LTA's Community Partnership division reaches out to the public

Sim Ann, MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, has the number of a Land Transport Authority (LTA) Community Partnership Manager on speed dial so that she she can - on a regularly basis - discuss on traffic issues. According to the local paper, she is one of many whom are increasingly consulting LTA for help, and to express their opinions.

Within a three-year duration the number of cases handled by the division has nearly doubled - from an average of 360 cases monthly in 2010, to 640 cases monthly last year.

Mr Mohamed Farook Abdul Wahab, one of the division's Deputy Directors, claimed the increase could be a change in attitude since the last elections in 2011 where people have become bolder in expressing themselves. "Singaporeans are bolder in making requests and expressing their dissatisfaction about the frequency of buses and overloading in the trains," he said.

He also added most issues are municipal related like covered walkways and footpaths around HDB estates or the lack of or even illegal parking in private estates. More than taking down complaints, the division works together with residents to solve problems like the construction of a footpath for Braddell View condominium residents to get to Caldecott MRT station.

Vincens Tay, LTA's Community Partnership Manager who handled the case, said, "You need some agency to help drive such plans through. Since we are always on the ground, we thought let's get people together to push it through."

To improve its services, LTA brought in staff who handle communications for road and rail projects to work alongside the Community Partnership division last month under a new Quality Service Management office, and has boosted staff count to 56. The Community Partnership team serves as the forefront of the transport authority and is split into six teams, each overseeing a region of Singapore. Every Community Partnership Manager reaches out via grassroots meetings, community events and house visits.