一范围已在我们的“友好街道”扩展到800米半径。
我们还在为现有的行人天桥安装电梯。我们已完成主要交通节点附近天桥的电梯改造，目前重点是服务更多老年人的天桥。
林秀韶女士询问了后港四座行人天桥的电梯升级情况。主席先生，我代表代理部长确认没有延误。我们分阶段进行天桥电梯改造。林女士提到的四座天桥属于当前阶段，该阶段于去年年底开始。此阶段共有100多座天桥正在升级，工程必须逐步进行。
我们将在2027年年中开始对林女士提到的其中两座天桥施工，随后再进行另外两座。希望林女士对这一答复感到满意。
主席先生，每个项目我们都必须优先排序并逐步实施。基础设施的建设和验证需要时间和资源，而这些资源同样被其他同样重要的项目所需要。
我们的原则是：尽快惠及尽可能多的通勤者。随着时间推移，我们将覆盖所有已确定需要提升的地点。
最后一个C是培养社区意识。交通是一种共享体验。一个满足我们需求、令我们自豪的交通系统，不仅仅是政策和硬件的问题。
这还关乎我们在共享空间中日常如何相互对待，无论是在道路和公共路径上，还是在公交车和地铁中。
虽然我们可以改善基础设施和硬件，但这些改变并非没有权衡。交通空间最终是我们所有人共享的。时不时会出现需求冲突。例如，自2018年以来，LTA采购了更多设有开放空间的公交车，方便轮椅和婴儿车停放，以满足越来越多有多样需求的通勤者。
但正如林秀韶女士指出的，为了腾出这些空间，LTA不得不减少座位数量。为缓解这一问题，LTA将在可行的空间内安装可折叠座椅。
陆路交通总体规划的一部分工作是创造机会进行这些重要对话，让不同需求的人们相互倾听，并就我们交通系统共享空间背后的社会契约达成共识。
一个需要更多共识的例子是公交车上为轮椅和婴儿车预留空间的使用。陈艾丽莎女士提出了让公共交通对年轻家庭更具包容性的需求。对于推着开放式婴儿车的家长，我们的公交司机也乐意应要求启动轮椅坡道，方便他们上车。
我们也听到家长反馈，有时公交司机会要求他们折叠婴儿车并抱着孩子，因为公交车拥挤且有轮椅乘客上车。
我们正在积极审视这一问题并咨询各方利益相关者。除了增加为轮椅和婴儿车分配的空间（这也有权衡），LTA已开展小规模运营试验，灵活使用这些空间，并收集了初步运营见解。我们现在准备在更大范围内测试。
从2026年4月起，在约10条服务更多轮椅或行动辅助设备使用者及带小孩家长的公交线路上，公交司机将按先到先得原则协助轮椅和开放式婴儿车使用这些预留空间。根据试验结果，我们将考虑将此做法推广至整个网络。我们也将在即将举行的陆路交通总体规划咨询中，听取通勤者、家庭和倡导者的意见，共同寻找平衡的前进道路。
我们的目标是让公共巴士和地铁成为包容所有需求通勤者的空间，包括轮椅使用者和带小孩的家长。新加坡人积极参与这场对话和体贴的通勤行为，将带来巨大不同。
除了改善交通系统的建议，我们还听到交通系统对新加坡人日常生活产生的积极影响，这令人鼓舞。
我们知道陆路交通是每个人生活体验中极为个人化的一部分，也是许多人关心的问题。未来还会有更多陆路交通总体规划的参与活动，包括学校推广、快闪活动和专题小组讨论，深入探讨特定议题。
我们希望听到您的故事和观点，讨论必要的权衡，并与您合作共创一个我们都引以为傲的交通系统。
接下来，我将谈谈我们培养更有礼貌和关怀的通勤文化的努力。
除了更快更便捷的旅程，确保包容性的公共交通系统同样重要，正如陈艾丽莎女士所提。除了公共交通的可达性，我们希望每个人在乘坐公交和地铁时都感到安全和自信。
多年来，我们已使系统更易于满足各种需求的通勤者。我们的公共交通系统现在几乎完全无障碍。LTA和我们的运营商也在扩大支持其他多样需求通勤者的努力。
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举个例子，胜安巴士在牛车水地铁站试点了名为SiLViA的手语虚拟助理亭。该亭利用人工智能，配备女性虚拟形象，可将口语或公共广播翻译成手语。
Rachel Ong小姐问是否有计划推广该设施。迄今为止，听障通勤者认为该亭很有用。LTA将与胜安巴士合作，在更多地点部署该项目。
除了硬件和技术，所有通勤者都能发挥作用。“我们优先”的社会始于我们在公共交通系统中的日常互动。
排队乘坐地铁并让乘客先下车，过去在这里并非普遍习惯。然而，自2009年LTA发起“礼让运动”并在地铁站台划定排队线后，这已成为自然而然的行为。
建立此类规范是一个持续过程。公共交通理事会定期与通勤者交流，探讨如何使公共交通系统更有礼貌和包容。
他们收到的一些反馈包括，具有多样需求的通勤者难以找到座位，尤其是当他们的状况不明显时。推开放式婴儿车的通勤者有时也需在电梯前排长队等待。
由公共交通理事会和LTA领导的“关怀新加坡通勤者运动”将启动新活动，塑造公共交通系统中的积极行为规范。
首先，我们将在地铁站内的优先登车门和公共交通节点的电梯处逐步设立优先排队线。如果您使用轮椅、怀孕或带婴儿车，可使用这些优先排队线等候列车或电梯。其他通勤者则鼓励使用扶梯和楼梯，以便电梯优先供有更大需求者使用。如仍需使用电梯，请让优先排队者先行。
其次，我们鼓励所有需要座位的通勤者，如孕妇或有不明显健康状况者，到车站和巴士换乘中心的乘客服务中心领取“助人之手”卡。我也鼓励通勤者通过主动让座给更需要的人，包括持有醒目黄色“助人之手”卡的人，来展现关怀。
我们还希望让需要座位的人主动请求座位成为常态。虽然有些通勤者可能未察觉您的需求，但我相信大多数人理解并愿意在礼貌请求时让座。
最后，严杰理先生、林杰信先生和李慧玲女士询问了改善行人与行动设备使用者共用公共路径安全使用的不同方法。
确实，我们希望鼓励主动出行，同时确保安全。为此，我们制定规则和法规，执行监管，建设基础设施，并通过教育和参与促进公共路径的安全和礼貌共享。
关于灯光要求，自行车、电动自行车和个人行动设备在晚上7点至早上7点的黑暗时段骑行时，必须配备前白灯和后红灯，确保骑行者在夜间对行人和其他路径使用者可见。LTA定期开展执法行动确保遵守。
关于骑行礼仪及路径使用者的权利和责任，《公共路径使用者行为准则》提供指导，确保和谐共享路径。
骑行者应注意并礼让行人。铃铛用于在超车前轻声提醒，而非要求优先通行。接近公交站和公共路径交叉口时，骑行者应减速并在必要时停车，降低与上下车乘客等其他路径使用者发生事故的风险。
同时，行人也应保持警觉，注意来车或潜在危险，保持眼耳开放。
在可能的情况下，我们设计了基础设施以支持安全使用和共享路径。例如，LTA在公交站后方建设绕行路径，将骑行者与公交乘客分开。标识、标线和减速带提醒骑行者在公交站附近减速并礼让行人。LTA也对超速或鲁莽骑行者进行执法。
我们将继续监测事故和公众反馈，识别改进空间。
关于是否在提供专用替代路径时禁止行人走自行车道，此前已有讨论。我们不计划禁止行人在毗邻仅限行人路径的自行车道上行走。这为作为最大用户群的行人提供了灵活性，在安全时也可走自行车道。
我们的做法是明确划分路径，并通过教育和宣传加强用户对路径安全的意识。根据行为准则，用户应遵守各自路径。执法人员和主动出行社区大使计划的志愿者将劝导在自行车道上行走的行人回到仅限行人路径，以保障安全。主席先生，我现在用普通话说几句话。
（普通话）：[请参阅方言发言。]自去年11月起，我们启动了为期一年的公众咨询，更新陆路交通总体规划，旨在共同探讨不同的通勤需求，共同塑造未来交通系统。
过去四个月，我们收到改善交通连通性和提升旅程舒适度的建议。
大多数人期望建立更包容和关怀的通勤文化。这需要每个人尽一份力。无论您乘坐地铁还是公共巴士，是否注意到需要座位和电梯更多的乘客，如老人、轮椅使用者、孕妇和带婴儿车的家长，并主动让座？
我们也理解许多带婴儿车的家长乘坐公共巴士时面临的困难。因此，我们将于今年4月启动试点项目。在约10条公交线路上，公交司机将协助带婴儿车的家长和轮椅乘客使用指定空间，按先到先得原则。
有时公交车可能较为拥挤。我鼓励乘客彼此理解，帮助有需要的人。您今天伸出的援手，实际上是在为您家人和亲人的未来需求铺路。
相互礼让和关怀的精神也应延伸至公共道路使用。为确保不同用户如行人和个人行动设备使用者的安全，LTA已实施相关法规并优化道路基础设施。我们将继续开展公众教育和执法，打击危险和违法行为。
希望大家在使用共享路径时更加小心，不把安全留给偶然，解决分歧时保持礼让，互相关照。
（英语）：主席先生，最后，我们将继续与新加坡同胞携手合作，提升陆路交通系统和通勤文化，确保其面向未来，满足人民多样化需求。
主席：我们还有时间进行澄清。田佩玲女士。
田佩玲女士：谢谢主席。有两个问题。
一是听说今年晚些时候会对配额证（COE）制度进行审查。我想问是否有具体时间表可以期待。
第二是关于整体陆路交通，涉及人口老龄化和基础设施老化的影响。随着人口老龄化，需求自然增加。更多有盖人行道，如果较长，可能需要沿途设置长椅，天桥需要电梯等等。这些需求会增加。
关于老化基础设施，随着时间推移，显然需要维护，甚至翻新或重建。这会增加成本。我想了解这类成本随时间增长的趋势，包括建设和生命周期维护成本，以及长期是否可持续。如果可持续或不可持续，我们将如何应对？
萧志杰先生：主席，我先回答第一个问题，贝殷庆国务部长将回答第二个。
关于COE审查，我打算立即启动。我们需要用余下时间进行咨询。正如贝殷庆国务部长所述，这将作为陆路交通总体规划的一部分。希望今年年底能有某种结论。
贝殷庆：正如田女士提到，随着人口需求变化，我们的基础设施需跟上需求。比如天桥电梯，我们当前阶段已有100多座天桥电梯改造，这是第四阶段。我们现在重点关注服务更多老年人的地点。
这可能需要几年时间，正如我们之前在议会提到，天桥安装一对电梯并不简单。需考虑地下管线可能受影响等多种因素，确实需要时间和资源。
议员指出，不仅是建设，还要后续维护电梯。
第四阶段之后是否有第五阶段及后续阶段？确实有议员要求在其辖区的天桥安装电梯。我相信，新加坡大约有700多座天桥。我认为我们不可能在所有天桥安装电梯，或者以此理由改善所有基础设施以满足所有人口需求。
我认为交通部和陆路交通管理局将逐一评估请求，制定策略，尽快满足尽可能多通勤者的需求，正如我演讲中提到的。这是平衡不同需求，审慎管理资源的过程，同时考虑建设成本和后续维护成本。
我们一定会确保无论建造什么设施，都能得到妥善维护。我们呼吁公众和通勤者正确使用这些设施，确保它们能长久使用，这样我们就不需要频繁进行维修或翻新。我相信，采取这种方式，我们将能够及时满足我们日益老龄化人口的需求。
主席：贝国辉国务部长，我的选区也有不少公共办公楼（POB），所以不要忘了我的。洪伟能先生。
洪伟能先生：主席，我有两个澄清。首先，我们很高兴部长向我们保证，交通部正在努力建立更明确的标准，以区分A类和B类汽车拥车证（COE）。同时，我想澄清一下A类COE供应量减少的问题。交通部是否仍然承诺在2024年增加总COE供应量2万个？
如果是这样，交通部是否可以考虑利用新的配额重新平衡A类和B类COE的供应，至少在未来12个月内采取这种做法？这种方法有助于在等待交通部年底前审查A类和B类COE标准期间，调节A类COE的价格。
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其次，我们很高兴交通部也计划提升巴士司机的薪酬和工作条件，以吸引更多本地居民加入巴士行业。我们想询问交通部是否会增加公共交通补贴，以确保这些措施不会导致交通票价上涨？
萧志成先生：主席，正如洪先生所指出的，我们计划在未来几年内注入多达2万个额外的COE。该计划保持不变。前提是总行驶里程下降，我们利用ERP 2.0管理拥堵的能力将得到增强。因此，这些理由依然有效；我们将在未来几年继续注入这些COE。
我们一直基于一定的方法论进行操作，包括通过“切割与填充”重新分配保证的注销量，然后再进行注入。目标是整体平滑COE配额供应。
至于是否要引入另一个参数，即重新平衡A类和B类COE，我们会评估，但我对引入过多参数持谨慎态度。正如一位议员，应该是谢志强先生所说，在执行过程中，我们不希望增加太多不确定性、变量，从而对市场造成过大扰动。因此，我们会评估，但我初步认为可能性不大。
关于第二个问题，即巴士司机，我们正在与工会及巴士营运商讨论如何提高新招巴士司机的起薪。我认为政府准备看看能做些什么，为系统提供更多支持。但我想指出，事实上政府已经投入大量资源支持巴士网络的财政可持续性。
我提到过巴士连通性提升计划，这是一次重大资金注入。总体而言，政府每年向巴士网络投入约十亿新元补贴。因此，支持力度已经很大。我们必须整体考虑巴士网络的财政可持续性，以便持续以可持续速度发展网络，同时将薪资纳入维护网络的整体成本。
主席：梁荣华先生。
梁荣华先生：先生，我相信政治任命官员还没有回应我关于交通拥堵的质询，所以我想请教部长，是不是因为他不同意我说的交通拥堵恶化，或者不同意我提出的非价格手段解决交通拥堵？
所以，我请部长重新考虑我在质询中提出的建议，即我们是否可以优化交通信号系统，许多国家都这么做；以及如何让它更具响应性。这可能是一个非常有价值的人工智能应用案例。
其次，我提到如何更快速清理事故车辆。这其实不是高基础设施项目，是可以管理和执行的。只需要制定政策，比如“必须在一定时间内清理交通，必须有足够的拖车”等等。我希望部长能给我一个更鼓舞人心的回应。
萧志成先生：谢谢主席。首先，我要向梁荣华先生道歉，因为他发表了很多关于交通的精彩建议，而我未能一一回应。但他提出澄清，给了我机会更全面地回应他的好建议。
首先，我想向他保证，他非常关心交通拥堵问题，担心电子道路收费（ERP）会是首选。答案是：不用担心，ERP绝不是我们的首选。大多数情况下，ERP总是最后的手段，尤其是ERP 1.0的门架建设难度大且成本高；即使是ERP 2.0，我也想向议员保证，我们只有在真正必要时才会使用道路收费。这是第一点。
关于技术应用，我认为梁先生举了很多例子，我同意他的看法，利用人工智能管理交通信号系统，确实能显著提升交通流畅度。事实上，陆路交通管理局（LTA）正在探索这方面的技术。他们最近向我展示了一个名为CRUISE的项目，虽然我不知道这个缩写具体含义，但看起来很合理。如果梁先生感兴趣，我乐意找时间与他分享。
还有一些其他建议，比如在吉宝路建设双层高速公路，梁先生也提过。我认为这不太可能实施。我想起波士顿这座城市，我在那里待过一段时间。他们有个“大挖掘”工程——不知道你是否熟悉。他们花了多年时间和大量资金把双层高速公路埋进地下。如今波士顿变得更宜居，我作为学生时曾开车经过那里，可以告诉你，那段经历并不愉快，更重要的是，这条高速公路把海滨和市区分隔开来。所以，我们尽可能不想在这里做类似的事情。
梁先生还提到物流问题。我们确实会与业界合作，努力改善新加坡的物流，使货物运输更顺畅。事实上，交通部和贸易及工业部（MTI）一直在共同制定更连贯的物流战略。我想在适当时候会向议会更新进展。
最后，关于交通清理。实际上，高速公路监控与咨询系统（EMAS）已经做得相当不错。如今，他们平均用15分钟清理高速公路上的拥堵或事故，然后让交通顺畅通行。通常，清理轻微事故后，交通恢复正常大约需要半小时到一小时。但对于涉及死亡的严重事故，则需要更多时间，这时会出现更严重的拥堵。因此，从表现来看，已经不差，但我同意梁先生的看法，我们应利用技术加快处理速度，减少事故影响。
主席：我看到梁先生现在表情更为鼓舞。蔡庆伟先生。
蔡庆伟先生：谢谢主席。关于电动车充电桩，我有一个澄清问题。交通部之前说过，到2025年，每个组屋停车场将设有3至12个充电点，但我关心的不是截止时间，而是充电桩数量的承载能力。因为我看到的大多数多层停车场通常只有三个7.4千瓦的充电桩。所以我想了解，最初升级电力基础设施的招标中，最大支持的功率容量或充电站数量是多少？
我们经常收到的反馈是，增加充电位受限于电力容量，似乎短期内不太可能在每个多层停车场达到12个充电点。
孙雪玲女士：感谢议员的澄清。我们起步时，至少在每个组屋停车场部署了三个充电点。我之前的回复中提到，90%的停车场已达到这一标准。未来，我们会关注充电技术的发展，这也是我演讲中提到将采用慢充和快充混合的原因。
我想借此机会谈谈快充枢纽的部署顺序。我提到我们计划在每个组屋镇设立一个快充枢纽，尽可能利用现有停车场的备用容量。对于未来的部署批次，我们也在与贸易及工业部（MTI）和能源市场管理局（EMA）合作，优化电网，减少昂贵的电网升级。
因此，我们看待充电基础设施时，应整体考虑。未来应是慢充和快充的混合，我们也在关注超快充电枢纽。
主席：谢志强先生。
谢志强先生：谢谢主席。我的第一个澄清问题给部长。感谢他对我关于COE改革建议的接受。我想确认，他提到可能基于OMV系统，同时考虑合并A类和B类为单一竞标类别？我能否确认这也在考虑范围内？第二，关于咨询工作，能否分享通常会邀请哪些利益相关者参与？
第二个澄清给孙国务部长。您提到每个组屋镇设一个快充点，且每镇约有六个充电点。但通常一个组屋镇有约1万至1.2万辆车。我想了解充电点数量的充足性预测，您提到与JTC和EMA合作改善，当前限制是什么，计划如何解决，以便扩大每个组屋镇的快充点数量？
第三个澄清给穆拉里国务部长。很高兴听到海事部门为新加坡人提供了良好的就业机会，祝贺今天在场的年轻学者。我想问，未来有哪些计划提高年轻新加坡人对海事行业就业机会的认识？特别是，毕业生行业实习计划（GRIT）的当前参与率如何？是否有扩大GRIT计划的空间，让更多年轻人接触海事行业，抓住机会？
萧志成先生：谢谢主席。我先回答谢先生的第一个问题，然后请两位国务部长回答后两个问题。
首先，我确认我们确实会具体考虑谢先生的建议，即基于OMV系统，同时考虑将A类和B类合并为单一竞标类别。
我们需要研究如何实施，因为区分大众市场汽车类别和高端汽车类别可能仍有一定价值。我们会探讨如何操作，但他的想法非常有趣，我们很乐意在寻求更稳定的分类系统时加以探索。
至于咨询对象，我们会咨询多方利益相关者，显然包括潜在和现有的汽车买家。我们也会咨询业界，包括汽车经销商、制造商及其他行业观察者。
我们还会咨询学术界，因为COE系统涉及拍卖，拍卖理论发展成熟，学者们对此有见解，我们也乐意听取他们的意见。
孙雪玲女士：关于议员的第二个问题，我们的限制主要是电力基础设施。我想分享，我们已启动第一阶段升级，惠及约450个组屋多层停车场，预计2029年左右完成。
未来的部署批次，为实现谢志强先生提到的目标数字，我们正与MTI和EMA合作，优化电网，减少昂贵的电网升级，看看还能做些什么。
穆拉里·皮莱先生：先生，感谢谢议员对我们吸引年轻人才努力的肯定。关于GRIT计划，即实习项目，海事部门的优势是有大量职位空缺。因此，年轻人自然倾向于直接申请工作，而非通过实习。海事部门尚未参与GRIT计划。
至于未来措施，我在发言中提到，我们与新加坡海事基金会、理工学院、三方伙伴及工会紧密合作。举个例子，我不久前提到一位女士，Valerie Thai，她曾是律师事务所的法律助理，后来在新加坡海事官员工会和就业能力学院举办的展览会上，决定成为海员。我们尽力吸引年轻人才进入海事行业。
下午6点45分
主席：还有五位议员举手，我会尽量让大家都有机会发言，请各位充分表达自己的观点，也顾及他人。薄丽珊女士。
薄丽珊女士：谢谢主席。请问自动驾驶车辆试验的最新进展如何？除了榜鹅试验区，还有一个在滨海湾和申顿路区域。该区域车流繁忙，如果试验出现问题，如何应对交通拥堵？
萧志成先生：主席，我在发言中简要更新过。我们将在这两个区域推出自动驾驶巴士。我提到过两个巴士线路号，但现在记不清了。应该是滨海湾400多路，申顿路100多路。预计今年下半年推出。
主席：阿扎尔·奥斯曼先生。
阿扎尔·奥斯曼先生：这个问题给代理部长。他提到摩托车共享道路空间。大约有14万辆摩托车，如果我没记错，其中7万辆是从关卡进入新加坡的。几乎一半来自对岸。可是他们不缴纳COE，也不缴纳路税。我们如何合理解释新加坡人缴纳高额费用，却与对岸摩托车共享道路？
萧志成先生：谢谢主席。首先，我非常理解这个关切。我们经常听到新加坡摩托车骑士提出是否公平对待的问题。这就是为什么我们有车辆入境许可（VEP）和货车许可（GVP）制度。
其理念是，马来西亚摩托车进入新加坡时需缴纳费用，以平衡成本。费用设定使得外国注册车辆在新加坡的拥有和使用成本与本地车辆相当。我们对汽车收费，对摩托车也收取类似但较低的费用。
陆交局和交通部会定期审查这项费用，实际上，我们计划从2027年起大幅提高费用，恰逢快速铁路系统（RTS）开通。
此外，针对本地摩托车，政府已实行较低的注册附加费（ARF）、较低的路税，甚至电子道路收费（ERP）对摩托车的收费也低于其他车辆类型。
这体现了摩托车虽未完全占用与汽车相同的道路空间，但仍占用部分道路空间，造成一定程度的拥堵，因此必须合理定价，妥善考虑外部成本。
主席：严彦松先生。
严彦松先生：先生，我很高兴听到代理部长希望缩短公共交通的长时间通勤。但他也会理解，时间并非唯一影响良好通勤体验的因素。长达一小时以上且全程站立的通勤，对背部和腿部都很不易。
正如资深国务部长孙先生所说，限制因素不是巴士，而是巴士司机，陆路交通管理局（LTA）能否在使用率高的路线，尤其是高峰时段，部署更多双层巴士或铰接巴士，以便通勤者在乘车时能有座位，或者至少不会因为巴士已满而错过？
萧先生：谢谢主席。我完全同意。我认为我们的目标是尽可能多地部署双层巴士。
稍作解释，我们仍然有一批遗留的单层巴士。我经常被问到，“为什么高峰时段还在派单层巴士？”对此我经常收到很多愤怒的邮件。原因其实是这些单层巴士是额外增加的。我先派出所有双层巴士，然后在高峰时段，我还会派出所有可用的单层巴士。因此，当人们看到单层巴士时不喜欢，但实际上这是增加的车辆，而不是减少的。
其次，关于电动巴士，刚开始购买时，大多数是单层巴士。由于新加坡需要定制巴士，我们不得不等待一段时间，双层电动巴士才开始投入运营。因此，在此期间，我们购买了一些单层电动巴士以启动电气化进程。这就是为什么新加坡仍有相当新的单层电动巴士。
当然，我们希望尽可能多地使用双层高容量巴士，因为它们最有效率，节省空间，并减少对巴士司机的依赖，因为一名司机驾驶双层巴士的效益远高于驾驶单层巴士。
这些原因外人难以察觉，但我希望议员和公众理解为何今天路上仍有单层巴士。
主席：陈女士。
陈女士：谢谢主席。鉴于自2020年以来，北南走廊施工区沿线居民不得不忍受多次道路改道和交通中断，包括玛丽蒙立交桥持续关闭以及碧山-新明地区连续的道路重组，北南走廊从莲塘大道至市区的隧道段目前的施工时间表是怎样的？陆路交通管理局采取了哪些措施以尽量减少在2029年前剩余施工期间对居民和道路使用者的进一步干扰？
我的第二个问题是，我欢迎推广在巴士和地铁上主动请求座位的做法，尤其是针对长者、孕妇和那些不易被察觉的病患。鼓励乘客表达需求有助于建立更有礼貌和响应性的公共交通文化。
同时，我们也看到海外发生过因优先座位争执升级为冲突的事件，比如台湾一例，一名女子平静地将购物袋递给另一乘客，随后在对方要求她让座时，竟踢了一位过道对面的长者。
在推广主动请求座位的同时，部委将如何确保乘客教育强调相互尊重，并对攻击性或自以为是的行为零容忍？
孙雪玲女士：感谢议员的澄清。关于她提问的时间表，我稍后会具体回复。但关于施工带来的不便，我们确实认识到这会干扰居民、通勤者和司机，我们也持续寻求居民的耐心和理解。
请记住，我们最终目的是提升交通连通性，缩短通勤者和司机的出行时间。施工开始前，陆路交通管理局通常会进行评估，确定现有道路网络是否可以改进。
陆路交通管理局及其承包商也会与相关利益相关者及施工附近居民密切合作，尽量减少对他们的影响。若某些施工阶段需要额外的道路或车道关闭，会尽量安排在非高峰时段进行，以避免给居民带来更多不便。
主席：我们接近截止时间，最后两项澄清。抱歉，马恩庆国务部长，我忘了第二部分。
马恩庆先生：谢谢陈女士的澄清。确实，为了让我们的通勤体验愉快舒适，每位乘客都扮演着角色。无论是需要帮助的人还是能提供帮助的人，我们都希望将主动请求座位成为常态，不仅限于优先座位，任何座位都可以为更需要的人让出。
我们有“关怀乘客”运动，有关怀乘客大使，也有礼让运动。我们将继续努力培养公共交通上的礼貌和关怀文化。希望通过教育，培养新一代乘客，孩子们也能影响父母和长辈更加体贴其他乘客。
主席：有新加坡友善运动，让我们都更友善。陈立丰先生。
陈立丰先生：谢谢主席。我不确定我关于公寓覆盖连廊的提问是否得到充分回应。
我想请国务部长具体回答关于公寓需要覆盖连廊协助的情况，包括在无人区连接到最近巴士站的情况？还有我建议城市重建局（URA）和陆路交通管理局在规划许可阶段，强制开发商提供通往最近公共交通节点的遮蔽连通设施？
马恩庆先生：我想向议员更新，目前对于即将开发的公寓项目，若单位超过700户且距离地铁站400米内，开发商必须在申请开发时提交步行-骑行-乘车计划。若需要覆盖连廊连接居民与附近交通节点，城市重建局将与陆路交通管理局合作，要求开发商在规划审批时建造这些覆盖连廊。这适用于新开发项目。
我知道对于已有的公寓或社区，尤其是建于此要求之前，可能存在挑战。陆路交通管理局的规划中，您可能知道我们已在交通节点内提供连廊和覆盖连廊，覆盖范围包括400米、800米的友好街区等。但若土地属于其他机构，如他提到的公共事业局（PUB），陆路交通管理局会协助与相关利益方沟通。若在公共事业局土地上，必须获得其批准。我们必须尊重相关机构对土地的评估，可能存在排水或水管等设施，若要挖掘建造覆盖连廊，需考虑技术因素。
我知道议员一直推动某个特定公寓，Parc Vera（柏雅苑），如果我没记错的话。该公寓目前不符合陆路交通管理局的要求，因为没有从住宅楼到侧门的内部覆盖连廊——这必须先建成，陆路交通管理局才会考虑连接到巴士站或交通节点。
这些问题需要逐步解决。陆路交通管理局乐意调查此事，若议员能提交国会质询，我们可以提供更多细节。
主席：关于此事，请问陈女士是否愿意撤回修正案？
下午6时58分
陈佩玲女士：非常感谢大家。我请求撤回我的修正案。
[(程序文本) 修正案，经许可，撤回。 (程序文本)]
[(程序文本) 3,109,174,200元拨款列入主要预算。 (程序文本)]
[(程序文本) 13,306,280,300元拨款列入发展预算。 (程序文本)]
英文原文
SPRS Hansard 原始记录 · 抓取日期：2026-05-02
The Chairman : Head W, Ministry of Transport (MOT). Ms Tin Pei Ling.
3.43 pm
Global Connectivity for Strategic Future
Ms Tin Pei Ling (Marine Parade-Braddell Heights) : Chairman, I move, “That the total sum allocated to Head W of the Estimates be reduced by $100”.
Our connection to the world is imperative to our nation's relevance and economic vibrancy. As a small, open city‑state, Singapore's prosperity rests on strong links to other countries and global hubs. To sustain that advantage, we must maintain state‑of‑the‑art air, sea and land nodes with the capacity and flexibility to handle current needs and future demand.
To that end, Singapore is making significant, long‑term investments, as we have observed in Budgets past and present. In terms of hard infrastructure, a colossal Terminal 5 (T5) is being built, larger than several of our existing terminals combined and the Tuas Mega Port is expanding in phases, with full completion expected in the 2040s. These projects are designed to position Singapore as a continuing nexus for people, goods and information flows.
If delivered well, these projects will help Singapore attract capital, talent and advanced technology. More importantly, create new opportunities for our businesses and generate good jobs for Singaporeans. Improving lives must remain the ultimate objective of these investments.
Yet, we must also recognise these are multi-decade projects, consuming substantial public resources. They were planned in a different global environment that has become more volatile and uncertain. Recent years have seen abrupt tariff barriers, supply chain restructuring and "hot wars" that disrupted energy and critical material supplies. Such shocks can re‑route trade and people flows, sometimes rapidly. Singapore will not be insulated from these shifts.
Therefore, I have the following questions to raise.
3.45 pm
First, demand and relevance. How confident are we that T5, Tuas Port and other major projects are being built to meet lasting real demand? What assurance do we have that these assets will remain relevant to the region and the world by the time construction completes? And what mechanisms are in place to adjust project pace, scope and costs as global macro conditions evolve, so as to minimise fiscal and strategic risk? Can we stage or modularise delivery so that we can accelerate to capture upside, or slow and recalibrate to limit downside? What contingencies are in place to manage cost escalation and preserve value for taxpayers?
Third, timing and capability. Can the Ministry update the House on the current status of T5 and the Tuas port development? Are we on track to capture near‑term opportunities, and where feasible, can delivery be accelerated without compromising quality, safety or long‑term flexibility?
Turning to our maritime sector specifically, capacity and connectivity, measured in twenty-foot equivalents (TEUs) and port calls, are critical determinants of competitiveness. When Tuas is completed, how will it materially boost Singapore's throughput, connectivity and service propositions? What economic impact does the Ministry project in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) contribution, value‑added services and the types of jobs and livelihoods it can create for Singaporeans? In anticipation of these opportunities, what targeted programmes will be in place to cultivate and sustain a pipeline of maritime talent?
We must also prepare our infrastructure for the digital age. The Next‑Generation Port at Tuas is a good example. Leveraging frontier technologies – automation, advanced sensors, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) – will keep our infrastructure globally competitive. But we must deploy technology responsibly to augment productivity while managing workforce transitions and reskilling needs.
Hence, we must actively contemplate how technology should be leveraged to advance Singapore's connectivity and economic advantage. To this end, the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport plans to move a substantive Motion later this year, likely in July.
In closing, global connectivity is a strategic choice that must be actively maintained, future‑proofed and made inclusive. We should build fast enough and well enough to capture value, but also flexible enough to anticipate any macro-shocks. At the same time, we must also always be prudent to adapt and protect public interest. Chairman, I beg to move.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
The Chairman : Ms Tin Pei Ling, your second cut.
Future of Land Transport
Ms Tin Pei Ling : Land transport touches every Singaporean's daily life. It shapes how we work, learn, care for family and participate in our community. Over the years, our land transport system has become markedly more efficient, reliable and more integrated.
Heavy investment in public transport – expanding the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network, modernising trains and signalling, upgrading bus fleets and developing integrated transport hubs just to name a few – has boosted capacity and improved connectivity. These upgrades have made multimodal journeys smoother and helped shift commuters towards public and active modes.
Looking ahead, technology advancement, demographic change and evolving lifestyles mean our land transport must continue to adapt. Regardless of on foot or on wheels, commuters expect more choice, faster first‑mile and last‑mile connections, and a system that is safe, inclusive and resilient.
Hence, I would like to ask what concrete plans is MOT implementing to build a more reliable, user-centric, inclusive and safer land transport system that meets these changing commuter needs? Specifically, what measures will be introduced or scaled up to expand first‑ and last‑mile options?
Infrastructure also ages. Renewal and expansion therefore go hand in hand. How is MOT balancing the urgent task of refreshing ageing assets, while delivering new lines and capacity? What governance and funding approaches are in place to ensure upgrades are timely, cost‑effective and minimise commuter disruption during works?
Technology will reshape transport operations and service delivery. One certainty is a rise in electric vehicles (EVs) as we decarbonise; another is growing trials and deployments of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs).
In support of greener, smarter mobility, what is MOT doing to boost the capacity, availability and reliability of supporting infrastructure, ranging from EV charging networks, grid readiness, interoperable payment and telematics standards, and AV‑ready roadside systems? How is MOT coordinating with other agencies and industry to ensure sufficient power, standards for fast charging, and effective communications to support mass EV and AV adoption?
As more technology is deployed, the transformation of land transport is something to look forward to. As sensors and connected systems, including increasingly intelligent EVs and AVs, share real time data, smart road and traffic management becomes feasible, enabling tighter coordination and more accurate traffic prediction. This should deliver smoother, more predictable journeys and materially improve the road user experience.
On that note, an extensive deployment of AVs could significantly change vehicle population and ownership patterns. If AV fleets increase shared mobility and ride‑pooling, we may see pressure to reduce private car use. Conversely, easier door‑to‑door transport could increase vehicle kilometres travelled.
The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) is a critical policy lever used to manage car population and road demand. How does MOT anticipate AV adoption affect the medium‑ to long‑term design of the COE system and other ownership controls? Are there plans to recalibrate demand management, for example, differentiated measures for shared AV fleets versus privately owned vehicles?
I look forward to a land transport that anticipates future demands and is user centric. One with flexible infrastructure that can adapt to uncertainty. Technology effectively deployed to enhance commuter experience and demand management tools designed to reflect changing mobility patterns.
The Chairman : Mr Sharael Taha, kindly deliver both your cuts together.
Singapore Aviation Growth Strategy
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Changi) : Thank you, Mr Chairman. Mr Chairman, if we take a step back and imagine and examine the scale of what is being built at T5, including the Changi East Urban District, this is not merely an airport expansion.
This is economic architecture, with T5 adding capacity of 15 million passengers annually, and the Changi East Industrial Zone expanding cargo from three to 5.4 million tonnes annually, complemented by Airport Logistics Park 2, Tampines Logistics Park, Changi South, Pasir Ris, Wafer Fab Park, Seletar Aerospace Park, the maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) operations in Changi and in Loyang, and enhanced connectivity via the Loyang Viaduct. Singapore is assembling one of the world's most integrated aviation aerospace semiconductor logistics platforms.
But infrastructure alone does not create the advantage, ecosystems do. The Changi East Urban District must evolve into a next generation aerotropolis, integrating advanced MRO, sustainable aviation fuels, digital aviation services and AI-driven logistics command centres linked with Changi Business Park and Loyang Industrial Estate, this becomes a seamless innovation to production to export corridor.
Connectivity must also extend beyond air to the Tanah Merah ferry terminal and integration with the Johor Singapore Special Economic Zone and Batam-Bintan-Karimun Free Trade Zone. Singapore can anchor high value functions, capital, intellectual property (IP), AI, finance and advanced manufacturing orchestration, while Johor and the Riau Islands can provide industrial scale and energy depth under the Sijori framework.
The national AI mission can be the force multiplier, enabling cross border smart factories, optimising multimodal flows, embedding trade finance, and strengthening regional medical and bio manufacturing supply chains. The strategic question is how we elevate this infrastructure expansion into a coordinated AI-enabled economic engine that generates high value jobs, anchors capital and secures competitiveness for many decades in the East and Northeast districts in Singapore.
And critically, how can MOT work hand in hand with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Finance, and our regional counterparts to orchestrate, not just merely coordinate this ecosystem transformation at national scale?
Manpower for Aviation and Maritime
As Singapore strengthens its position as a global logistics hub, I will seek clarification on three areas.
First, with expanding air and sea connectivity, are we keeping pace with manpower needs in aviation and maritime, and building a strong local pipeline for higher value roles? And also, what progress have the One Aviation Manpower Programme and Maritime Cluster Fund made in attracting and developing talent? Ultimately, growth must translate into good jobs, stronger skills and real opportunities for Singaporeans.
Women in Aviation
Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang West) : Mr Chairman, when I became a pilot at 18, I was a minority because there were not too many women pilots in the Air Force. Today, there are more of us, but we are still very much the minority, not just in the Air Force, but across the skies.
Mr Chairman, I must say that, from my experience as a search and rescue pilot, aviation as a career choice was the adventure of a lifetime and something I will not exchange for the world. But it is also a very personal choice. Hence, I target my speech not at setting a target or a quota of women in aviation, but as offering more opportunities and possibilities in our vibrant and world class air hub.
First, I would like to ask for some figures. What is the representation of women in senior leadership in our aviation industry? We know that it is very likely to be in the minority, but there is a large difference between 1% and 20%.
Second, I would like to offer some figures. The aviation industry is at sunrise. The global outlook is very bright. Global passenger traffic looks to double by 2040. Aviation hubs in the region are now racing to increase their runway and terminal capacities, following the slowdown during the pandemic period. Changi Airport will increase its capacity by another 50 million passengers per annum when T5 is ready around the middle of next decade.
But we are not only ones by a long shot. Hong Kong International Airport is building its third runway. India, the world's most populous country, has built 75 new airports in the past decade and is set to build another 70 new airports soon. China will build more than 200 new airports by 2035.
Third, I would like to say what this means for us. In July 2025, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced a 200 million One Aviation Manpower Fund to attract, develop and retain the aviation workforce. Given that the aviation sector is growing so quickly and that it is also very male dominant, what steps is MOT taking to attract talents, especially young women graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Airline pilots, aeronautical engineers, ground hand operators, air traffic controllers, airport planners – there are many opportunities, many openings for young women, aviation professionals, and more women are taking up these roles recently.
These are good jobs in the blue sky. In the Asia Pacific region, Singapore has a conducive ecosystem to grow a strong network of women aviation professionals. We are leading Regional Aviation Hub with a thriving and well-connected airport, a major global air cargo hub, and a well-established MRO ecosystem. There are many jobs in these organisations, ranging from airlines, airports, cargo and logistics companies, as well as aircraft manufacturers and maintenance companies.
Of course, ensuring that women land well in aviation is not the work of Government alone. A culture shift is needed if we are to change from a male dominated working environment into a more inclusive one.
Let me cite two examples in the frontline roles, such as flying, ground handling and aircraft maintenance and repair operations. Considerations, such as the proper provision of basic amenities and facilities such as women's restrooms cannot be taken for granted. In addition, human resources (HR) policies during pregnancy and maternity periods must also be well considered, as well as scholarship and internship opportunities.
Again, the Government does not have to do this alone. There are groups in aviation, such as “Women Aviation International SG Chapter”, formed recently in 2021 to connect women professionals in aviation, providing mentoring support and offer scholarship opportunities.
Here, I declare my interest as an advisor to this organisation and an employee in the aviation industry. I would like to ask the Minister how MOT can work with such organisations as well as aviation companies and institutes of higher learning (IHLs) to attract more women into this sector.
The Chairman : Kindly wrap up.
Ms Poh Li San : Today, only about 20% of the workforce in the aviation sector are women. With an expanding industry and increased demand for skilled labour, the sky is the limit. For all of us, men and women who find their passion in aviation.
Autonomous Vehicle Deployment
Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Punggol) : Chairman, my Punggol residents are watching the autonomous shuttle pilots with keen interest. These trials are an important step in understanding how AV services may eventually integrate into our wider public transport ecosystem, particularly in strengthening first- and last-mile connectivity.
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At the same time, residents have practical questions. Cost is one. As AV services scale, will they remain affordable as part of daily commuting or are they a premium option? Confidence is another. Will there be deeper engagements with different groups, including seniors, who may feel uncertain about travelling in AVs? Adoption is not only about technology readiness, but public readiness.
On the regulatory front, clarity is still needed. In the event of a malfunction or incident, where does liability lie? Will human operators or safety drivers be expected to bear responsibilities when system failures occur? We must also be honest that the workforce implications remain unsettled, especially for our bus captain and point-to-point (P2P) drivers.
We have yet to clearly define what new AV-related roles will look like, what fair compensation should be and how career pathways may evolve from today's driving and technical maintenance roles into future AV jobs.
As I had earlier highlighted in my Budget debate clarifications, while it is important for us to embrace new technologies, this must be done in a way that does not disrupt livelihoods. I therefore urge operators to work closely with our unions within our tripartite framework to co-create fair AV career pathways and ensure workers are supported through this transition. Progress should strengthen both our public system and our people.
The Chairman : Mr Louis Chua, please take your two cuts together.
Accelerating Autonomous Vehicle Roll-out
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang) : Chairman, research and small scale testing of AVs for use on urban roads in Singapore has been going on for quite a while now. With one of the earliest research and trials on the roads in one-north in partnership with nuTonomy. Another trial under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) was started at one-north as well, sometime in 2014, this one under the Singapore Autonomous Vehicle Initiative.
In 2015, the MOT signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to further expand trials on AV with PSA Singapore and another with the Sentosa Development Corporation and ST Engineering, which I was lucky enough to experience myself.
There have been various other trials since then and fast forward to 2025, a 17-member committee chaired by the Acting Minister was formed to look at the roll-out of AVs on Singapore roads. Today, in 2026, a small number of vehicles are now involved in trials in the residential district in Punggol and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) plans to procure six autonomous buses with operations beginning in mid-2026 for an initial period of three years.
In comparison, in this time, the AV industry in places like China and the US has boomed, with their biggest players, Pony AI, WeRide and Waymo already running fully driverless commercial services in the cities they are operating in. Waymo has around 2,500 vehicles today and targets at least 10,000 vehicles and one million robotaxi rides a week. Pony AI aims for more than 3,000 vehicles by 2026, similar to WeRide.
Countries in the Middle East are also showing markedly faster implementation of AVs. The Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy aims to have 25% of the total transportation in Dubai to be autonomous by 2030. Saudi Arabia's Transport General Authority has set a target for 25% of all goods transport vehicles to be fully autonomous by 2030.
Additionally, according to SMRT, our public bus system is struggling to hire bus captains, especially from our local manpower pool. AVs as buses would ease the pressure on this issue, yet despite numerous trials all across the island. Singapore's AV roll-out is still in the trial phase about 12 years on. Beyond stating that Singapore will have, and I quote, "many autonomous vehicles in Singapore" in five years' time, can the MOT provide numerical targets for our AV ambition?
As my colleague Mr Gerald Giam shared more than a decade ago in 2015, Singapore is in an excellent position to lead the world in the adoption of driverless cars. But we must ensure that legislation promotes and does not inhibit the test-bedding and public use of these vehicles. I hope we will be able to accelerate AV roll-out in Singapore, especially for buses given the severe shortage of drivers.
Accelerating EV Fast Charger Roll-out
As part of Singapore's net-zero goal, Singapore aims to reduce land transport emissions and the electrification of vehicles is one of the key initiatives to help Singapore achieve this target.
One of the key pillars of the roadmap is the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. In response to my Parliamentary Question in February this year, I understand that Singapore currently has around 28,300 charging points. The vast majority, about 88%, are alternating current-based, of which about 50% have a low power rating of 7.4 kilowatts (kW) and below. The majority of TotalEnergies' chargers, which represented 13% of Singapore's charging stations before they were taken over, are rated at 3.7 kW, which is the slowest among those accessible publicly, which take up to 16 hours to charge a typical EV.
Comparatively, only about 11% of chargers deployed have direct current, of which most of the DC chargers can qualify as "fast chargers". Where typical AC chargers, typically take four to eight hours for a full charge, DC fast chargers can bring a battery to 80% in just 30 to 45 minutes, based on a May 2024 article by SP Group.
I wish to highlight however, that technology has advanced rapidly in this space. In March 2025, BYD announced its super e-platform, which provides a 400-kilometre range in just five minutes of charging. BYD is now rolling out such megawatt level charging infrastructure in China. For comparison, 1,000 kW is about one MW and this is 135 times higher vs the 7.4 kW typically found in Singapore.
This distinction matters enormously. LTA has already recognised that high-powered fast chargers will be needed to meet the needs of high-mileage users, particularly taxis and commercial fleets. Of all cars registered in 2025, 45% are already electric.
Currently, it is typical for a Housing and Development Board (HDB) multi-storey car park to have only three slow chargers. As EV adoption grows beyond early adopters, everyday residents will find this increasingly inadequate. I strongly urge the Government to accelerate the roll-out of EV fast chargers and/or to increase the number of EV chargers at high utilisation HDB multi-storey car parks, which is already posing a significant challenge to some Sengkang neighbourhoods today.
EV Charging in HDB Carparks
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang) : In previous years, MOT pointed to chargers being available in the vast majority of HDB carparks. We are now in February 2026 and while the "coverage" is higher, the "quality of access" remains unequal across our estates.
The Ministry's primary defence for the current pace of scaling is that the average utilisation rate remains low. However, "average" utilisation is a misleading metric that may mask peak-hour reality. For the HDB resident returning home at 9.00 pm, a low "average" rate is cold comfort when all three charging lots in their multi-storey car park are occupied.
More crucially, we must scale up now for the eventuality that most vehicles in our carparks will be EVs – a goal we should strive to see earlier, in line with our 2030 and 2040 goals. If registrations continue to rise, when will "scaling up" reach all our heartland carparks?
Furthermore, there is a "two-speed" transition occurring. Residents in newer BTOs often have more access to higher-power chargers, but many mature estates remain stuck with slow 7.4 kW chargers.
I would like to ask the Minister: What is the specific peak-hour utilisation threshold that triggers the installation of additional chargers in HDB car park? When will MOT commit to a "mature estate fast-charge" mandate to ensure residents in older estates including in some parts of Hougang, are not left behind? And finally, how will MOT intend to mandate "idling fees" across all public charging operators to prevent lot-hogging?
Preparing for More EVs Roll-out
Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast-Jurong West) : Chairman, I would like to declare my interest as the CEO of Strides Premier, a company that leases out a fleet of more than 300 EVs, amongst other businesses. With nearly 45% of new car registrations in Singapore now being EVs, it is timely for us to strengthen our charging infrastructure. While the roll-out of slow chargers in HDB car parks has supported convenient overnight charging, many EV users, particularly P2P users as well as commercial drivers, require access to fast daytime charging infrastructure in the daytime so as to sustain their operations.
I therefore urge LTA to spearhead the deployment of more fast chargers within the HDB estates, especially at convenient and high-traffic locations, such as near food establishments and neighbourhood centres.
At the same time, the rapid growth of EVs calls for a future-ready workforce. Vehicle technicians must acquire new technical competencies to service EVs safely and effectively, supported by proper training and certification. I encourage MOT to work closely with industry partners and training institutions to support technicians through this critical transition, ensuring our automotive workforce remains skilled, relevant and prepared for Singapore's electrified transport future.
Safe Cycling on Footpaths
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied) : Sir, walking along our footpaths should be a stress-free experience, yet many pedestrians, especially the elderly and parents with children, often feel they must be on permanent alert. Some cyclists ring their bells persistently on crowded footpaths, as if expecting pedestrians to step off the path to make way for them. I have personally experienced this and many of my residents have shared similar stories with me.
LTA needs to reinforce that pedestrians always have the right of way. Public education must clarify that bells should be used only to alert, not to demand a clear path. We must also educate pedestrians to keep left and avoid sudden changes in direction, for their own safety.
Residents frequently encounter cyclists zooming through bus stops, endangering passengers as they alight. Similarly, those exiting lifts at their flats face risks from cyclists speeding past.
At night, the danger increases without illumination. Between 2023 and 2025, 167 summonses were issued for missing lights, but these were mostly on roads, not footpaths. This indicates a safety gap on footpaths. Why is there not more active education and enforcement of light requirements on footpaths?
Furthermore, while footpaths next to cycling paths became pedestrian-only in July 2025, the converse is not true – pedestrians are not prohibited from walking on cycling paths. If a dedicated pedestrian-only path exists, why is it not mandatory for pedestrians to use it? Mixing users increases accident risks. Will the Ministry reconsider a legal prohibition for pedestrians to use cycling paths, where a dedicated alternative is provided?
Barrier-free Infrastructure and Commuting
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied) : Sir, recently a relative of mine suffered a stroke and became wheelchair-bound. Though I thought driving him around would be ideal, I discovered that riding the bus was now a better option for some routes. Our bus stops and buses are wheelchair friendly and the bus captains we met promptly got up from their seats to assist with the wheelchair platform. Such infrastructure and last-mile considerations go a long way to make travel accessible to the wheelchair-bound.
That said, mobility limitations come in a wide range. Besides those on wheelchairs, there are many others who use walking sticks or other aids. These commuters are often unable to navigate stairs. To what extent is our system barrier-free for them?
Take for instance the layout of some new electric buses. Increasingly, bus models appear to be designed to maximise standing room and space for wheelchairs and prams. This results in a reduction in the number of seats available. In some buses, the front half of the bus only has four seats, with all the remaining seats located at the rear of the bus at an elevated level, requiring the commuter to climb a rather steep step. This has caused difficulty to many commuters who can walk but cannot climb stairs. Could the Ministry review how the layout of buses can better cater to commuters with such mobility issues?
Another persistent issue is the lack of lifts at pedestrian overhead bridges. This is an issue across the island and it is also the case for my residents at the Paya Lebar Division of Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
In February 2023, I asked a Parliamentary Question about when lifts would be installed at overhead bridges along Hougang Avenue 3. Then Transport Minister, Mr S Iswaran, affirmed that the number of seniors and commuters with mobility challenges would be a consideration for prioritisation. He further confirmed that four of the bridges along Hougang Avenue 3 would be prioritised.
Two years later, in April 2025, I filed another question for confirmation of the bridges that would be prioritised and what the timeline for installation of the lifts would be. The next incumbent Transport Minister, Mr Chee Hong Tat, identified the overhead bridges at Blocks 101, 172, 241 and 248 as the four being prioritised. He stated that construction works for that phase of LTA's retrofitting works were scheduled to take place progressively from the fourth quarter of 2025.
Based on the latest indications from LTA's consultants to our Town Council, the lift works will only commence tentatively in the third quarter of 2027. This is nearly two years after the fourth quarter of 2025 that Minister Chee indicated for commencement of that phase of construction works. Why is there such a long delay?
I hope to have a more satisfactory answer from the new Minister in charge.
Covered Walkways for Condominiums
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong : Mr Chairman, I have filed this cut originally for the Ministry of National Development, but it was directed to MOT. The vision of a car-light Singapore must require a seamless and sheltered first and last-mile experience for every Singaporean. The Government has made meaningful progress, but more can be done.
In July 2025, 176 residents at Parc Vera Condominium at Hougang Street 32, submitted a petition for 80 metres covered walkway linking its rear side gate to an existing HDB covered linkway. The rear side gate links to an open footpath, which doubles as a covered drain and is heavily used by its residents, as it connects to the HDB covered linkway en-route to the nearest bus stop at Block 1, Hougang Avenue 3 – a few minutes walkaway.
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For the elderly and families with young children, this path is the most efficient way, yet poses challenges to them during heavy rains.
I wrote an appeal on the condominium's behalf to LTA. Attempts to request to construct the covered walkway have been challenging. While the land is under PUB, they do not build covered walkways. The LTA does not entertain requests for its last-mile connectivity plans if they fall outside 800 metres of a MRT station or 400 metres of a bus interchange and not along a MRT managed road. Lastly, the Town Council has no jurisdiction to spend funds on projects that do not primarily benefit HDB residents.
The request has been assessed primarily through agency boundaries rather than commuter experience. This is a systemic no man's land problem. Why should a resident's ability to reach public transport under cover depend on whether the ground or the drain beneath their feet is managed by HDB, LTA or PUB? If the goal is to encourage public transport usage and climate-proof our infrastructure, the last mile should be treated as a single continuous journey.
To resolve such situations, I have three specific proposals.
First, can we institutionalise connectivity at the design stage? When the Riverfront Residences condominium at Hougang was built, the authorities allowed the developer to build covered linkways to the nearest bus stops. This can be made a standard requirement where covered links are planned upfront and not added later as fixes.
Can URA and LTA mandate at the planning permission stage that developers provide sheltered connectivity to the nearest public transport nodes, including such covered access from each condominium side gates, or include this in the development control handbooks to guide developers on ensuring upfront connectivity by design?
Second, for existing condominiums like Parc Vera, can we start working on a bridge-the-gap framework, with coordinated co-funding or facilitation scheme?
Third, can the Government assign a lead agency for connectivity? If a Management Corporation Strata Title is willing to pursue a walkway that serves a clear public connectivity purpose, the Government should provide a streamlined one-stop shop approach by an appointed agency for funding and approvals. This could be under URA, Building and Construction Authority or LTA.
Inclusive Public Transport for Families
Ms Elysa Chen (Bishan-Toa Payoh) : Chairman, when my son goes to the army in the future, he will carry a 15-kilogramme Standard Battle Order every time he goes outfield. Today, when I carry my 13-kilogramme son and his diaper bag onto public transport, I also feel like I am going outfield. Once, when I was solo parenting, I almost tipped my son out of the stroller while trying to single-handedly board the bus with a stroller and the diaper bag.
Many parents of young children have shared similar challenges navigating public transport safely and smoothly as a family. Parents have also highlighted inconsistencies across operators, particularly on ramp deployment for strollers. Boarding and alighting during peak hours remain difficult for parents and persons with disabilities, with limited space at stroller and wheelchair bays.
Supporting safe, smooth commutes is essential if Singapore is to be a home for families.
I thank the LTA and public bus operators for the steps they have taken to make public buses more accessible for young families and persons with disabilities. But we can do more.
Can the Ministry share what further measures are planned to make buses and trains more inclusive for young families and persons with disabilities? Will LTA study their commuter experience? And can standard operational procedures (SOPs) on ramp deployment be standardised across operators alongside a public education effort?
Parents carry heavy responsibilities. Let us lighten their load by making sure public transport is safe, accessible and supportive for families.
Public Communications for Deaf Persons
Miss Rachel Ong (Tanjong Pagar) : Chairman, during an MRT disruption last year, a deaf commuter shared that she felt confused and afraid when passengers began to leave the train as there were no visual or sign language updates explaining what was happening.
While initiatives such as the Sign Language Virtual Assistant SiLViA at Chinatown MRT station are encouraging, such support is not yet available across the network. Could the Government update whether visual and sign language communication tools will be expanded so that disruption and emergency announcements are accessible to deaf commuters across our public transport system?
Express Trains and Shortening Commutes
Mr Low Wu Yang Andre (Non-Constituency Member) : Chairman, the Land Transport Master Plan 2040 sets an ambitious target of nine in 10 peak public transport journeys completed within 45 minutes. As a Punggol resident, I speak from experience. A 45-minute door-to-door journey to the city is for myself and most of my neighbours a pipe dream.
In a city where housing comes at a premium, the families who live in Punggol, Sengkang, Woodlands and other far-flung towns have made pragmatic choices about where to put down roots. Every morning, they pay for that choice in time.
We should not have a two-speed Singapore where time is a privilege of the few.
Ambitious targets require ambitious infrastructure. To understand what happens when ambition falls short, we need to look no further than the North East Line (NEL).
My fellow Members and I have filed multiple Parliamentary Questions on the NEL's capacity crisis over the months. Solutions to the crisis are in short supply. Longer trains would require excavation works that would disrupt the line for over a year. Selective door operation has been studied and rejected. Even at maximum peak frequency, commuters at Hougang and Kovan watch full trains pass them by. Residents in the North-East have become resigned to long crowded commutes.
We built a NEL without the headroom to grow it. That decision is now permanent.
The Seletar Line gives us a chance to do better. In 2018, express services were studied for the Cross Island Line and rejected on cost-benefit grounds. But a point-in-time cost-benefit calculation is the wrong basis for infrastructure that has to serve multiple generations.
In Seoul, their Metro Line 9 faced identical scepticism of their express service. Demand caught up, and then some. Infrastructure of this scale does not just serve demand, it will generate it.
Therefore, I urge the Government to incorporate provisions for express rail services on the Seletar Line from the outset, specifically, bypass tracks at non-interchange suburban stations. Bypass tracks would allow us to serve every major underserved catchment along the line's alignment – Simpang and Yishun East, Seletar and Jalan Kayu, Whampoa and the greater Southern Waterfront – with local trains while express services overtake local services at these stations to reach downtown core at speed.
The time to make this decision is during current feasibility studies and not after ground-breaking, and certainly not after the line is in operation.
Sir, we ask young families to move further out in pursuit of affordable homes. The least we can do is to bring them back to the city at speed. I urge the Ministry to plan the Seletar Line with the foresight that the NEL lacked and the ambition that the next generation of Singapore deserves.
Rapid Transit System
Ms Poh Li San : Mr Chairman, by the end of this year, the Rapid Transit System (RTS) to Johor is expected to open. It will connect to Woodlands North MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. It may soon be a $5 to $7 ticket to a place of good bargains and family outings.
Many of my residents in Sembawang West are looking forward to the RTS. Some have relatives in Johor, many go over to do their grocery shopping, for family trips and simple services such as haircuts, spectacles, dental treatment and facials. RTS will help Singaporeans stretch our dollar.
But for every change, there will be ripples. There will be more Singaporeans using the Thomson-East Coast Line. At the same time, we have already read in newspaper reports that Malaysian workers who used to rent in Singapore now may move back and take RTS to work in Singapore. At $10 commute a day, this may work out economically against the rentals and spending in Singapore.
We do want people to use the line and my prediction is that under-demand will not be a problem. The problem may in fact be over-demand.
Due to these increases in movements, the morning peak period at Woodlands North station and the traffic on the Thomson-East Coast Line may see a massive surge. What are LTA's plans to ensure that Singaporeans staying at Woodlands and using the Thomson-East Coast Line to head down to town during peak periods can continue to enjoy smooth and accessible public transport services? Does the Minister have an update on how much the fares will actually cost?
Many Malaysians work in the semiconductor and food manufacturing factories located within the Woodlands industrial area. Instead of renting a room here, the workers may choose to commute via RTS and cycle or walk two kilometres to their workplaces. Does LTA have plans to widen the shared paths used also by the residents to better cope with the potential increase in cycling and pedestrian traffic?
New MRT Stations and Last Mile Connection
Mr Ang Wei Neng : Chairman, I would like to declare that I am the CEO of Strides Premier, a subsidiary of SMRT.
MRT remains the backbone of our public transport system, shaping how Singaporeans live, work and connect. Across the island, residents are eagerly waiting for the next phase of rail expansion.
First, may I ask whether the Circle Line Stage 6, linking HarbourFront to Marina Bay via Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road stations will open in the second quarter of this year, as earlier announced. Residents and businesses are looking forward to the long-awaited closure of the Circle Line loop.
Second, can the Minister confirm that the Thomson-East Coast Line and the Downtown Line will meet at Sungei Bedok station through Xilin and Bedok South stations in the second half of 2026, which is this year? This critical interchange will significantly strengthen network resilience and provide commuters with more reliable travel options.
Chairman, in the West, anticipation for the Jurong Region Line (JRL) is especially strong. For many families in Nanyang and across Jurong, this line represents shorter commutes and better access to jobs and amenities.
May I ask whether the target of opening the JRL Phase 1 by end 2027 remains on track? If the timelines are at risk, will the Ministry commit the necessary resources to keep the project on schedule so that hundreds of thousands of residents can benefit as planned?
Finally, rail expansion must be matched with strong last-mile connectivity. Residents along Jurong West Street 91 live near the future Gek Poh MRT station, yet it is beyond walking distance. There is no direct bus link, including for students of Juying Secondary School.
I urge MOT to introduce a new bus service under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme so that residents, students and workers can fully benefit from the JRL.
Improving Rail Reliability
Mr Sharael Taha : Thank you, Chairman. Chairman, the Rail Reliability Taskforce has set out clear recommendations – accelerate renewal of ageing core systems, including train signalling and traction power, strengthen backup and resilience measures, improve asset management and spare part planning, deepen workforce capabilities and enhance commuter communications during disruptions. The key question now is in execution.
Who is accountable for each milestone? What are the firm timelines? How will we balance necessary service closures against commuter inconvenience? What concrete contingency plans will minimise hardship and what guaranteed service levels such as standby buses, response time and fair consideration will commuters be assured of?
How are we strengthening supply chain resilience for critical rail components? Beyond hardware, how are we building engineering depth, sharpening recovery protocols and ensuring real-time commuter information is accurate, timely and actionable?
The Chairman : Ms Yeo Wan Ling. Kindly deliver your two cuts together.
Rail Development and Station Rejuvenation
Ms Yeo Wan Ling : Mr Chairman, my first cut on rail development. Chairman, as we continue strengthening our rail network, we must recognise that human capital is key to building a resilient and reliable rail ecosystem. With parts of our network ageing, including lines, assets and equipment, renewal and upgrading works will intensify.
In this context, I would like to seek updates on what rail workers can expect in terms of fair competitive remuneration packages, training and safer workplaces.
We appreciate that under the Rail Safety Report, there will be moves towards harmonised training for rail technicians. That is important.
Today, there remains significant localisation across rail systems in maintenance practices, equipment and repair processes. Without harmonisation, workers' skills become tied to one system, one line or one operator. Harmonised training will help ensure that rail workers develop portable skills – skills that can be applied across different lines, systems and operators – strengthening both operational resilience and workers' long-term employability.
I would also like to ask for updates on the extension of the 2019 $100 million Rail Manpower Development Package. While operators are given flexibility to deploy this grant, how can we ensure that its impact reaches a broader segment of all rail workers? For example, could sector-level key performance indicators be considered, such as equipping 50% of workers with new competencies by 2030?
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Finally, as public transport evolves and more commuters use personal mobility devices and bicycles to complement their journeys, rail workers are increasingly required to guide commuters on safe and considerate practices. How can we better protect rail workers from verbal abuse or confrontation when they carry out these duties? A strong rail ecosystem depends not only on modern assets, but on a skilled and protected workforce.
Bus Network and Workforce
As the Bus Contracting Model marks its 10th year, it is timely for us to review how it is working – not just for operational efficiency, but for our bus captains. They remain the backbone of our public transport system. Yet today, starting basic salaries for new entrants remain around $2,250 per month. While advertised gross pay may range between $3,000 to $4,000 and beyond, a significant portion still depends on overtime, and this high overtime is actually structurally tied to this trade.
This raises an important question: are we building a sustainable profession or one where earnings depends on longer hours? If we want to maintain a strong Singaporean core, we must relook bus captains pay, working conditions and career progression.
Today, captains manage split shifts, short meal breaks, long hours, fatigue, changing commuter patterns and increasingly difficult commuter behaviours. With the rise of social media, they are also increasingly vulnerable to online harassment and doxxing when incidents are recorded and circulated. What more can be done to better protect their safety at work?
Looking ahead, half of our public bus fleet is expected to be electric by 2030. Are our current training pathways sufficient to prepare bus captains for this transition? At the same time, with revenue bus AV services expected to begin in the second half of this year, we must ensure that affected workers are supported with clear career pathways and fair packages.
Transformation should uplift, not unsettle. We have seen how the Rail Manpower Development Package supports rail workers through change. As the Bus Contracting Model (BCM) enters its next phase, could a similar transformation support be considered for our bus captains? A refreshed BCM should be a win-win for commuters, operators and the workers who keep Singapore moving.
Strengthening Transport Accessibility
Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik (Sengkang) : Sir, the persistent gap in bus connectivity for Compassvale Crescent residents requires our attention. While the Government has repeatedly cited the 400-metre benchmark and the availability of 14 bus services in the vicinity, this technical standard does not fully capture the lived reality of our residents, particularly our elderly and persons with disabilities.
Singapore is rapidly ageing. By 2030, one in four citizens will be aged 65 and above. Simultaneously, we are building a more inclusive society that recognises the needs of persons with physical disabilities. For these residents, even a 400-metre walk is not merely inconvenient. It can be a genuine barrier. Seniors with reduced mobility, persons using wheelchairs or walking aids, those recovering from medical procedures and individuals managing chronic conditions may find this distance insurmountable, especially in our tropical heat.
The distinction between technical accessibility and practical accessibility matters profoundly. On paper, Compassvale Crescent is served. In practice, vulnerable residents face daily challenges that prevent them from accessing essential services, healthcare and community activities.
I acknowledge the LTA's concern about trade-offs. Extending Bus 371 would increase journey times for existing commuters. However, I urge the authorities to explore creative solutions, perhaps introducing a new short loop feeder service that connects Compassvale Crescent directly to Sengkang MRT – without affecting existing routes or a community shuttle service piloted specifically for those with mobility challenges, our Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme should embody our national values of inclusivity and care for vulnerable. Good bus connectivity is not a luxury. It enables independence, dignity and full participation in society. I therefore renew my call for LTA to reconsider this matter, focusing not on whether residents can technically access buses, but whether our transport network truly serves all Singaporeans.
Mobility and Liveability in Changi
Ms Valerie Lee (Pasir Ris-Changi) : Chairman, during elections, I campaigned on supporting the sandwiched generation, promoting sustainability and empowering our youths. These causes remain close to my heart. But my residents in Pasir Ris-Changi have made me deeply passionate about something else – our land transport system.
Let us begin with bus connectivity in Flora Estate, a dense residential estate in the northeastern corner of Singapore, served by only two bus services along Flora Road and one along Flora Drive, with relatively low frequency, especially during off-peak hours.
On paper, low ridership data may appear insufficient to justify new services or increased frequency. But I would like to argue that retrospective data does not capture suppressed demand. Many residents have grudgingly shifted their commute behaviour to costlier, more pollutive means that worsens road congestions because they feel there is no reliable public transport alternative.
My first suggestion is this: can the Ministry move beyond relying heavily on retrospective ridership data when refining bus service plans? I urge the Ministry to survey residents directly and leverage community feedback, to unlock real rider demand. Connectivity and road congestions are closely linked. When public transport options are limited or unreliable, more residents turn to private vehicles. This adds pressure to already busy roads, such as Loyang Avenue.
LTA has shared that upcoming temporary lane closures simulations shows that it could result in delays of up to nine minutes. I would like to ask whether traffic planning models currently simulate scenarios where bus services are enhanced, which will help to bring down the total travel time.
Beyond efficiency, we must ensure safety. During the recent Land Transport Bill debate, I spoke about our Pasir Ris resident Mrs Malar Singam, who was seriously injured by a power-assisted bicycles rider last December. While regulations have been strengthened, more can be done to clearly segregate paths so that our seniors, like Malar, are kept safe.
Road safety is also a concern. Along Loyang Avenue, 13 accidents were recorded between 2023 and 2025 at its junction with Old Tampines Road. Residents have requested stronger enforcement and speed cameras at specific locations. Yet enforcement remains inconsistent and cameras have not been installed where risks have been reportedly highlighted. Can the Ministry then share what alternative enforcement measures have been implemented to make this road safer?
Even as we build for long-term improvements, like the Loyang Viaduct and Cross-Island Line, residents in Pasir Ris and Loyang live with the immediate costs of infrastructure works, like noise and dust, with complaints in the region nearly tripling to about 230 cases per year as compared to 2023.
Real-time noise monitoring systems are already in place. My request is that enforcement be equally real-time. Contractors who exceed limits should face prompt consequences and not action only after complaints.
Many residents in the area are also disturbed by the noise of illegally modified motorcycles late at night, many involving foreign-registered vehicles. How have enforcement checks at our ports of entry stepped up? And have we worked with the Ministry of Manpower to explore whether repeated violations could carry Work Pass consequences?
In conclusion, I have come to realised that good transport policies, like strengthening connectivity, improving safety and minimising disruptions, are in a very practical way, supporting the sandwiched generation and those around them, and this is what I have set out to do from the very beginning.
Traffic Management
Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang) : Sir, traffic congestion in Singapore has visibly worsened. It is no longer confined to peak hours or the Central Business District. Heavy traffic is now common even on weekends, along arterial roads and across our expressway network. Road accidents and ongoing works further compound delays, affecting not just motorists but also bus commuters and private-hire passengers.
Sir, I must admit that I hesitated to file this cut, out of concern that the default response from the Ministry might be to just raise Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) pricings or to expand ERP. So, I hope that this is not the response later. Road pricing has been effective in managing demand, but it raises business and household costs, and it cannot be our only lever. I therefore urge the Ministry not to look to non-pricing approaches as well to manage congestions.
Sir, despite our zero-vehicle growth policy, congestion pressures persist. With over a million vehicles on our small island, higher vehicle utilisation appears to be one of the root cause for the congestions. The growth of private-hire services and delivery platforms has intensified road usage. As car ownership becomes more expensive, owners understandably want to maximise usage of their cars, because of sunk costs.
Given these structural trends, we should explore complementary solutions. Firstly, engineering and infrastructure enhancements. Sir, the double-decker road along Keppel Road has shown how vertical expansion can increase capacity. Compared to underground tunnels, such solutions may be more cost-efficient and faster to implement. With limited land for widening, vertical expansion may be our most feasible option in certain corridors. So, does the Ministry have plans to develop more double-tier road systems in congestion-prone areas? And are there plans for additional multi-level interchanges at heavily congested junctions?
Beyond capacity expansions, small but targeted engineering refinements can yield significant gains – improved slip-road geometry, better lane merging designs and additional turning lanes at bottlenecks. Sir, incremental improvements at key traffic choke points can produce disproportionate benefits.
Second, smarter management of commercial vehicle movements. The growth of e-commerce has increased delivery traffic substantially. Logistics vans, service vehicles and contractor trucks contribute to daytime congestions. Can we encourage off-peak delivery windows in dense commercial districts? And can we also expand urban consolidation centres to reduce duplicate trips, or promote shared last-mile distribution hubs to improve logistical efficiency?
Third, faster incident detection and clearance. Minor accidents often trigger cascading congestion, especially on expressways. The speed of detection and clearance is critical. Can we station more rapid-response tow units along major corridors to expeditiously clear stalled vehicles?
During accidents, many motorists still have this old belief that vehicles should not be moved until the Police arrive. In today's context, with in-car cameras and mobile devices readily available, this is often unnecessary. Instead, we should consider requiring drivers in minor, non-injury accidents to clear the carriageway within a fixed timeframe after documenting the incident, for example, just in 10 minutes, and with enforcement actions for unreasonable delays. Sir, we need to reduce accident clearance time and, believe me, it will significantly ease traffic congestion there.
Fourth, cross-border motorcycle flows. On average, about 69,000 Malaysian-registered motorcycles enter Singapore daily in 2025, with quite a significant number issued with traffic offences, about 22,000 of them, and some involved in accidents, about 1,600, based on a Parliamentary Question that I filed recently.
While these riders contribute to our economy, concentrated peak-hour inflows have been causing congestions along corridors, such as the Bukit Timah Expressway and Pan-Island Expressway. Can I ask if the Ministry have conducted studies on the impact of cross-border motorcycles on traffic flows and are there targeted traffic management measures to manage peak in-flows?
Fifth, smarter traffic light management. Motorists often encounter red lights even when cross-direction traffic appears light or if there are no vehicles travelling. While adaptive systems are in place, signal timings do not seem to be responsive or smart. So, can we move towards more advanced AI-based signal optimisation? Some of the suggestions include, integrate real-time GPS data from vehicles and buses, use predictive modelling to anticipate build-ups before they occur and implement corridor-wide synchronisation to create smoother "green waves"?
A more dynamic and predictive system could reduce stop-start traffic and improve traffic throughput. Some cities are already using fairly advanced computing technologies, such as quantum technologies, to enhance traffic management. Is the Ministry looking into that as well?
Sixth, on data transparency and behavioural measures. In addition to physical and technological interventions, behavioural nudges may help. Providing more granular, real-time congestion data integrated into navigation platforms may encourage voluntary route changes or staggered departures. Also, flexible work arrangements, through inter-agency coordination, could also help flatten peak demand.
Sir, road pricing remains important, of course, but it must be a multi-pronged approach to manage congestions. And all these suggestions that I have made, I hope would also help to reduce congestions. I look forward to the Ministry's reply, outlining fresh and forward-looking non-pricing strategies to manage congestion.
Shared Responsibility for Road Safety
Mr Jackson Lam (Nee Soon) : Chairman, the roads in Singapore are among the safest globally and that reflects decades of investment in infrastructure, enforcement and education. Recent figures show year-on-year declines in fatality rates per capita.
But one persistent challenge remains: the misalignment of responsibility in road traffic incidents. Too often, when collisions or infractions occur, public discourse frames fault as lying solely with "others" – the reckless driver, inconsiderate cyclist or distracted pedestrian.
This mindset risks obscuring the reality that safe mobility is a shared responsibility. Pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and transport planners each have a role in ensuring that our roads functions safely for everyone.
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Vision Zero frameworks adopted in parts of Europe and North America, for example, emphasise system design that anticipates human error while reducing its consequences.
I therefore ask the Minister, has MOT considered adopting elements of a Vision Zero approach tailored to Singapore, where system design, speed management and clear accountability align across all road users?
Second, while engineering and enforcement remain vital, what new educational or behavioural initiatives are MOT planning that go beyond conventional campaigns to foster mutual road user respect?
Finally, recognising the rise in micro-mobility usage, what steps will be taken to clarify rights and responsibilities between pedestrians and micro-mobility users in shared spaces, backed by data-driven enforcement rather than ad hoc measures?
Mr Chairman, this policy cut is intended to encourage a deeper, more systemic conversation about how we share responsibility for road safety, recognising that blaming "others" alone is not sufficient to drive meaningful behaviour change.
COE Reform for Access and Equity
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah) : Mr Chairman, I will speak on three areas: one, ERP 2.0 resulting in increasing of vehicular supply; two, refreshing the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system for greater equity; and three, accessibility in car ownership in our next phase of land transport policy.
Let me begin with ERP 2.0. During the Land Transport Bill debate, I highlighted that ERP 2.0 presents an opportunity to move beyond congestion pricing and towards smarter traffic optimisation. By harnessing more granular real-time data, we can integrate ERP insights with adaptive traffic systems such as intelligent traffic signals, and guide infrastructure planning and network adjustments.
In his round-up speech, the Minister affirmed that better traffic management through ERP 2.0 could create potential for increasing the vehicle population.
This is an important shift. If supply increases, more families who need a car for caregiving needs can gain access to one. COE prices may also moderate. COE prices move on expectations. If signals are unclear, markets react.
The key issue is not whether vehicle numbers should increase, but whether any adjustments are tied to measurable congestion outcomes and communicated clearly. Optimisation must strengthen traffic flows and policy confidence.
Second, refreshing the COE system for greater equity. The original intent of the COE classification was equity, differentiating between mass-market and higher-end vehicles.
Today, that distinction is increasingly blurred. Manufacturers are adjusting specifications, whether engine power or motor design, so that premium models qualify under Category A (Cat A), while practical vehicles end up in Category B (Cat B) due to technical criteria, even though they are not luxury vehicles.
For instance, the Toyota Noah Hybrid, with an open market value (OMV) of around $28,000 falls under Cat B. Meanwhile, a luxury model like the BMW 216 Gran Coupe, with an OMV of around $35,000 falls under Cat A. This shows that higher-end cars can fall into Cat A, while practical models fall under Cat B, undermining the original intent to distinguish mass-market from luxury. Technical thresholds no longer reliably reflect affordability or market positioning.
The price delta between Cat A and Cat B is also narrowing, signalling reduced meaningful differentiation between the categories. In fact, in the recent COE bidding exercise, Cat A premiums exceeded Cat B. This raises questions about whether the current framework still achieves its intended segmentation.
If equity remains the policy objective, we should ask whether engine capacity and power output remain the right measures.
Mr Chairman, OMV provides a stronger basis for differentiation. It reflects the true purchase cost of a vehicle rather than technical specifications alone. We already use OMV to calculate Additional Registration Fee (ARF) through a tiered structure. Building on this, the COE framework could evolve from separate Cat A and Cat B categories towards an OMV-based model with a single bidding pool. Pooling supply into one category will smooth out price fluctuations caused by mismatches in supply and demand between categories.
Third, accessibility and caregiving needs. As our society ages and more families support members with disabilities or special needs, mobility becomes a necessity and not just a convenience.
While the COE framework focuses on congestion management, we should consider calibrated mechanisms that support genuine caregiving needs without undermining system integrity. A tiered adjustment to the final COE price, with discounts for lower-OMV vehicles and premiums for higher-OMV vehicles, could improve accessibility for lower- and middle-income families, while preserving market discipline. Such an approach offers a clearer and more transparent way to achieve accessibility objectives compared to introducing additional special categories, which can become complex to define and administer.
Mr Chairman, ERP 2.0 allows us to better optimise our limited land resource and may enable calibrated increases in vehicle supply, giving more families access to mobility. Refreshing the COE framework by anchoring differentiation on OMV provides clearer distinctions between mass-market and luxury vehicles; while tiered adjustments can enhance accessibility for families with caregiving needs. In doing so, we preserve market discipline while strengthening fairness and accessibility in car ownership.
COEs
Mr Ang Wei Neng : Chairman, I would like to declare my interest as the CEO of Strides Premier. In November 2024, then Minister for Transport, Mr Chee Hong Tat, informed this House that with the planned injection of 20,000 additional COEs over the next few years, the COE quota for Category A, B and C would continue to rise each quarter, before reaching its projected peak supply from 2026.
However, the recent announcement by LTA shows that the COE quota for February to April 2026 is in fact lower than the last quarter. This marks the first decline since 2025 and appears to contradict the earlier position stated by the Ministry. I would therefore like MOT to clarify whether there has been a change in policy direction, and if so, the reasons behind this shift.
In addition, we observe that the number of Cat A COEs has fallen for the February to April 2026 period, while the supply of Cat B COEs has increased compared to the previous quarter. It is therefore not surprising that in the first bidding exercise of February 2026, the price gap between a Cat A and Cat B COE narrowed sharply to $4,570, the smallest gap in 58 months, since March 2021. In the second bidding exercise of February, Cat A COE price was even higher than the Cat B COE price by $1,500.
In the first bidding exercise in March, which just ended, the gap is also quite narrow between the Cat A and Cat B COE at $5,782. This convergence may also be driven by market developments, including the growing ease of tuning EVs to meet Cat A criteria, as well as the increasing presence of higher-end internal combustion engine vehicles with lower engine capacities qualifying under Cat A .
If the trend of declining Cat A COE supply and rising Cat B COE supply continues, the convergence of Cat A and Cat B COE prices will persist. Such an outcome would run contrary to the original intent of maintaining distinct categories within the passenger car segment.
As MOT has previously stated, the primary objective of Cat A COE is to preserve a portion of the vehicle quota for mass-market cars, thereby ensuring greater accessibility and affordability for the average Singaporean car buyer. I would therefore like MOT to clarify whether there has been any shift in this policy intent and if so, the reasons for the shift.
Chairman, many residents have shared with me their frustrations over the persistently high COE prices. At different stages of life, some Singaporeans may have a greater need for a car than others, such as families with young children and those caring for elderly parents, or salespersons whose livelihoods depend on mobility. I therefore hope the Ministry will continue to keep these Singaporeans in mind and ensure that our policies remain fair and balanced.
Removing COE for Motorcycles
Mr Azhar Othman (Nominated Member) : Thank you, Chairman. The COE in Singapore aims to prevent road congestion, which is a commendable objective to control the number of vehicles on the road. However, imposing the COE on a motorcycle seems illogical, as they do not significantly contribute to traffic congestion in the country. It is noteworthy that approximately more than 60,000 motorcycles cross the Causeway daily to commute and work in Singapore.
This influx indicates that motorcycles owned by Singaporeans are not the source of congestion. The traffic issues we face are not stemming from motorcycles, yet the COE imposes a financial burden on those who purchase them. Typically, buyers of motorcycles of lower- and middle-income earners who rely on these vehicles for work, including roles in delivery services. Penalising them with the COE is unjust, especially when they do not contribute to traffic congestion.
Removing the COE for motorcycles would alleviate financial strain and allow these individuals to save money, ultimately enabling them to generate more income and improve their livelihoods.
The Chairman : Thank you, Members, for your cuts. We now go to responses. Minister Jeffrey Siow.
The Acting Minister for Transport (Mr Jeffrey Siow) : Mr Chairman, first of all, let me give my thanks to Members for the very thoughtful cuts.
As I was listening to the speeches, I felt grateful for the many good suggestions and ideas from colleagues in the Chamber. I do not think we will be able to address every single idea and question today that has been asked of us, but we will try.
It is a long-standing tradition that MOT has many cuts. I should know because I used to work there as a civil servant. "Death by a thousand cuts," as we used to say. But the interest, your interest shows just how much transport is part of Singaporeans daily lives.
Every morning, millions of people step out of their homes and trust that the system will work. When transport works well, it becomes part of our routines, but when it does not, it affects your jobs, your family time, your peace of mind.
We at MOT understand this heavy responsibility. It is a privilege for us to work on issues that matter so much to Singaporeans. To carry this responsibility well, we anchor our work on three principles: first, to be globally oriented, because Singapore's survival has always depended on staying connected to the world; second, to be future-focused and always plan for the long term; and third, to be people-centric, because transport exists to serve the needs of our people.
Let me start with global orientation. Singaporeans are connected to the world by air, and most of what we eat, buy and use is brought to us by sea. What happens elsewhere in the world can therefore affect us significantly, and this includes the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which we are watching very closely.
As the world around us becomes more volatile, we need to strengthen the foundations that allow Singapore to survive and thrive. International rules and standards are critical for both aviation and maritime, which operate across national borders.
And to shape these rules and standards, Singapore has served on the councils of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for over two decades. Last year, my team and I campaigned for re-election to both councils. I was moved by the strong support that other countries expressed for Singapore. They appreciated our solid record of leadership, consensus building and spearheading training programmes over the years.
Singapore was re-elected to both ICAO and IMO Councils with the highest number of votes in our categories. We were very encouraged by this result.
At the same time, it was evident that the rules-based global order is under strain. Consensus at ICAO and IMO is harder to achieve, especially on long-term issues like sustainability. Positions are more polarised. And we are seeing more factions along lines of national interest, instead of global benefit.
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To bolster our influence abroad, we draw from our strength at home. Our air and sea hubs are both world-class. Changi Airport is one of the best airports in the world; and PSA International is one of the world’s most successful port operators.
Ms Tin Pei Ling asked about the latest developments for T5 and Tuas Port. Construction on T5 started last year and should be completed by the mid-2030s. As Ms Poh Li San noted, this will increase Changi’s capacity by about 50 million passengers per year. Looking at passenger growth trends, we are confident this capacity will be needed to meet underlying demand. The completion of T5 will also open up the possibility of remaking the older terminals, T1 to T4, in the future.
I am happy to invite Ms Tin and Members, all Members here actually, to the "T5 in the Making" exhibition at Changi Airport, where you can preview T5 and the future of aviation.
Mr Sharael Taha asked about the broader aviation ecosystem that will complement T5. Indeed, the ecosystem we are building goes beyond the terminal itself, to the Changi East Industrial Zone, the Changi East Urban District and potentially, the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal for better air-sea connectivity. This aerotropolis, to borrow Mr Sharael’s term, will be sustainable and technology-intensive, and will create many good jobs, while better serving passengers, air cargo users and MRO companies.
On Tuas Port, we opened our 12th berth last year and will open four more berths this year. Phase 2 reclamation works are progressing. Senior Minister of State Murali will share more.
These major infrastructure projects are only possible because of our Government’s focus on long-term planning. We started planning for T5 13 years ago and Tuas Port almost 30 years ago.
When we design these projects, we are not just thinking about today. We are planning for the future. This is why I am happy to hear that Ms Tin Pei Ling and the GPC for Transport will file a Motion on the deployment of technology in transport later this year. I look forward to another exciting debate on the future of transport then, in a few months.
For MRT lines, we also plan far ahead. I heard the requests from Ms Poh Li San, Mr Ang Wei Neng, Mr Andre Low and Mr Sharael Taha for updates on various MRT projects.
An MRT line takes about 15 years to build. And in just 20-over years, we have almost doubled the length of our entire MRT network. This is a remarkable achievement. And we are still building.
The Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 5 and the Downtown Line 3 extension will be opened later this year. The two lines will be connected at Sungei Bedok station.
Later this year, we will also open Circle Line Stage 6, so the Circle Line will finally be a real circle.
Next year, we plan to start construction on the Cross Island Line Phase 3, which will extend the line from Jurong Lake District westwards.
I also promised Mr Ng Chee Meng an update on the Seletar and Tengah Lines. I have good news for him. We plan to commence engineering studies this year. Mr Ng’s residents would be happy to know that we will prioritise studying a corridor to serve Sengkang West and Serangoon North. This could also include future connections to the Cross Island and Circle Lines.
Mr Ang Wei Neng asked about the JRL. He will be pleased to know that we are starting engineering studies for the West Coast Extension of the JRL later this year. The first phase of the extension will connect the JRL to the Cross Island Line.
I have more good news. LTA has started works for a new JRL station, between Tengah and Choa Chu Kang stations. The working name of the station is JS2a – very unimaginative, because the last time we tried to be imaginative, it is very hard to change people's minds when we have to move the station. So, JS2a is targeted to open in the mid-2030s and will serve residents in the Forest Hill district in Tengah, in time for the completion of housing developments there.
The JRL was planned to open in end-2027. Many of my residents, especially in Tengah, are looking forward to it, because it will be a game-changer for their transport options. Unfortunately, due to construction delays and testing, the opening of the JRL will be held back by about six months, to mid-2028. I know some of my residents, who have already moved into Tengah, will be disappointed. But we will do our best to complete the works as soon as possible.
In the meantime, I have asked LTA to introduce two interim shuttle bus services, from selected JRL stations to key destinations in the region, until the JRL is open.
Ms Poh Li San asked for an update on the RTS Link. This is another long-term project that took years of discussion with Malaysian counterparts.
The economic case for the RTS Link is clear. But the project still required sustained commitment from both Governments. The RTS Link will connect Singaporeans from Woodlands North on the Thomson-East Coast Line, to Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru in just five minutes.
We have planned the capacity of the Thomson-East Coast Line such that it is more than sufficient to accommodate the passenger numbers arriving via the RTS Link.
Ms Poh asked about the fares for the RTS Link. I know my counterpart in Malaysia has announced a figure of $5-$7. I have not discussed the fares with him. But under the terms of our Bilateral Agreement, it is the operator, RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO), who has to determine the fares. We await RTSO’s announcement of fares in due course.
Opening new MRT lines is exciting. Announcing new MRT lines is even more exciting. But just as important is to maintain the system that is already built.
The oldest part of our MRT network – the North-South and East-West lines – is close to 40 years old now. And I was reminded of this last year, when we retired the last of our first generation MRT trains – the Kawasaki-C151s. Many people of my vintage would have fond memories of taking these trains as a child for the first time when the MRT was first built. I have a photo that I treasure very deeply because it is a photo of me and my father taking the train for the first time.
It is timely to rejuvenate some of our older, well-loved MRT stations as well, not just for trains. For instance, we announced last year that we will rejuvenate Yishun MRT station, with a new entrance, additional lifts and a larger concourse. LTA is now studying other stations for rejuvenation, including Admiralty, Khatib and Sembawang.
Beyond our MRT network, we are also planning for a future with AVs. AVs are not new to us. We had experimented with them since 2013. The technology has taken awhile to mature, but with advances in AI, sensors, mapping and computing, AVs are finally a reality.
Recently, we have been deploying AVs quite aggressively in closed environments like our airport and seaport, for baggage and cargo. But it will be some time yet before we see mass deployment of autonomous passenger vehicles on our roads. After all, there are fewer than 7,000 such AVs in the world today, a tiny fraction of the total vehicle population here in Singapore. What we are doing now though is to plan ahead and prepare early, as we have always done.
We have been trialling AVs in Punggol since last September, to learn how AVs can work in Singapore’s context. Since January, we have been taking passengers on the AVs, by invitation. The AV trials have been running smoothly and safely, and many Punggol residents have expressed strong support. They have been asking Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling and me, whether they can start taking rides on the AVs, and when. So, I am happy to announce that from 1 April, we will open up rides for interested members of the public. Not an April Fools' joke; 1 April, we will open up rides for interested members of the public. This will be on a sign-up basis. Rides will be free for a short period, before we begin revenue service. Senior Minister of State Sun will provide more details.
If all goes well, I intend to trial AVs in other parts of Singapore. We are considering Sentosa, Tuas and Mandai, amongst others, as possibilities. This will depend on whether there is interest from AV companies and commuters in these areas. I thank Mr Louis Chua for his support to accelerate the roll-out of AVs, especially autonomous buses, since we do not have enough bus drivers, as he also pointed out.
LTA will launch trials for autonomous public buses by the second half of this year via bus service 400 in Marina Bay and bus service 191 in One-North. But for technological and commercial reasons, autonomous buses are developing more slowly than autonomous cars. So, we will continue to watch this space closely.
AVs are just one part of our future transport landscape. We are putting together our next Land Transport Masterplan now. And in developing this plan, there are many exciting things we want to share and we also want to hear from Singaporeans to understand your transport needs and co-create ideas on how we can address these needs. Minister of State Baey Yam Keng has been leading this effort. Over the last three months, LTA has met more than 200 people for in-person Focus Group Discussions and received more than 3,500 written responses from the public. We hope to hear from more in the coming months, as we intensify our public engagements.
Let me share some of the common feedback that we have received so far.
On public transport, one common feedback is long travel times, especially from HDB estates further away from the city. Today, public transport may take two to three times as long as private transport, often from areas where there are only bus connections, but no MRT.
I want to narrow this gap to be closer to one to two times. Our upcoming MRT lines like the Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line will bring us closer to this goal. We will also need to improve the bus network, and first- and last-mile connectivity.
To Mr Andre Low’s suggestion on express train lines, express services can reduce travel time by a bit for some commuters, because Singapore is small. But typically, they require a separate set of tracks and additional signalling systems. And this means much more significant land take, much higher costs and more time needed for construction. Skip-stop services, which are essentially sharing tracks for express and regular services, are technically possible, but this is operationally complex and regular trains have to be held back at stations to allow express trains to pass. This will have significant adverse impact for commuters on regular services.
We will keep an eye on this issue. If the technology improves, we will consider it. But for the Seletar Line, I think it is unlikely that we will implement it.
Another frequently raised topic is train crowding, and Mr Low spoke about the NEL – in a slightly overstated fashion, I think. But he did.
In the longer term, new MRT connections like the Cross Island Line and the Seletar Line will improve the situation for residents in the North-East. But in the short term, I have brought back free morning off-peak travel on the NEL and Sengkang-Punggol LRT, to encourage more commuters to shift out of the morning peak.
It is early days yet because we implemented it at the turn of the year, but I am happy to share that this has so far been quite effective. Around 8% of commuters have shifted off peak, which has resulted in a less crowded ride for other commuters travelling during morning peak hours.
The crowdedness has come down, akin to the effect of adding two extra trains, or 20 buses.
A third popular topic is whether we can add more bus services. I received many such requests, including two in the last half an hour in this Chamber, which I have noted – Flora Drive and Compassvale Crescent.
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My MOT colleagues and LTA have been trying our very best. Since the $1 billion Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme was launched, we have added 25 new bus services and enhanced over 60 existing ones islandwide.
I would very much like to launch more bus services. To do so, I need to buy buses. I also need to build depots and interchanges, including in Sungei Serangoon. But most importantly, I need to hire bus captains. There are just not enough Singaporeans who want to be bus drivers and we have already reached the limit in terms of how many foreign bus drivers we can recruit.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling proposed raising the starting salary for bus captains, which is now around $3,600, including overtime, to attract new recruits. I support her suggestion. We are in discussions with the bus operators and the National Transport Workers' Union on this as well as to further improve working conditions and career progression for existing bus captains.
A fourth area we receive a lot of feedback on is COEs.
Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Edward Chia asked if we will review the COE system, given new developments, such as EVs, AVs and the ERP 2.0 system.
The COE system was introduced in 1990 to control our vehicle population as we do not have enough land in Singapore for every person or even every household to own a car. If every household owns a car, we would have around 1.5 million cars on our roads – more than double our current car population. Our roads will be jammed up, like in many cities around the world, during peak hours and also off peak.
Every vehicle takes up road space and contributes to congestion, including motorcycles. This is why, to Mr Azhar Othman's query, we cannot exclude motorcycles from our COE system. But to Mr Liang Eng Hwa's question, we are watching the volume of Malaysian motorcycles very closely. We expect the increase in the Vehicle Entry Permit fee from $4 to $7 per day and the opening of the RTS Link, from 2027, to reduce the volume of the foreign motorcycle population in Singapore.
Mr Edward Chia has observed that the recent Category A and B prices have converged.
This is not the first time this has happened. In 2014, we added a power rating criterion to engine capacity precisely to separate Category A and Category B cars more clearly. This was in response to public feedback that Category A and B cars were becoming indistinguishable because there were more cars with smaller engine capacities but higher power. This change worked for some time.
But as Mr Chia pointed out, in recent years, manufacturers have been adjusting specifications of cars to fit within Category A. This has once again caused Category A and B prices to converge. Last month, Category A prices exceeded Category B prices, although in the exercise that just concluded an hour ago, Category B has returned to somewhat normal, higher than Category A once again.
But with Category A quota supply having peaked last year and Category B quota supply continuing to increase this year, it is likely that the two prices will continue to converge for some time. I have therefore asked LTA to review this issue. We will gather views from the public and from the industry on how to improve the COE categorisation for cars, including Mr Chia's specific proposal to apply discounts or surcharges based on open market value.
I hope Members can see from the above examples how MOT listens to feedback and tries our hardest to address concerns. I know this matters to you. It also matters to us. However, in land transport, many issues are zero sum. There is a trade-off for almost every decision we make and therefore, someone who is upset if he or she feels that they are on the wrong side of the line.
An example is bus route planning, which Ms Valerie Lee and Mr Abdul Muhaimin asked about.
LTA's bus planners are trained, when planning routes, to take into account current and future ridership – not just current ridership but also future ridership – journey times, travel patterns, alternative routes, amongst others. They are professionals, but even they find it very difficult, almost impossible, to satisfy everyone's preferences despite their best efforts.
Let me share my own experience in Chua Chu Kang.
Residents in one part of my division have been asking why a particular popular bus service did not stop at one bus stop downstairs from their homes. So, I asked LTA. After further analysis, LTA found that it was indeed possible to adjust the route. So, they did it. After the adjustment, most of the residents in those HDB blocks were very happy. But almost immediately, LTA and I got many emails from other commuters complaining that their journey was now longer and the buses were more crowded because of this one additional stop.
I understand that as commuters, we each have our specific personal situations and needs. But at the same time, I hope Singaporeans can understand that it is not easy to manage these trade-offs. But someone has to decide and that is our responsibility here at MOT to adopt a system-wide view and to deliver the greatest good for the greatest number.
Mr Chairman, I have shared how we will remain globally oriented, plan for the future and put people at the centre of what we do. And when I say people, I do not mean just the commuters. I also mean our transport workers who are the heart of my team.
Over the last nine months, I have met many of them over meals, festive celebrations and award ceremonies. I know how hard they work. Our rail maintenance workers toil in the quiet hours of the night. Our seafarers spend months away from their families. Our air traffic controllers keep their heads cool in high-stress environments.
These are but a few examples in our family of over 300,000 transport workers. Their work is unseen and unheard, but they are the ones who keep us moving and they will always have my support.
In August last year, I met Hasri Bin Abiden at Tengah bus interchange. He has been a bus captain for over 10 years. When a new bus service was introduced recently, Hasri volunteered to take on this new route. For an experienced bus captain, this is a challenge. It means changing routines and dealing with unfamiliar surroundings. Hasri told me that before he was deployed, he decided on his own accord to get on his motorcycle and practise the route all by himself at night, for many nights. He wanted to familiarise himself with the route so that he could better serve his future passengers.
Hasri is not alone. Every morning, he and many like him try to be the best that they can because they are proud of what they do. So that tomorrow morning and every morning after that, Singaporeans can step out of our homes with the confidence to get to where we want to go. [ Applause. ]
The Chairman : Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling.
The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Ms Sun Xueling) : Mr Chairman, I will respond to Members on air and land transport issues.
We are focused on building a globally oriented, future-focussed and people-centric transport system. Singapore's aviation story is one of constant evolution. From a small island nation, we have built one of the world's most interconnected air hubs. We are now linked to over 170 cities around the world.
However, being a hub also means we are not immune to global disruptions. We are monitoring the Middle East conflict closely. The safety of flights and passengers remain our top priority. Singapore Airlines and Scoot have suspended their flights to affected Middle Eastern destinations until 7 March. We will continue to monitor the situation. Other airlines that fly to Middle Eastern destinations from Changi have also cancelled or delayed their flights.
But even as we navigate the global climate of uncertainty, we never lose sight of the longer-term horizon.
Over the next decade, we expect Changi to continue to grow. Our growth thus far has also created over 60,000 quality jobs directly in aviation, from air traffic controllers managing our busy skies to engineers managing our aircrafts. By 2040, global air travel demand is set to double and Asia Pacific will be driving two thirds of this growth. We are already preparing our infrastructure to support this by building T5.
Just as important is our OneAviation workforce. The growth of Changi will bring about more opportunities for all, including good, well-paying jobs for Singaporeans.
Mr Sharael Taha asked how we are investing in our aviation workforce. CAAS has committed $200 million towards the OneAviation Manpower Fund to attract, develop and retain the OneAviation workforce. Over the past six months, CAAS has consulted extensively with aviation companies, schools, unions and workers to understand how to help Singaporeans access quality jobs in the aviation industry and progress in their careers. Three priorities have emerged.
First, CAAS will work with our IHLs to integrate professional training and undergraduate education. The aviation industry offers many rewarding and well-paying careers, such as in air traffic control and aircraft engineering. We have a good pipeline of IHL students who are training for such roles.
This includes Wong Rui Qi, who is currently pursuing a diploma in Aerospace Engineering at Temasek Polytechnic.
I met Rui Qi last year. Rui Qi shared with me about his interest in aerospace engineering and his eagerness to start a career as a licensed aircraft engineer as soon as possible. Today, upon graduation, Rui Qi will still need to undergo up to 44 months of professional training before attaining a professional license from CAAS to become a licensed aircraft engineer. By embedding industry-recognised skills training into the IHL curriculum, students, like Rui Qi, will be able to graduate more job-ready and embark on their aviation careers quickly.
Second, CAAS will enhance the workplace environment and experience for the Changi workforce. This could include enhancing our infrastructure, improving transport accessibility to and from the airport, particularly during late and early hours, and also providing better rest facilities for workers.
Third, CAAS will work with NTUC to develop a sector-wide mentorship scheme. This will support the career development of new entrants to the aviation workforce in key operational roles. This will enable us to build a future-ready and resilient next generation of aviation professionals.
CAAS will share more details for each of these three areas in the coming year.
To complement these efforts, we are also strengthening our outreach to bring aviation opportunities closer to Singaporeans.
Last Saturday, I attended the East Side OneAviation Careers Fair at Heartbeat@Bedok. There were over 2,000 job vacancies available in the aviation and aerospace sector and 18 participating organisations.
I look forward to working with interested Community Development Councils (CDCs) to bring aviation and aerospace careers to more local communities in Singapore. Let me repeat that. I look forward to working with interested CDCs to bring aviation and aerospace careers to more local communities in Singapore.
Ms Poh Li San asked about how we are attracting women to join the aviation sector.
I recently met Ms Megan Zheng, who has been an air traffic control officer (ATCO) for the past 12 years. She shared that it is a job like no other. Other than it being deeply fulfilling, she knows that every instruction that she gives helps guide an aircraft safely to land and that she is responsible for the lives of all the passengers and crew on board.
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And while ATCOs work shifts, Megan explained that her rosters are planned well in advance, up to a year ahead. And this allows officers like herself with two young children to plan their family commitments and personal time with confidence.
About 40% of our ATCO workforce are women today, and this has been growing steadily. As our air traffic continues to grow, we look forward to having more ATCOs join us.
Beyond the skies, the way that we run our airport is also evolving. Airport operations and planning is an exciting discipline that will become increasingly technologically driven as we prepare for T5.
We deployed the first driverless autonomous baggage tractors at Changi just two months ago, which will help to enhance worker safety, reduce physical workload and allow operations to continue in all weather conditions. Autonomous wheelchairs are also being trialled in T2 to help us meet the changing mobility needs of our passengers in the future.
This is the exciting future that draws in our students like Ms Ng Yu Jing from Temasek Polytechnic. Yu Jing and her course mates shared with me their enthusiasm to be a part of T5, and to chart the next chapter of Singapore’s aviation story.
Efforts to attract women into aviation do not just rest with the Government. When I attended the Women In Aviation Singapore Chapter Gala last year, I was heartened to see women and companies leaning forward to provide opportunities for women at every level in aviation. This includes the Women In Aviation Singapore Chapter mentorship programme, which gives young mentees access to valuable perspectives beyond their organisation. Women In Aviation Singapore Chapter’s mentorship programme has supported over 100 mentees over the past four years. CAAS has also been working closely with Women In Aviation Singapore Chapter to conduct outreach efforts to girls in schools and young women just starting out on their careers.
We are excited for more women to join our aviation sector, especially as we continue to face manpower shortages and there are many well-paying jobs available. The OneAviation workforce will continue to remain at the forefront as our aviation sector continues to grow.
Let me now turn to the land transport sector.
We are ensuring that our public transport network remains accessible and convenient. But manpower remains a binding constraint. The sustainable, long-term solution is to leverage technology, such as AVs.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked for an update on the autonomous shuttle operations in Punggol, the AV regulatory framework and support for the manpower transition.
In Punggol, around 740 people have tried the shuttles on Routes 1 and 3. Many commented that the rides were smooth and comfortable, and 99% said they would recommend the service to others. The shuttles provide last-mile connections not previously provided by direct transport links and reduce travel disruptions by up to 15 minutes. Punggol residents have seen the shuttles making their rounds and told me they are excited to try it soon.
Given the positive feedback, we will open up the rides on Routes 1 and 3 to the public from 1 April. The rides will be accompanied with a commentary on features of the AV, and they will be free for an initial period. This will allow more people to experience the technology and provide feedback for the operator to improve its service. Grab, the operator, will share more details on how to register for the rides. From the middle of this year, commuters may board and alight at any stop along Routes 1 and 3 at a flat fare of $4 per passenger.
ComfortDelGro’s autonomous shuttles on Route 2 in Punggol are making good progress in familiarisation and we look forward to commencing by-invite rides for Route 2 soon.
On my rounds in Punggol, I spoke with safety operators on board our autonomous shuttles. Mr Victor Tan has been a taxi driver and a driving instructor with ComfortDelGro for the past 15 years. He shared that training to be a safety operator on board the autonomous shuttle allowed him to augment his driving experience so that man and machine operate seamlessly as one.
Mr Vincent Teo and Ms Sarah Binte Ahmad wanted to try something new after driving for several years and see the new technology in action. They worked hard for their safety operator training with GrabAcademy and WeRide, which required a 90% passing score. I hear that Sarah’s four children are incredibly proud of their cool mom and Vincent will be progressing to an AV remote operator course soon.
These are examples of fellow taxi and private hire vehicle drivers who are giving autonomous technology a try. And new jobs will not just be in the area of safety operators.
There will be new jobs for more individualised in-person customer service which cannot be provided by a machine. There will be new jobs in maintenance and operations of autonomous fleets. New jobs in software and engineering. These are better paying jobs of the future that not only our current drivers can consider, but also our younger generation who may be interested in the future of autonomy.
This is an evolving space and many other countries, like China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, are deploying AVs. Our best strategy is to prepare our people, our infrastructure and our laws. As the Prime Minister mentioned, we will make sure that autonomous technology and AI work for us.
Together with our unions, we are developing training and conversion programmes for our drivers. We are mapping out new job roles and opportunities for our drivers. I understand that the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is having engagement sessions on AVs. So, a shoutout – if you are curious to find out more, please sign up!
We are also developing a more holistic legal framework for AVs, which will specify clearly the responsibilities and accountability of key parties in the ecosystem. This will provide clarity to our workers, industry and the public, and we will consult each of these groups in the coming year.
We are also leveraging technology for a cleaner living environment. EVs have zero tailpipe emissions. Our air quality will improve, our children no longer have to breathe in harmful fumes from vehicles. EVs are also quiet. We often receive feedback on traffic noise. EVs will improve this.
In January 2026, EV adoption grew to a record 55% of new car registrations. Mr Louis Chua and Ms Tin Pei Ling asked whether our EV charger network is adequate to support the growing EV fleet. I am pleased to share that there are more than 29,000 charging points island-wide. We have achieved our target to provide all HDB residents with convenient access to a charger, with more than 90% of HDB carparks equipped with slow chargers. This addresses the needs of residents who want to charge their cars overnight.
Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Dennis Tan suggested deploying more fast chargers. We have already deployed 150 fast charging points at 70 carparks at HDB town centres and JTC premises.
Technology continues to evolve rapidly. There are more EV models that now support faster charging. New ultra-fast chargers that can add hundreds of kilometres of range to EVs in under 10 minutes. And there are also more sophisticated grid management solutions which allow us to reduce costly infrastructure upgrades.
We envision a mix of charging options to serve different preferences. EV owners who prefer overnight charging can continue to use the slow charging points near your homes. Those who prefer to charge while running errands for one to two hours can do so at a fast-charging hub, with multiple fast charging points of power ratings of around 50 kW. And those who would like a quick charge of 10 to 20 minutes, similar to the experience at petrol kiosks today, can do so at ultra-fast charging points above 150 kW.
Currently, there are fast-charging hubs in commercial and industrial premises, such as Pasir Ris Mall, Suntec City and Corporation Place in Jurong West. We will deploy more fast-charging hubs so that there will be at least one fast-charging hub per HDB town by the end of next year. Each hub will be equipped with at least six fast charging points. We will start in areas with higher EV charging demand and adequate electrical capacity, such as carparks near Compass One in Sengkang, MacPherson market and Plantation Plaza in Tengah.
We are also working with industry to explore ultra-fast charging options and agencies to optimise our electrical grid for our growing charging needs.
Mr Ang Wei Neng and Ms Yeo Wan Ling highlighted the importance of equipping our workforce for the EV transition. We launched the National EV Safety Specialist Certification in 2022, which has provided more than 2,000 people with foundational safety training in EV maintenance.
We will build on this effort. MOT’s National Transport Academy, SkillsFuture Singapore and the Institution of Engineers, Singapore will launch a Skills Pathway for EV Technical Specialists. This charts out the progression roadmap for a career in EV maintenance, including the training available from IHLs, the Singapore Bus Academy and NTUC LearningHub. Major automotive employers, such as Borneo Motors, BYD, Cycle & Carriage and Komoco, and our public bus operators will also support with employment opportunities. Eligible individuals and employees will enjoy at least 50% course fee subsidies for SSG-approved courses.
I will now touch on public buses and its workforce.
The Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme was introduced in July 2024 to enhance bus connectivity, especially in newer estates located further from MRT stations and to also offer alternatives travel modes along rail lines with high ridership.
Specifically for the North-East region, we have introduced 12 new bus services over the past 1.5 years, including 11 peak period services and extended the routes of two existing bus services. Residents have expressed appreciation for the new bus services, but they often ask if there can be more bus connections to other destinations.
Mr Chairman, the binding constraint to more bus services is not the number of buses but rather the number of bus captains. The job of a bus captain is not easy, as described by Ms Yeo Wan Ling. We have worked with bus operators and the National Transport Workers’ Union to improve the working conditions for bus drivers over the years, such as longer breaks during shifts and caps on shift lengths. But this has not arrested the decline in local recruitment.
As mentioned by Acting Minister Jeffrey Siow, we will do more to encourage locals to join the bus sector, including mid-career entrants. This would include working with bus operators and the union to raise salaries and improving working conditions and career progression for bus captains.
Ms Yeo also asked how we are preparing bus captains for the AV transition. We are commencing our AV bus trials on public bus service 191 and 400 later this year. The Government, led by LTA’s Singapore Bus Academy, is working closely with public transport operators like SBST, our unions and AV tech solution providers to prepare our bus captains. Through the support and training programmes, we will upskill these bus captains and ensure that they are equipped with the required skills to take on new roles, such as safety and remote operators, fleet managers and other positions in the technical and passenger service functions. Our priority is to ensure that our bus captains are well equipped with the required skills to take on new and meaningful roles in this AV transition as we pilot the AV services in a safe and responsible manner.
I would like to touch on improving safety of worker transport. Government agencies have been working closely with industry and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to improve the safety of worker transport. We have made good progress, introducing requirements for lorries ferrying workers to be fitted with canopies and higher protective side railings, have lower speed limits and to meet minimum space requirements.
In close consultation with our tripartite partners, we will take a further step. From 1 January 2027, we will no longer allow the ferrying of workers in caged lorries. Caged lorry decks present additional safety risks to rear deck passengers. For example, if a lorry with a cage door that is latched or locked from the outside is involved in an accident or a fire, workers may not be able to escape.
Companies may still use their caged lorries to transport goods. If companies need the flexibility to transport either workers or goods on their rear decks, they can choose to replace the cage structure with a canopy, side railings and rain covers.
I thank the NGOs for this suggestion and their patience while we assessed the risks.
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To Mr Jackson Lam's query about MOT's approach to road safety, we continuously enhance road safety through both infrastructure improvements and community engagement. Our Friendly Streets initiative exemplifies this, where LTA constructs new signalised crossings, barrier-free crossings and wider centre islands for safe crossing. There are also reduced speed limits and other traffic calming measures.
In the five pilot sites with Friendly Streets, we have seen average vehicular speeds reducing by up to 25%. More residents are also walking or cycling along these Friendly Streets. Twenty-five more sites are in the works, such as in Holland/Buona Vista and Punggol. Given the positive feedback, we will roll out another 20 new Friendly Streets over the next few years. Some of the new sites include Pandan Gardens and Kampong Gelam. Residents can look forward to being engaged on road infrastructure improvements to improve safety, convenience and comfort.
By 2030, every town will have at least one Friendly Street. This means at least 50 Friendly Streets island-wide.
Chairman, transport connects us all, to family, to work and to the world. Our investments into infrastructure, people and technology will ensure that these connections remain strong, safe and sustainable, for Singapore and Singaporeans.
The Chairman : Senior Minister of State Murali Pillai.
The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Mr Murali Pillai) : Mr Chairman, the sea has always been Singapore's open passage to the world. We have relied on it throughout our history.
Today, the seas are choppy. When we speak of supply chain disruptions, it is sea lanes that grant or prohibit, passage to supply chains across the world. When we speak of geopolitical tensions, it is the literal ports of call that are changing amid greater volatility and global uncertainties.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
Since last weekend, we, on this side of the world, have been saddened to note the ongoing situation in the Middle East. Not only has it claimed lives, it has also begun to disrupt the flow of around 20% of the world's oil and gas through the narrow Strait of Hormuz. Already, several shipping companies have announced the suspension of vessel transits through the Strait. This will inevitably cause upward price pressures on these commodities. All these consequences happened in just a matter of days.
Amidst this upheaval, the maritime sector can be a steady conduit, keeping Singapore connected to the world. Singapore was built on the backbone of our geography along two straits, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. The sea can continue to afford us the same riches it had in the past, if we only look to our time-proven instincts and skills and grow our seafarers and maritime workforce. If we do this well, we will ride the seas as we have throughout our history.
We will press ahead with four key thrusts.
First, we must remain open and support the free flow of trade, people and partnerships. The open seas are not an empire to be conquered but a global commons subject to internationally accepted rules and laws. For Singapore as a small island nation, this rule is a bulwark upon which we rely.
But governance of a global commons cannot be a sole enterprise, least of all for a small country like ours. The Acting Minister for Transport Mr Jeffery Siow has explained how we will continue to drive collective efforts at key international institutions, such as the IMO.
We also pledge to work with like-minded partners to contribute to the development of rules and standards for international shipping. One way is by establishing Green and Digital Shipping Corridors with other countries. These collaborations enable us to collectively develop technologies, infrastructure and standards to promote a more sustainable and connected maritime ecosystem. We will continue to find new opportunities to grow these connections.
Second, Singapore must continue to offer itself as a key node in global supply chains. The hon Member Mr Sharael Taha asked about how MOT is strengthening the long-term competitiveness of our maritime sector.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is developing a Maritime Singapore Master Plan. It will be a future-focused industry-wide blueprint to guide the sector's development over the next few decades. It aims to strengthen Singapore's competitiveness as a key node and hub port, enhance Singapore's attractiveness as an International Maritime Centre, establish Singapore as a global leader in maritime innovation, including in AI and develop a future-ready maritime workforce.
We will not develop the Master Plan alone. Over the next few months, MPA will set up a local industry panel comprising key business leaders to gather insights, as we engage our unions and the public. MPA aims to formalise the Master Plan by 2027.
To be a node is to provide many points of entry, as well as to spark synergies amongst those already here. We are growing Singapore as a centre for maritime technology, innovation and research and development (R&D).
As mentioned by the Acting Minister Mr Jeffery Siow, we are also investing in the capabilities and capacity of our port. Hon Member Ms Tin Pei Ling asked for an update on Tuas Port's development and how it will boost Singapore's competitiveness. Reclamation works for Phase 2 are close to 80% complete, and planning for Phase 3 is underway. When completed in the 2040s, Tuas Port will have a capacity of 65 million TEUs and will be the world's largest fully automated container terminal. This will further secure Singapore's connectivity to the world and our competitiveness as a trusted node for international shipping.
Over the next few decades, we will continue to refine the design of Tuas Port to meet new needs as our operating environment changes. This is the benefit of a phased approach that we have adopted for the development of Tuas Port.
As one of the world's busiest ports, Singapore is also a useful testbed and living laboratory for those seeking to trial innovative maritime solutions in a realistic operating environment. MPA will introduce a new innovation track under the Maritime Cluster Fund Business Development scheme, to better support companies to deepen their technological and innovation capabilities here. Under the scheme, companies establishing innovation and technology desks or corporate venture capital functions here can receive funding and increased access to R&D expertise as well as regulatory support. This will help to position Singapore as a global node for talent, ideas and capital.
I recently met Mr Nicholas Brabeck, Managing Director of Everllence Singapore. Everllence is one of the shipping industry's main engine makers. I was heartened to hear that Everllence had chosen to set up its largest service hub outside of Europe here, not only because of Singapore's infrastructure as well as its strategic location, but also due to our skilled and resilient workforce, both onshore and at sea.
We will continue to ensure graduates and workers are well-equipped to seize the many well-paying opportunities in this sector. Some of these roles may be unfamiliar to Singaporeans. But they are good jobs. For example, onshore maritime roles include ship charterers and ship brokers, who earned competitive median gross wages of approximately $10,000 in 2024, and marine and technical superintendents, who drew median gross wages ranging from $8,000 to $13,000 from 2021 to 2024.
In fact, the maritime industry is not just for those who sail, but for many who work on land. One such person is Ms Divika Gill whom I met several weeks earlier. She joined the sector about three months ago after graduating from Singapore Polytechnic. She is now a fitter, an understated description in the maritime world referring to a highly skilled technician supporting engineering operations and upholding the highest safety standards to make vessels ocean-worthy. She aspires to be a marine engineer. She is among a growing group of women who find meaning and purpose in a maritime career.
Mr Sharael Taha also about asked how we are creating a pipeline of skilled Singaporeans.
First, we will continue to invest in maritime talent. In line with feedback from companies, MPA is streamlining the requirements of the Maritime Cluster Fund Management Associate scheme and updating the programme to keep up with the latest practices in talent development.
Through these refinements, smaller firms, including SMEs, would be able to create structured professional development opportunities for their employees. Grooming talent for management and leadership positions supports their business growth in the longer term. MPA will also increase opportunities for Management Associates to rotate across different maritime roles and for longer, to build greater depth and expertise. This will groom young professionals early by broadening their understanding of the maritime value chain.
Second, we want to prepare Singaporeans to take on leadership roles in the maritime sector. As maritime is global in nature, maritime leaders will need to have experience and capabilities running international operations and managing cross-cultural teams. This is why we are launching a new Maritime Cluster Fund Global Rotation scheme. The scheme provides grants to companies to co-fund the overseas deployments of local middle managers, to equip them with the competencies to take on supervisory roles.
But attracting top talent into the maritime sector and keeping them, is not just a matter of Government making policies top-down. It has to be done in close partnership with our industry leaders, players, unions and IHLs.
The maritime sector's track record of supporting committed individuals through scholarships and internships is a testament to the importance the industry places on talent development. In fact, if hon Members were to look up to my right, five scholarship recipients, accompanied by the Chairman of the Singapore Maritime Foundation Mr Hor Weng Yew are here with us in this House today. They are drawn from different backgrounds, including the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnics, and their scholarships are sponsored by various maritime companies and organisations.
I hope their example will inspire a new generation of young Singaporeans to take up the challenge and transform the maritime sector.
I recently met Captain Lee Cheng Wee, who first joined the maritime sector more than 50 years ago in the early 1970s. He responded to an advertisement in The Straits Times to be a harbour pilot. He thought he would have a chance to fly over Singapore's waters, boy, was he wrong! He found out it was actually a sea-based job. But while his entry into the maritime sector was accidental, he forged an enduring career over five decades in the maritime sector. He served, also, as our Port Master from 2008 to 2013.
Across the decades, Captain Lee has seen the growth of our port and maritime ecosystem. For him, the close working relationship between industry and unions has been the critical ingredient that allowed Maritime Singapore to grow and for new jobs to be created.
Views like Captain Lee's are important in telling us what tripartism means in real life. Alongside industry stakeholders and our unions, we will continue to set our collective ambition for the maritime sector and ensure that our maritime workforce is ready to chart the next bound.
Last, we will use technology to help each one of us in the maritime sector do more and create rewarding jobs. To do this, MPA will expand trials of Unmanned Surface Vessels later this year. The Unmanned Surface Vessels will operate autonomously while retaining the capability for remote piloting when required. They will leverage AI sensors and real-time data transmission to enhance MPA's operational effectiveness in maritime surveillance and hydrographic operations. This also reduces personnel exposure to dangerous conditions. And that manpower freed up can be channelled to other growth areas.
Last year, MPA launched the Singapore Maritime Digital Twin, a dynamic virtual model of our port. I am happy to announce that MPA will be extending this Digital Twin to bring onboard industry partners, who can test their new products and services to better deliver marine services to port users. Two use cases will be piloted this year: the first will optimise ship supply services for vessels calling at Singapore; and the second will enhance incident response and emergency preparedness for incidents such as oil spills.
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We welcome companies to work together with us to build their applications and simulation models using the Digital Twin, including AI-related applications.
As we adopt such new technologies, we will continue to put in place appropriate safeguards to address risks that may arise. As part of these efforts, MPA has introduced programmes to strengthen cyber security training, including using a shipboard technology testbed to train vessel traffic management officers.
Mr Chairman, the seas have always been the place for innovation. In maritime lore, Moby Dick is often cited as a cautionary tale – that one must not be dogmatic and vainglorious like Captain Ahab but be flexible and a survivor like Ishmael. But to me, Moby Dick is also full of revelations about the science of navigation and the role of technology in seafaring – it is hard for us to imagine now, but at the time of writing, the ability to establish precise longitudes for mariners was just 90 years old. It was John Harrison's invention of the chronometer, highly accurate even at sea, that allowed longitudes to be plotted and journeys to be precise enough to chase a nimble whale.
Likewise, Singapore must remain alive to the transformational power of new technologies, to master new tasks and chart new journeys through untested waters. The old ways are gone, and now is the time for new navigators with our own chronometers.
Mr Chairman, even as clouds hang overhead, even as the waves rise, Maritime Singapore can continue to ride the waves of change, if we have strong partners across the world, if we strengthen our position as a trusted node, if we prepare our people and if we open our eyes to the power of technology.
Most importantly, we can do this if we remember our history as an island nation. The seas have marked our destiny in trade and commerce and given us a particular prosperity – a prosperity that can remain ours, as long as we take heart to preserve and grow, our courage and ability to navigate the high seas.
The Chairman : Minister of State Baey Yam Keng.
The Minister of State for Transport (Mr Baey Yam Keng) : Chairman, I will elaborate on how we make land transport people-centric and future-ready. Fellow Singaporeans will play an integral role in this journey. Together, we can shape the next bound of our transport system.
I will start with the refresh of the Land Transport Master Plan, followed by our efforts to promote a positive commuter culture and safety on public paths.
Ms Tin Pei Ling asked about the future of land transport and what MOT is doing to build a better and safer land transport system that addresses commuter needs.
As the Acting Minister mentioned, LTA has launched a nationwide public consultation to refresh the Land Transport Master Plan 2040. This is the long-term strategic blueprint that will chart the next phase of our land transport system.
Why do we need to refresh the Land Transport Master Plan? This is because there are many emerging trends that require us to review our priorities and enhance our strategy.
Firstly, demographic changes such as ageing population and evolving lifestyle needs of our people meant that transport provisions must also evolve to cater to working adults moving into new estates further away from their workplaces, families with young children, elderly, persons with disability and other commuter groups.
The effects of climate change and more extreme weather patterns also cannot be ignored. For instance, we need to continue improving our transport infrastructure so that as much as possible, commuters can walk, cycle and ride comfortably.
At the same time, we are on the cusp of significant transformation. Advances in intelligent and autonomous systems have enormous potential to improve and expand our mobility options.
What does this mean for the future of transport? Since kick-starting the outreach for refresh of the Land Transport Master Plan late last year, we have heard from many Singaporeans. I would like to share the "3Cs" that have emerged as the top priorities: connectivity, comfort and community.
To achieve the first C of keeping Singaporeans connected and meeting different travel needs, we must continue to invest in our public transport network, as well as on shared and active mobility.
Acting Minister has earlier updated on the progress of the new rail lines under construction. As we build new lines and stations, we will also continue to maintain and rejuvenate older ones to support growing demand and to remain inclusive and accessible to all commuters.
When it comes to last-mile connectivity, we hope to cater for more cycling and micromobility networks island-wide as part of infrastructure planning. This allows for safe, convenient and active transport options for shorter distances within a town, such as the use of bicycles and active mobility devices. This approach is especially essential and beneficial for a dense urban city-state like Singapore.
The North-South Corridor is a good example. With more traffic diverted to its underground tunnel and viaduct, surface streets will be freed up to prioritise walking, cycling, buses as well as communal and green spaces. When completed, residents in the North can enjoy faster commutes to city centre, as well as more pleasant and comfortable travel to places along the corridor.
The second C is comfort. We want journeys to be comfortable and enjoyable so that public transport remains the mode of choice for Singaporeans.
One aspect of our Land Transport Master Plan engagements is getting Singaporeans from all walks of life to share more about their daily commutes – not only about travel times and connectivity, but also about their travel experience.
Participants talked about how they use their neighbourhood spaces and get to transport nodes. As Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling has shared, we will be expanding Friendly Streets to all towns by 2030.
Members also asked about commuter infrastructure that supports walking, such as covered linkways and pedestrian overhead bridges.
LTA is continuously improving the first-mile-last-mile journey to our transport nodes. For example, we already have covered linkways within a 400-metre radius of MRT stations. This is now extended to an 800-metre radius at our Friendly Streets.
We are also installing lifts to existing pedestrian overhead bridges. We have already completed the retrofitting of lifts to bridges near major transport nodes and are now focusing on bridges that serve more seniors.
Ms Sylvia Lim asked about lift upgrading at four pedestrian overhead bridges in Hougang. Mr Chairman, on behalf of the Acting Minister, I would like to confirm that there is no delay. We have been carrying out the retrofitting of bridges with lifts in phases. The four bridges mentioned by Ms Lim is in this current phase, which commenced at the end of last year. There are over 100 bridges that we are upgrading in this phase. Works must be carried out progressively.
We will commence works at two of the bridges mentioned by Ms Lim by the middle of 2027 before moving on to the other two bridges later. We hope that Ms Lim will find this response satisfactory.
Mr Chairman, in every project we do, we have to prioritise and carry out works progressively. Implementing and proving infrastructure takes time and resources, which are also needed by other equally meritorious projects.
We take this principle: benefit as many commuters as quickly as possible. Over time we will cover all the locations that we have identified for enhancements.
The last C is about fostering a sense of community. Transport is a shared experience. A transport system that fulfils our needs, and one that we are proud of, goes beyond policies and hardware.
It is also a matter of how we treat one another in shared spaces on a day-to-day basis, whether on our roads and public paths, or in buses and trains.
While we can improve our infrastructure and hardware, such changes are not without trade-offs. Transport spaces are ultimately shared by all of us. From time to time, conflicting needs do come up. For example, since 2018, LTA has been procuring buses with more open space where wheelchairs and strollers can be parked. This caters to an increasing number of commuters with diverse needs.
But to create space for these bays, LTA had to reduce the number of seats, as Ms Sylvia Lim pointed out. To mitigate this, LTA will install foldable seats within the bays where feasible.
Part of the Land Transport Master Plan exercise is to create the opportunity for these important conversations, to allow people with different needs to hear from one another and forge consensus on the social compact that underlies our shared spaces in our transport system.
An example of where greater consensus is needed is in the use of spaces set aside for wheelchairs and strollers on buses. Ms Elysa Chen raised the need to make public transport more inclusive for young families. For parents with open strollers, our bus captains will also be happy to activate the wheelchair ramp upon request, to facilitate their boarding process.
We have also heard feedback from parents that they are sometimes asked by the bus captains to fold their stroller and carry their child because the bus is crowded and there is a person wheelchair-bound person boarding.
We are actively reviewing this issue and consulting various stakeholders. Aside from increasing the space allocated for wheelchairs and strollers, which comes with trade-offs, LTA has been conducting small-scale operational trials on the more flexible use of such spaces and has gathered initial operational insights. We are now ready to test this at a larger scale.
From April 2026, on around 10 selected bus services plying routes that serve more wheelchair or mobility aid users and parents with young children, our bus captains will facilitate the use of bays by wheelchairs and open strollers on a first-come-first-serve basis. Depending on the findings, we will consider making this the norm across the entire network. We will also gather views at the upcoming Land Transport Master Plan consultations, from commuters, families and advocates to find a balanced way forward together.
Our aim is for our public buses and trains to be an inclusive space for commuters with all needs, including wheelchair users and parents with young children. Singaporeans' active participation in this conversation and our gracious commuting behaviours, will make all the difference.
Aside from the suggestions to improve our transport system, we also heard about the positive impact that our transport system has made on Singaporeans' everyday lives, and that is heartening.
We know that land transport is a deeply personal part of everyone's lived experience and an issue that is close to many people's hearts. There will be more Land Transport Master Plan engagements to come, including school outreach, pop-ups and thematic focused group discussions that deep dive into targeted issues.
We want to hear your stories and perspectives, discuss the necessary trade-offs and partner you in co-creating a transport system that we will all take pride in.
Next, I will speak on our efforts to cultivate a more gracious and caring commuting culture.
Beyond faster and more convenient journeys, ensuring an inclusive public transport system is equally important, as Ms Elysa Chen has mentioned. Besides access to public transport, we want everyone to feel safe and confident when using our buses and trains.
Over the years, we have made our system more accessible to commuters with all needs. Our public transport system is now almost entirely barrier-free. LTA and our transport operators are also expanding our efforts to support commuters with other diverse needs.
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To give an example, SBS Transit has piloted a Sign Language Virtual Assistant kiosk called SiLViA at Chinatown MRT station. Using AI, the kiosk features a female avatar, which can translate spoken words or public announcements into sign language.
Miss Rachel Ong asked whether there are plans to scale this. So far, commuters with hearing difficulties have found the kiosk useful. LTA will work with SBS Transit to deploy this initiative at more locations.
Beyond hardware and technology, all commuters can play a part. A "we first" society starts with our everyday interactions on our public transport system.
Queuing to board our MRT trains and letting commuters alight first was not the norm here in the past. However, after LTA launched the Graciousness Campaign in 2009 and marked out queue lines at MRT platforms, this is now second nature.
Building such norms is an ongoing process. The Public Transport Council regularly engages commuters on how we can make the public transport system more gracious and inclusive.
Some feedback that they have received includes how our commuters with diverse needs can find it difficult to get a seat, especially if their condition is not visible to others. Commuters with open strollers sometimes also have to wait for the lift behind long queues of able-bodied people.
The Caring SG Commuters Movement, led by Public Transport Council and LTA, will launch a new campaign to shape positive behaviour norms in our public transport system.
First, we will clearly set up priority queue lines at the priority boarding doors within MRT stations and at the lifts within our public transport nodes progressively. If you are using a wheelchair, pregnant or travelling with a stroller, you can use these priority queue lines when waiting for the train or the lift. For other commuters, we encourage you to use the escalators and stairs so that the lifts can be prioritised for those with greater needs. If you still wish to use the lift, please let those in the priority queues enter first.
Second, we encourage all commuters who need a seat, such as those who are pregnant or have health conditions which may not be visible, to obtain a "Helping Hand" card from the passenger service centres at train stations and bus interchanges. I also encourage commuters to show acts of care by actively giving up their seats to those who need them more, including those carrying the striking yellow "Helping Hand" cards.
We also want to make it a norm for those who need a seat to ask for one. While some commuters may not notice that you need a seat, I am sure that most people are understanding and are prepared to give up their seats if they are approached politely.
Lastly, Mr Gerald Giam, Mr Jackson Lam and Ms Valerie Lee asked about the different ways to improve the safe use of public paths, which are shared between pedestrians and users of mobility devices.
Indeed, we want to encourage active mobility while ensuring safety. To do so, we set out the rules and regulations, enforce them, build the infrastructure and promote the safe and gracious sharing of public paths through education and engagement.
On the requirement of lights, bicycles, power-assisted bicycles and personal mobility devices must display a front white light and a rear red light when ridden on public paths and roads during hours of darkness between 7.00 pm and 7.00 am. This ensures that riders are visible to pedestrians and other path users at night. LTA conducts regular enforcement operations to ensure compliance.
On cycling etiquette and the rights and responsibilities of path users, the Code of Conduct for Users of Public Path provides guidelines to ensure harmonious path sharing.
Riders should look out for and give way to pedestrians on public paths. The bell is meant to gently alert others before overtaking rather than to demand the right of way. When approaching bus stops and intersections of public paths, riders should slow down and stop if necessary. This reduces the risk of accidents with other path users such as those boarding or alighting from buses.
At the same time, pedestrians should also do their part to stay alert to oncoming riders or any potential danger by keeping their eyes and ears open.
Where possible, we also have designed infrastructure to enable safe use and sharing of paths. For example, LTA builds bypass paths behind bus stops to separate cyclists from bus commuters where possible. Markings, signs and speed regulating strips also remind cyclists to slow down and give way to pedestrians near bus stops. LTA also enforces against cyclists who speed or ride recklessly.
We will continue to monitor accidents and public feedback to identify areas for improvement.
On whether to prohibit pedestrians from walking on cycling paths when a dedicated alternative is provided, this had been deliberated before. We do not plan to prohibit pedestrians from using cycling paths adjacent to Pedestrian-Only Paths. This provides pedestrians, who are the largest group of path users, with the flexibility to also walk on the cycling paths when it is safe to do so.
Our approach is to clearly demarcate the paths and focus on strengthening user awareness about path safety through education and outreach efforts. Users are advised to keep to their own paths under the Code of Conduct. Enforcement officers on the ground and volunteers from the Active Mobility Community Ambassadors scheme will also educate pedestrians seen walking on cycling paths to keep to the Pedestrian-Only Paths for their own safety. Chairman, I will now say a few words in Mandarin.
( In Mandarin ) : [ Please refer to Vernacular Speech .] Since November last year, we have embarked on a year-long public consultation to update the Land Transport Master Plan with the aim of exploring different commuting needs together and jointly shaping our future transport system.
Over the past four months, we have received suggestions to improve transport connectivity and enhance journey comfort.
Most people aspire towards a more inclusive and caring commuting culture. This requires everyone to do their part. Whenever you are travelling on the MRT or public buses, do you notice passengers who need the seats and lifts more, such as seniors, wheelchair users, pregnant women and parents with strollers, and voluntarily give way to them?
We also understand the difficulty faced by many parents travelling on public buses with strollers. Therefore, we will implement a pilot programme starting in April this year. On approximately 10 bus routes, bus captains will help parents with strollers and wheelchair-bound passengers with the use of the designated spaces, on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Sometimes, buses may be rather crowded. I encourage passengers to be more understanding of one another and assist those in need. The same hands you extend to help others today are in fact paving the way for your family and loved ones' needs tomorrow.
The spirit of mutual courtesy and care should also extend to the use of public roads. To ensure the safety of different users, such as pedestrians and users of personal mobility devices, LTA has implemented relevant regulations and optimised road infrastructure. We will continue public education and enforcement in this area to address dangerous and illegal behaviours.
I hope that as we use our shared paths, let us take greater care and not leave safety to chance, be gracious when resolving any differences and look out for one another.
( In English ): Mr Chairman, to conclude, we will continue to work hand in hand with fellow Singaporeans to enhance our land transport system and commuter culture. This will ensure that it is future-ready and able to meet the diverse needs of our people.
The Chairman : We have some time for clarifications. Ms Tin Pei Ling.
Ms Tin Pei Ling : Thank you, Chairman. Two questions.
One is that I hear that there will be a review of the COE system later part of this year. I would just like to ask if there is a specific timeline that we can look forward to.
Second is on land transport overall. It is on the impact of ageing population and ageing infrastructure. With an ageing population, of course, there will be more needs. More covered walkways, and covered walkways, if they are a bit lengthy, they may need benches along the way, lifts at overhead bridges, so on and so forth. There will be more demand of such to be built.
On ageing infrastructure, over time, obviously, you need maintenance, if not a refresh or rebuilding of these. These will add cost. So, I would like to understand whether it is possible to give us a sense of how such costs may increase over time, both the construction and lifetime maintenance, and whether it is feasibly sustainable over the longer run. If yes or no, how are we going to manage this?
Mr Jeffrey Siow : Chairman, I will take the first question and I will have Minister of State Baey take the second one.
For the COE review, I intend to start this immediately. We will have to take the rest of the year to do the consultation. We will take it as part of the Land Transport Master Plan process as Minister of State Baey has explained. Hopefully, by the end of this year, we ought to have some form of conclusion.
Mr Baey Yam Keng : As Ms Tin has mentioned, with the changing needs of the population, our infrastructure needs to keep up with the needs. Infrastructure like pedestrian overhead bridge (POB) lifts, as mentioned, we are in this current phase with more than 100 POB lifts. This is Phase 4. We are now focusing on locations that serve more seniors.
We may need a few years, because as we have mentioned in the House before, construction of a pair of lifts at the POB is not so straightforward. We need to look at underground services that may be disrupted and various things. It does take time and resources.
The Member has rightly pointed out, it is not just building it, it is also maintaining the lifts subsequently.
After Phase 4, do we have Phase 5 and subsequent phases? We do have Members asking for lifts at POBs in their respective areas. I believe, if I am not wrong, we have easily more than 700 POBs around Singapore. I do not think we will be able to install lifts at all the POBs or, in that argument or rationale, improve amenities or infrastructure to cater to all needs of the population over time.
I think MOT and LTA will have to look at each of the request and come up with a strategy of addressing the needs of as many as commuters as quickly as possible, as I have mentioned in my speech. It is about balancing the different needs, managing our resources prudently, bearing in mind not only the cost of the construction development but the whole tail of maintenance.
We will definitely make sure that whatever we build will be maintained properly. We call to the public and commuters to make use of these facilities properly, make sure that they last a long time so that we do not need to do repairs or refurbishment too frequently. I believe that with that kind of approach, we will be able to cater to the needs of our ageing population in time to come.
The Chairman : There are a number of POBs in my division as well, Minister of State Baey. So, do not forget mine. Mr Ang Wei Neng.
Mr Ang Wei Neng : Chairman, I have two clarifications. Firstly, we are glad that the Minister has assured us that MOT is working to establish clearer criteria for distinguishing between Cat A and Cat B COE. In the meantime, I would like to seek clarification on the reduction in the supply of Category A COE. Is MOT still committed to increasing the overall COE supply by 20,000 as announced in 2024?
If so, could MOT consider rebalancing the supply of Cat A and B COE, using the new allocation, at least for the next 12 months. This approach will help to moderate the price of Cat A COE while waiting for MOT's review of criteria for Cat A and Cat B COE, which Minister has said will take until the end of the year.
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Secondly, we are pleased that MOT is also planning to enhance the renumeration and working conditions of the bus captains to attract more local residents to join the bus industry. We would like to enquire whether MOT will increase the subsidies for the public transport to ensure that these measures do not result in higher transport fares?
Mr Jeffrey Siow : Chairman, we have plans to inject up to 20,000 additional COEs over the next few years, as Mr Ang has pointed out. That plan remains unchanged. It was on the premise that the total mileage has fallen and our ability to manage congestion using ERP 2.0 will be enhanced. So, those reasons stay valid; we will continue to inject those COEs over the next few years.
We have been doing it based on a certain methodology that involves redistributing guaranteed de-registrations via cut and fill, as well as then subsequently doing the injections. The objective is to smoothen the COE quota supply overall.
As to whether we want to inject another parameter, which is to rebalance Cat A and B, we will evaluate that, but I am hesitant about introducing too many parameters. Because, as I think one of the Members, I think it was Mr Edward Chia, who said that in the course of doing this, we do not want to add too much uncertainty, too many variables and therefore, too much perturbation to the market. So, we will evaluate it, but I think, just sort of thinking offhand, probably not too likely.
On the second question on the bus captains, we are discussing with the unions as well as with the bus operators on how to execute the increase in the salaries for new recruits, starting salaries of bus captains. And I think Government is prepared to see what we can do to put in more support to the system. But I wish to point out that, in fact, for the bus network, the Government has already put in a lot of resources to support the financial sustainability of the bus network.
I mentioned the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, which is a significant inject of funds. Overall, on a yearly basis, the Government puts in a billion dollars as subsidies into the bus network. So, it is a significant support already. We have to see then overall, how the fiscal sustainability of the bus network can be maintained, so that we can continue to grow the network at a sustainable pace and that salaries are also then incorporated into the overall cost of maintaining this network.
The Chairman : Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa : Sir, I believe the political office holders have not replied or responded to my cut on traffic congestion, so can I perhaps ask the Minister, whether is it because he disagrees with me that the traffic congestion has worsened or that there is no non-pricing solutions to traffic congestion, which I had asked for.
So, can I ask the Minister to consider again what I have raised in the cuts, which is that can we optimise the traffic light system, something that many countries have done; and how we can make it more responsive. It could be a really a good high-value AI-use case.
And then, the second suggestion, I mentioned about how we can have more expeditious clearing of vehicles during accidents. It is not really a high infrastructure item, something that can be managed, can be done. You just need to have the policy in place to say, "You got to clear the traffic within a certain time and there must be enough tow vehicles", and so on. So, I hope the Minister can give me a more encouraging response.
Mr Jeffrey Siow : Thank you, Mr Chairman. First of all, I want to apologise to Mr Liang Eng Hwa because he made a wonderful speech on transport with many ideas. And I was unable to reply to all the ideas that he had put out. But as he asked the clarification, it gives me an opportunity to be able to respond more fully to the good ideas that he has suggested.
Firstly, I want to reassure him because he had a very major concern about how if he had brought up traffic congestion, that ERP would be my first response. The answer is: not to worry, ERP is not our first option by any means. For the most part, ERP is always our last response, not least because ERP 1.0 gantries were hard to build and expensive to build; but even with ERP 2.0, I would like to reassure the Member that we would use road pricing only when it is really necessary. So, that is the first point.
On using technology, I think Mr Liang gave many examples and I agree with him that, in fact, using AI for systems, such as traffic light management, would significantly improve the fluidity of our traffic. And in fact, the LTA is exploring this. They showed me something recently, has a very nice acronym called CRUISE. I do not know what it stands for, but it looks reasonable and I am happy to find a time to share with Mr Liang, if he is interested.
There were a few other suggestions on, for example, double deck highways on Keppel. I think Mr Liang also suggested that. I think that is less likely something that we will do. I am reminded of Boston, a city which had I spent quite a bit of time in. They had this Big Dig – I do not know whether you would be familiar with it. They spent many years and vast amounts of money putting that two double decker highway into the ground. And today, if you go to Boston, it is a much nicer place to be in, and we have all, as a student, I have driven on that before. I can tell you, it was not a pleasant experience, and more importantly, it bifurcated the sea front from the city. So, I do not think we really want to do that as far as possible here.
Mr Liang also mentioned about logistics. Very much so, we will work with the industry to try to improve how we do logistics in Singapore, make it smoother, in terms of delivering goods. In fact, MOT and MTI have been coming together to try to develop a logistics strategy that is more coherent. And I think at the appropriate time we will update the House on this.
Finally, on traffic clearance. Actually, the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System (EMAS) already does quite a good job. Today, they take about an average of 15 minutes to clear jams or clear an accident on the highway and to then allow traffic to continue smoothly. Usually, after they clear the accident, if it is a minor accident, it takes about maybe half an hour to an hour for traffic to get back to normal. But for a serious accident, where if it involves a fatality, it needs a bit more time, and that is when the more difficult jams happen. So, I think in terms of performance, it is already not bad, but I agree with Mr Liang that we should use technology to see how we can speed up those processes and reduce the impact of such incidents.
The Chairman : I see a more encouraged look from Mr Liang now. Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis : Thank you, Chairman. Just one clarification for Ministers on the EV chargers. I think the MOT has previously said that we are looking at three to 12 charging points per HDB carpark by 2025, but my question is not so much on the deadline, but more in terms of the number of chargers that can be supported, because in most of the multi-storey car park that I see, it is typically just three 7.4 kilowatt chargers. So, I just wondering in terms of the original tenders that were put out to upgrade the electricity infrastructure, what was the maximum power capacity or number of charging stations that can be supported?
One of the key feedback that we often get is that the additional charging lots is subject to power capacity and it just does not seem to be the case that we might get twelve in each multi-storey car park in the near term.
Ms Sun Xueling : I thank the Member for his clarification. We started with a baseline deployment of at least three charging points per HDB car park. And I have shared in my earlier reply that 90% of our car parks have achieved this. So, moving forward, we are monitoring developments in charging technology, and that is why in my speech, I had talked about a mix of slow chargers as well as fast chargers.
I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about how we are sequencing our fast-charging hubs. I had mentioned that we will be looking at having one in each HDB town, and this will be relying on existing spare capacity at car parks where possible, and for future tranches of deployment, we are also working with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), and the Energy Market Authority (EMA) to optimise our electrical grid to minimise costly grid upgrades.
So, I think when we look at our charging infrastructure, we should look at it holistically. It should be a mix in future of slow chargers, fast chargers, and we are keeping our eye on ultra-fast charging hubs.
The Chairman : Mr Edward Chia.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui : Thank you, Chairman. My first clarification is to the Minister. I thank him for being receptive to my suggestions on COE reform. Just want to confirm that he mentioned that it could also be based on the OMV system, but there will also be considerations on combining into a single pool, doing away with Cat A and Cat B? Can I confirm if that it is also under consideration? Second, also, in terms of the consultation exercise, could you share who are the usual stakeholders that will be involved in the consultation exercise?
My second clarification is to Senior Minister of State Sun. I think she mentioned about fast charging points, one per HDB town, and I think she mentioned that there will be six charging points per town. But typically, a HDB town has about 10,000 to 12,000 vehicles. Just want to check what is the projection in terms of adequacy, I think she mentioned about working with JTC and EMA to improve, what are the current limitations and what are the plans to actually resolve this limitation, so we can scale up more fast charging points per HDB town?
And my third clarification is to Senior Minister of State Murali, very pleased to hear that the maritime sector offers great job opportunities for Singaporeans and congratulations to the young scholars in Chamber today. Just want to ask what are the further plans to create more awareness among young Singaporeans about the job opportunities within the maritime sectors and in particular, what is current take-up rate for the GRaduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) programme? And are there scopes to scale up the GRIT programme, so that more young Singaporeans can be exposed to the maritime sector and seize these opportunities for themselves?
Mr Jeffrey Siow : Thank you, Mr Chairman. I will take Mr Chia's first question, and then I will have the two Senior Ministers of State reply to his subsequent two questions.
First of all, I do confirm that indeed we will look specifically at Mr Chia's suggestion, which is to look at a system that is OMV-based, but also to look at merging Cat A and Cat B in a single-bidding category.
I think we have to look at how to do this, because there is probably still some merit to having some distinction between a mass market car category and a higher-end car category. We have to see how we can do this, but I think his idea is a very interesting one and we are very happy to try to explore that in the context of trying to find a system of categorisation that is a little bit more stable in the longer term.
As to who we consult, we will consult a range of stakeholders, obviously car buyers, both potential and current car users. We also want to consult the industry, so this would include both the motor dealers, but also car manufacturers and other industry observers.
I think we will also consult academics as well, because in a system like the COE, it involves auctions and I suppose, auction theory is very well developed. It is something that the academics will have something to say; and we will be very happy to seek views from them as well.
Ms Sun Xueling : On the Member's second question, our constraint really is our electrical infrastructure. I would like share that we have kickstarted our first phase of upgrades, which would benefit around 450 HDB multi-storey car parks and this upgrade is expected to complete by around 2029.
And for future tranches of deployment, so as to meet the targets, the numbers that Mr Edward Chia had mentioned, we are working with MTI and EMA to optimise our electrical grid to minimise costly grid upgrades and we will see what more can be done.
Mr Murali Pillai : Sir, I would like to thank the hon Member Mr Chia for his kind words about the efforts we have made thus far to attract young talent. On the specific issue about the GRIT programme, that involves traineeship, the good thing about the maritime sector is that we have jobs available. So, the natural thing to do for young aspirants is to apply for jobs instead of going through traineeship. So, for the maritime sector, we have not participated in the GRIT programme.
As to what further things we can do, I have identified in my speech, we work very closely with stakeholders, such as the Singapore Maritime Foundation, IHLs, our tripartite partners, our unions as well. And just one example that underscores this point. I spoke not too long ago about this lady, Ms Valerie Thai, who was a paralegal in a law firm. She attended an exhibition in a shopping mall that was run by the Singapore Maritime Officers' Union and the Employment and Employability Institute. And then, she decided to become a seafarer. So, we do all that we can to attract young talent into the maritime sector.
6.45 pm
The Chairman : There are five more Members who have raised their hands. I am trying to get to all of you, so do yourselves justice and to others. Ms Poh Li San.
Ms Poh Li San : Thank you Chairman. Just a quick question on the status on the autonomous vehicle trials. Other than the Punggol one, there is one more that is running in Marina Bay and Shenton Way area. Just to have an update on the progress of that. Also, it is a busy area, how will we deal with traffic congestion if there are some issues with the trials?
Mr Jeffrey Siow : Mr Chairman, I updated briefly in the speech. We are going to launch the autonomous buses in those two areas. I mentioned the two bus numbers which has now slipped my memory. I believe it is 400-something in Marina Bay and 100-something in Shenton Way. So, we will launch those I think in the second half of this year.
The Chairman : Mr Azhar Othman.
Mr Azhar Othman : This question is for the Acting Minister. He mentioned about the shared space of motorcycles on the road. There are 140,000 motorcycles, if I got it right, and there are 70,000 motorcycles from the causeway that goes to Singapore. Almost half of them come from the other side. And yet, they do not pay any COE, they do not pay any road tax. How do we justify Singaporeans paying so much, sharing the same space, and yet the other side are not doing so?
Mr Jeffrey Siow : Thank you, Mr Chairman. So, first of all, I have a lot of sympathy for the concern. We hear this a lot, very often from our Singaporean motorcycle riders. As to whether or not they are being treated fairly. This is why we have the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) and the Goods Vehicle Permit (GVP) schemes.
The idea is that Malaysian motorbikes, when they come in, they pay a fee and then this equalises the cost. The fees are set such that the cost of owning and using a foreign registered vehicle in Singapore is equalised with that of a Singaporean vehicle. We applied a fee to cars, we apply a similar but lower fee to motorcycles.
LTA and MOT, we periodically review this fee, and in fact, we are going to raise the fee substantially from 2027 onwards. At the same time as when the RTS Link is open.
In addition, for our local motorcycles, just so that I address this point, the Government already applies lower ARF, lower road taxes – in fact, ERP charges are also lower for motorcycles relative to other vehicle types.
So, it addresses and recognises how motorcycles are in fact using not fully the same road space as a car but nonetheless still using some road space. They cause some level of congestion and therefore, we have to make sure that is priced properly and the externalities are properly taken into account.
The Chairman : Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song : Sir, I am glad to hear that the Acting Minister wants to reduce the long travelling times on public transport. But he would appreciate that time is not the only factor contributing to a good commuting experience. A one-hour plus commute standing all the way is not easy on the back and the legs.
And since the binding constraint as Senior Minister of State Sun said, is not buses, but bus captains, can LTA deploy more double decker buses or bendy buses on heavily utilised routes, especially during peak hours, so that commuters can get a seat during their commute, or minimally do not miss their bus because it is full.
Mr Jeffrey Siow : Thank you, Mr Chairman. Absolutely agree. I think our intent is to try to deploy as many double decker buses as possible.
Just to explain a little bit, we do still have a legacy fleet of single deck buses. I am often asked, "Oh, why is it during peak hour, we are still deploying single deck buses?" and I get lots of angry emails very often on this particular issue. The reason is actually there are additions to the buses. I put in all my double deckers and then, on top of that, during peak hour, whatever single deckers I have, I also put in. And therefore, people do not like it when they see the single deck bus coming, but it is in fact an addition; it is not a subtraction.
Secondly, for electric buses, in the beginning when we first started buying them, most of them were single decker. And in Singapore, because we have to customise our buses, we had to wait for some time before the double deck electric buses came on stream. And so in the interim we did buy some of the single deck electric buses to start the electrification process. So, that is why you have still fairly new electric single deck buses in Singapore.
But of course, we want to try to have double decks, high-capacity buses as much as we can, because they are the most efficient, space saving and reduces our reliance on bus captains, because one bus captain driving a double deck is much better than one bus captain driving a single deck.
So, these are sort of the reasons that are hard to see on the outside, but I hope the Member and the public understands why you still see single decks on the roads today.
The Chairman : Ms Elysa Chen.
Ms Elysa Chen : Thank you, Chairman. Given the multiple road diversions and traffic disruptions that residents along the North-South corridor construction zone have had to endure since 2020, including the ongoing closure of Marymount Flyover and the successive road reconfiguration in the Bishan-Sin Ming area, what is the current construction timeline for the tunnel section of the North-South corridor from Lentor Avenue to the city? And what measures is LTA taking to minimise further disruption to residents and road users for the remaining construction period leading up to 2029?
My second question. I welcome efforts to also normalise asking for a seat on buses and trains, especially for seniors, pregnant women and those with less visible conditions. Encouraging commuters to communicate their needs can help to build a more gracious and responsive public transport culture.
At the same time, we have seen incidents overseas where disputes over priority seating escalated into confrontations, such as the case in Taiwan, when a woman calmly handed over her shopping bag to a fellow commuter and then proceeded to kick an elderly woman across the aisle just as the elderly woman was demanding that the younger woman give up her seat.
As we promote the norm of asking, how will the Ministry also ensure that commuter education emphasises mutual respect and a zero tolerance for aggressive or entitled behaviour?
Ms Sun Xueling : I thank the Member for her clarification. I will have to come back to her specifically on the timeline that she requested, but on the question she had about the disamenities that can be caused due to construction works, we definitely recognise this, that it disrupts residents, commuters, motorists as well. And we continue to seek our residents' patience and understanding.
Just bear in mind that we are trying to enhance transport connectivity at the end of the day, as well as to shorten travel times for our commuters as well as our motorists. Before the commencement of construction works, the LTA often carries out assessments to determine if existing road networks can be improved.
LTA and its contractors will also work closely with stakeholders and residents living near the works to minimise the inconvenience caused to them. And where possible, additional road or lane closures which are needed during certain phases of work will be carried out during off peak periods to avoid further inconvenience to residents.
The Chairman : We are quite close to guillotine time, so the last two clarifications. Sorry, Minister of State Baey, I forgot the second part.
Mr Baey Yam Keng : Yes, I thank Ms Chen for the clarification. Indeed, to make our commuting experience enjoyable, pleasant, every commuter plays a role. Therefore, whether is it someone who needs help or can offer help, we want to make this a norm that people are encouraged to ask for a seat, you know, and it is not just for priority seats. Any seats could be taken or could be given up for anyone who is in greater need.
So, we have the Caring Commuters' movement. We have Caring Commuter champions. We have the graciousness campaign going on. And we will continue in these efforts to cultivate a gracious and a caring culture on public transport. We hope that through education we can develop a new generation of commuters. And the kids can also influence their parents and elders to be more thoughtful for other commuters.
The Chairman : With the Singapore Kindness Movement, let us all be kinder. Mr Dennis Tan.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong : Thank you, Chairman. I am not sure that my cut on covered linkways for condominiums has been adequately addressed.
Could I just ask for Minister of State to address the questions specifically regarding those situations where the condominium needs assistance for a covered linkway, including in a no man's land situation to connect them to the nearest bus stop? And also my suggestion that URA and LTA mandate at the planning permission stage that developers provide shelter connectivity to the nearest public transport node?
Mr Baey Yam Keng : I would like to update the Member that right now, for upcoming condominium developments with more than 700 dwelling units and are located within 400 metres of a MRT station, developers are already required to submit walk-cycle-ride plans as part of the development application process. If covered linkways are required to connect residents to nearby transport nodes, URA will work with LTA to impose requirements on the condominium developers to construct these covered workways as part of the planning approval. So, that is for new developments.
I know that for existing condominiums or estates that were built before this requirement, there could be challenges. And for LTA's planning, you might be aware that we already provide linkways, covered linkways within transport nodes, 400 metres, 800 metres within Friendly Streets and all these. But in areas where the land belongs to another agency, like PUB as in the case that he mentioned in his cut, LTA will help to discuss with the different stakeholders. If it is on PUB land, PUB must give approval. And we have to respect the authorities' assessment of the land. There could be drainage or water pipes underneath that may be affected if we have to dig and build a sheltered linkway. So, there are technical considerations that we have to respect in the respective agency's assessment.
I know the Member has been pushing for a particular condominium, Parc Vera, if I am not wrong. In the case of that particular condominium, I understand that the condominium does not currently meet the LTA's requirement because there is no internal sheltered linkway from the residential building to the side gate – so that must first be in place, before LTA can even think about joining it to a bus stop or transport node.
These are things that would need to be worked through. LTA will be happy to look into it and we can provide more details if the Member can file a Parliamentary Question.
The Chairman : On that note, can I invite Ms Tin if you would like to withdraw your amendment?
6.58 pm
Ms Tin Pei Ling : Many thanks to all. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $3,109,174,200 for Head W ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $13,306,280,300 for Head W ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]