Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Politics and MRT

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Politics and MRT

What has politics got to do with the standard of service in MRT trains? Read my views.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...: Dear Mr. Tan,I have the similar experiences.The top peoples are not with the ground.They lost the sensitive on many issued.I am very concern on our future and that of our children.You are a good Singaporean that provide so many suggestions,and I really wish the policy maker do take necessary action to improve it.; November 06, 2009 1:39 AM
Anonymous said...: Mr Tan
I travel to work everyday on MRT train. I like to share with you and your readers a spot in the train which is comfortable enough even if the train is very crowded. Not in the driver's cabin. It is in the middle of the car. From my observation, many passengers like to crowd around the exit doors, leaving the middle section of the car relatively roomy. Very few people like me would like to brave through the human obstacle to push our way to that golden spot. But, our effort paid off as we could enjoy the remaining ride in comfort. Try this in your next train ride.
Cheers!

P/S: Retiree like yourself, could get a seat designated for "reserved or priority seat' in the train. These seats are near the exit doors.; November 06, 2009 9:19 AM
Anonymous said...: We have 4.9 million people already, and many are adult working PRs and foreigners.

Some more we haven't reach the target of 6.5 million yet, on a tiny red dot of 700 sq km.

So the worst may be yet to come, not just crowded trains but many other things too.; November 06, 2009 9:27 AM
Anonymous said...: To the previous Anon, hello. "The worst is yet to come", this sounds like the story of Singapore in the past ten years, isn't it?

recruit ong; November 06, 2009 10:22 AM
KFC said...: The size of Singapore will be increased to 800 sq km with an expected population of 6.5 million by 2030. The MRT network by then will be expanded to more than 500 km. According to the Concept Plan 2001, the next phase of new MRT lines to be built are Holland Line, Seletar Line and Northshore line. These are new and unannounced lines which are in addition to the DTL, ERL, Thomson Line.; November 06, 2009 10:29 AM
Wealth Journey said...: Not related to this but thought you might be interested.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&refer=conews&tkr=13:HK&sid=a0efg_RqfPgI

Hong Kong’s Law Reform Commission proposed allowing class-action lawsuits in cases such as the losses thousands of investors in the city suffered on notes guaranteed by failed Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

If there was misrepresentation in the advertising or prospectuses for such unlisted securities, investors could be able to litigate as a group, the chairman of the commission’s sub-committee on class actions, Anthony Neoh, said yesterday.

“This would be an additional weapon” for people without the financial ability to seek damages, he said.; November 06, 2009 10:29 AM
Anonymous said...: "From my observation, many passengers like to crowd around the exit doors, leaving the middle section of the car relatively roomy. Very few people like me would like to brave through the human obstacle to push our way to that golden spot."

I am one of those who love to crowd around exit door especially peak hour. I have numerous experiences that when the train is overcrowded, it is hard to move around to the exit door, and often miss alignment because the door just close fast and upon opening the door, people rush to jump into the MRT pushing you further away from the exit, which make it impossible to align, so to play safe, just stand near exit, at least easier to exit. Don't just blame us, blame on the overcrowding issue due to overwhelming foreigner influx by government. Those standing near the exit is been reactive.; November 06, 2009 1:04 PM
Anonymous said...: How does buiding more MRT lines alleviate overcrowding? It does not solve the problem. The number of train carriages are fixed.

In fact, with the circle line in operation, the overcrowding will get worse because the circle line, operating around some outlying areas, carries more people towards the present MRT stations thus creating a bigger crowd.; November 06, 2009 4:09 PM
Anonymous said...: building more mrt lines does solve the problem to some extent if the lines are correctly designed vis a vis the traffic pattern. I presume that the superbrains in LTA decided that many people go from angmokio side down to city hall to transit either east or west to changi and jurong (and vice versa) and jam up the city hall and the stations nearby. So they build circle line to siphone off such traffic which can now go from angmokio side east and west avoidng city area.

We will have no idea whether their theory is correct or wrong even after circle line is up. Because there is another variable which wasn't factored in when circle line was planned. When circle line was planned, they prob didnt anticipated such a sudden increase in population allowed in the new immigration policies. So everything is back to square one!!!!

But, having circle line is still better than having no circle line at all, just my guess but impossible to prove.

REX; November 06, 2009 7:33 PM
Anonymous said...: strange arrh...why Singapore & Singaporean so many problem with even simple thing lile the transport?in HK, we don't even need to talk, just move in & out fast arrh...so many problem in Singapore so why Singaporean not immigrate but continue to complain? strange mentality...; November 08, 2009 7:26 PM
Vincent Sear said...: To: Anonymous 7:26PM

Yes, you hit my heartstring. I've never owned a car and been taking public transport all my life.

I wait for bus or MRT train as a matter of factly, the bus could also go through traffic jams, all I figured and taken into consideration. Given the time and venue, I plan my trip. In case of emergency delay, then I take taxi and pay the higher fare.

I have no complain about the Singapore public transport system. It' fairly priced with comprehensive coverage and accessible to practically anybody anywhere on the island.

If you'd live in Japan or the US, then you know, what's it's like to pay US$100+ in taxi fares to get you home from a night on town.

Back to medical insurance. I'm all for government aid to take care of childless and resourceless old aged citizens. However, that's not the same as empathising with high income expats complaining about high premiums and underwriting.; November 08, 2009 10:47 PM