Creative solutions needed to improve public transport

I refer to the letter “Improve public transport by making car use prohibitive” (June 22).

While it is a valid point that having cars obviates the need to take public transport, one must also recognise that public transport today cannot replace the car — and not only for the options of driving to lunch and carrying our shopping.

It is simplistic to assume that making car usage expensive would improve public transport. This is analogous to saying that doing away with food courts would make all hawker centres improve. Improvements do not happen through a lack of choice.

My family of five visited Jurong Bird Park recently. We drove, despite the difficulty of finding parking there, as marshalling two toddlers with diaper bags, pushchairs and a pioneer-generation grandfather to the Bird Park via public transport was not a good option.

We would have to take a bus to the MRT station, change to a train and then to another bus to get there. And we would have to collapse both pushchairs while on the bus.

Imagine juggling toddlers and equipment in uncomfortable, packed buses and trains, not to mention journey times almost double or sometimes triple that of going by car. We could have taken a taxi, but in such a case, we might as well drive.

It is the same if we go to the Science Centre, Sungei Buloh, East Coast Park or even the relatively central Bishan Park. Couple that with daily episodes of ferrying the children to childcare, swimming classes, et cetera, especially when it rains or during the haze.

Those with school-going children would attest to the prohibitive cost of hiring a school bus and the unearthly hours children must wake up at to catch the bus. If we are to take a taxi more than three or four times a day, owning a car becomes logical and necessary.

I, too, believe more efficient and connected public transport can reduce the need for cars. But public transport must mature to that level first. Our road network must also be better designed; there are choke points along arterial roads where three or four lanes merge into two, causing congestion. The roads may otherwise support more vehicles.

Also, what about decentralising education, business and government complexes to lessen vehicle flow to these places? Other innovative measures such as car sharing and revamping the off-peak car scheme may help.

There are those of us who need a car for work or business and/or a better family life. The high cost of buying a car is already affecting many families, more of whom would be unhappy if usage cost should increase just to force them off the roads.