Walk Cycle Ride: Singapore Launches Public Consultation on Land Transport Master Plan 2040
MRT Station © John under licence
Singapore: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the government have launched a major public consultation on the future of land transport in the country. The Public Consultation Document (PCD) for the Land Transport Master Plan 2040 (LTMP) outlines key topics for consideration in the development of public transport services.
Land Transport Master Plan 2040
The LTA has grouped the consultation into three principal themes:
Theme 1: Walk Cycle Ride (WCR)
WCR encompasses all environmentally friendly modes of transport: walking, cycling, buses and trains, as well as taxis and private-hire cars. The LTA is committed to making these modes the preferred form of travel around the city for all Singaporeans. The PCD invites members of the public to share their views on balancing comfort, choice and speed and increasing uptake of WCR.
Theme 2: Easier and Inclusive WCR
The PTD also invites opinions on potential difficulties of WCR for some people and how public transport systems could be designed and co-ordinated to meet the needs of Singaporeans of all ages and abilities.
Theme 3: Improving Quality of Life
Members of the public are also asked for their views on how WCR could make transport safer and generally improve the ‘liveability’ of communities across Singapore.
Members of the public, senior figures in the transport industry and other stakeholders can share their views and ideas on these themes via various channels, including electronic polls. The LTA will also be hosting several focus groups on all three themes between October 2018 and January 2019. Potential participants in the focus groups can express their interest in them via an electronic poll or the PCD response form.
The LTA has convened an Advisory Panel of 15 people, chaired by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State for Transport, for the LTMP 2040. The panel will consider the views obtained from the public consultation and publish their recommendations in early 2019. These recommendations will be incorporated into the policies for LTMP 2040.
Land Transport Master Plan 2030
In the previous LTMP, which was published in 2014, the LTA promised more and better public transport services to support the ‘liveability’ and inclusivity of communities. The authority believes that it is on track to achieve several of its targets:
- 8 in 10 households living within 10 minutes’ walk of a train station
- 75% of all journeys during peak hours undertaken on public transport
- 85% of public transport journeys under 20km completed within 60 minutes
The LTA is currently overseeing several projects to expand the Mass Rapid Transit network in Singapore: construction of the Thompson-East Line and Downtown Line 3 extension, and the installation of a new station on the North-South Line. Several other projects, including a Cross-Island Line, are due to be completed between 2023 and 2030.
