Singapore’s formula for mobility
Credit to Author: ROBERT SIY| Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 16:27:29 +0000
To improve the mobility of Filipinos, we don’t need to look far for best practices. Singapore provides examples of good policies and approaches relevant for the Philippines. To write this column, I took a look at Singapore’s Land Transport Master Plan 2040 (LTMP 2040), prepared by its Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Singapore sets targets in terms of measurable outcomes linked to commuters’ welfare. Here are a few from LTMP 2040:
• By 2040, commuters should be able to travel within 20 minutes by walking, cycling or public transport to reach neighborhood centers where they can find shops, schools, parks and medical services
• By 2040, nine out of 10 commuters should be able to reach their work places within 45 minutes during peak travel periods by walking, cycling or public transport
• By 2040, nine out of 10 peak period journeys should be by walking, cycling or public/shared transport
Having outcome-based targets enables planners to formulate appropriate projects and apply sufficient budgetary resources. It is also how performance and success are measured—in terms of tangible improvement in terms of commuter welfare. A master plan shouldn’t be just a collection projects; it should illustrate how improved commuter welfare will be achieved.
Recognizing the close link between mobility, housing and land use, LTMP 2040 pushes for more compact, dense, multi-purpose neighborhoods, where jobs as well as basic services and amenities, including health care and education, are available. Shorter trips translate to more time left for productive activities, leisure and family.
Nowhere in LTMP 2040 is there anything about improving the traffic flow or increasing the speed of cars. (Nothing like “Cubao to Makati in 5 minutes.”) It is all about making walking, cycling and public transport the preferred alternatives to using a private motor vehicle.
Car use and ownership are controlled through a variety of measures. Singapore has an Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system to discourage cars from entering the city center. Drivers have to pay the ERP charge, similar to a toll, whenever they enter the ERP area during operational hours. Singapore has a limit on the total number of cars that can operate in its territory—to have a car in Singapore, one has to bid for a 10-year right to own a private vehicle, which can cost even more than the vehicle itself.
To “move people, not cars,” LTMP 2040 proposes several initiatives for giving up car lanes to achieve more efficient and socially desirable use of road infrastructure. Road space is being transformed into bus-only lanes; community parks; pedestrian-only spaces; and cycling paths.
A top priority is to expand “active mobility” (walking and cycling) networks. Singapore recognizes that most journeys involve walking or cycling, plus there are huge health and environmental benefits from getting more people into active transport modes.
Singapore’s attractiveness as a destination for investments and highly-skilled workers is very much related to its “walkability” and “bike-ability”. Under LTMP 2040, Singaporeans should be able to move around the city safely on foot or by bicycle, not only for the first and last mile, but even for end-to-end journeys. Accordingly, Singapore has set an ambitious target of 700 kilometers (kms) of cycling paths by 2030 and 1,000 kms by 2040. Even earlier, Singapore will have 267,000 bicycle parking spaces in place by 2020.
To encourage walking, Singapore will build by 2040 an additional 150 kms of covered walkways leading from residential areas to train stations. Applications for new real estate developments are required to have a Walking and Cycling Plan. Building a city-wide “active mobility” network will also support the growing population of personal mobility devices (e.g., electric kick scooters).
Singapore continues to expand public transport services, both bus and train. New rail lines are being developed to increase the network from 229 kms today to 360 kms by 2030. One thousand additional buses were recently added to the bus fleet.
Singapore is making a big effort to improve bus travel times. Singapore has already created 211 kms of bus-only lanes. So that bus commuters save an additional 10 to 15 minutes in daily travel time, Singapore will be introducing more bus-only roads and expanding bus signal priority at intersections, applying the principles of bus rapid transit (BRT). Instead of finding ways for cars to move faster, LTMP 2040 proposes a reduction in vehicle speed limits in selected zones.
Under the new industry business model, LTA owns all the buses and trains, while operation and maintenance of vehicles are contracted to the private sector. Bus operators are paid to provide services rather than for the number of passengers. This avoids on-street competition for passengers. Transport operators are able to focus on delivering quality services, undertaking proper maintenance, and meeting performance standards. LTA is able to manage the overall supply of public transport and monitor operator performance. With the government owning the buses and trains, LTA has the option of replacing the transport operator if any fail to meet standards.
One principle of LTMP 2040 is “Transport for All”, meaning convenient travel for persons of all ages and abilities, including the elderly and persons with disabilities. The goal is inclusivity—so that every Singaporean can access the same social and economic opportunities, with no one disadvantaged because of their physical condition or local travel constraints. By 2020, all buses in Singapore will be wheel-chair accessible and all pedestrian overhead bridges will have elevators.
Moreover, LTA has a campaign to achieve a “gracious and caring commuting culture”—where people assist and look out for each other, so that every journey is a pleasant and enjoyable one. To build this culture among the youth, elementary and high school students are invited to volunteer at train stations and terminals—giving directions to travelers, assisting at ticketing machines and helping persons with disabilities.
LTA makes a meaningful effort to consult its stakeholders and to respond to their suggestions. To improve the quality and attractiveness of public transport services, Singapore’s LTA regularly measures customer satisfaction with transport services. In addition to organizing focus group discussions, LTA engages independent survey organizations to conduct annual customer satisfaction surveys—this is one way LTA measures its own performance.
I was impressed that, in the LTA structure, there is even a division and a manager for Community Partnership, which interacts with residents, hears their concerns, and solicits feedback. To identify commuter needs, LTA established a “Family-Friendly Travel Advisory Panel”. Going forward, LTA will be forming a “Commuter Advocate Panel” composed of residents with diverse travel needs (such as the youth, parents of young children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities).
We often hear the argument that Filipinos will never walk, bicycle or use public transport on a regular basis because our climate is too hot, wet or humid. Here, we have Singapore, a city with a similar climate as ours, moving aggressively to promote walking, cycling and public transport over private car use and achieving impressive results in terms of improved commuter welfare.
The Philippines does not have to look far to find the best practices. Some of these initiatives can be introduced with relatively little investment and delivered within the next three years. The question is whether our leaders have the vision, passion and political will to make the important decisions.
Robert Y. Siy is a development economist, city and regional planner, and public transport advocate. He can be reached at mobilitymatters.ph@yahoo.com or followed on Twitter @RobertRsiy
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