Measures to promote off-peak travel will be reviewed by the Public Transport Council (PTC), the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said on Friday. Free Pre-Peak Travel was introduced in 2013 and Off-Peak Pass trials were started in 2015. They are due to expire by June and July this year, but will be extended to the end of 2017 when the results of the review will be due.
In addition to these two travel demand management trials to ease commuter loading on public transport during peak periods, several other measures to enhance public transport capacity, such as the addition of new MRT lines, trains and buses, have also been implemented, the MOT said.
These include:
1. The opening of the full Downtown Line later this year, which over its three phases since 2013 would have added another 42km to Singapore's MRT network.
2. Completion of the resignalling of the North-South Line this year, and of the East-West Line next year, which will enable up to 20 percent more trains to be run during the peak periods, if necessary.
3. Adding 112 trains to the MRT network and 29 train-cars to the LRT network since 2011, as well as 22 more new trains, which will be introduced by 2019.
4. The Bus Service Enhancement Programme, under which close to 950 additional buses have been put on the roads since 2012. The 1,000th bus under the scheme will be added later this year, marking the end of the programme.
"It is timely to take stock and review the effectiveness and continued necessity of the Free Pre-Peak Travel and Off-Peak Pass trials," the MOT said. The reviews will be conducted in parallel with the fare review exercise later this year, and the findings announced by the end of the year.
