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More taking free train rides before rush hour

SINGAPORE — The Government’s trial of free train rides has resulted in an increase in commuters tapping out of stations in the city before the morning rush hour over the last three months — a trend that observers feel should spur the authorities to consider new approaches to further ease congestion on trains.

SINGAPORE — The Government’s trial of free train rides has resulted in an increase in commuters tapping out of stations in the city before the morning rush hour over the last three months — a trend that observers feel should spur the authorities to consider new approaches to further ease congestion on trains.

Latest figures from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) showed a 20 per cent increase in commuters exiting 16 train stations from 7am to 8am between August and last month, up from the 19 per cent increase in July, the first full month where the free-ride trial was offered to early birds.

Meanwhile, the decrease in commuters leaving stations in the city from 8am to 9am has remained stable at a monthly rate of 7 per cent between July and last month.

Taking May’s numbers as the base figures, this translates to about 7,300 commuters making the daily switch to travel to the city earlier and about 6,755 fewer commuters travelling during peak hours.

“Our data for the months between July and October showed some encouraging results, with a decrease of around 7 per cent in exits at the 16 city stations during peak hours,” the LTA said.

It cited another statistic to bolster its case: The number of exits made for the period between 8am and 9am is now 2.1 times those from 7am to 8am, down from 2.7 times before the trial started. This shows that travel demand during the morning peak period has been smoothened, added the authority.

Commenting on the take-up thus far, Dr Park Byung Joon, who heads the Urban Transport Management Programme at SIM University, felt it would be “reasonable to assume” that those who would change their commuting behaviour to take advantage of the scheme have already done so.

“As such, if the scheme remains as it is, it is unlikely more commuters will change their travelling pattern,” he said.

“Although (there is free travel), the actual amount of money people can save is not a huge amount ... about S$30 to S$50 per month at most. The positive thing is that the figures are not decreasing.”

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew had set a target of shifting between 10 and 20 per cent of commuters away from the morning peak period when he announced the trial in April.

The year-long trial by the Government, which cost S$10 million, offers a 50-cent discount to those who tap out between 7.45am and 8am on weekdays at any of the 16 designated stations. Those who travel before 7.45am will not have to pay for the MRT ride.

Members of Parliament interviewed were generally pleased with the results thus far, but felt more could be done to ease peak-hour congestion on trains.

Dr Janil Puthucheary, who first suggested the free-travel idea in Parliament earlier this year, felt any change in commuters’ habits would take time. “The feedback on the ground has been that people are feeling the difference in the trains,” he said.

Mr Ang Hin Kee, however, said some commuters were unable to take advantage of the scheme due to their inflexible working hours and more could be done to persuade employers to allow flexible work arrangements.

Dr Park agreed: “The more desirable way is to adopt the flexible-working-hour culture. However, it requires long-term efforts from the whole society.”

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