if it is crowded it is crowded. during peak if commuters can't get into the train until the third one comes by it is unacceptable. period. don't talk about Tokyo etc being more crowded.
LTA should answer why despite our trains being newer than HK, trains in Moscow and HK can do below 2 minute train frequency and why our signalling system has not being overhauled to do the same - surely overhauling fully is vital in passenger safety and reduces train disruptions?
crowding is crowding. benchmarking only increases complacency, gives operators excuses to cut corners to save more money - `see, other countries worse, packed more sardines in per sq inch'. Our standards are falling - since the great expansion of budget travel - the people see and experience neighbouring countries' transport system and know how unacceptable our standrards are. The regulators can paint rosy pictures, cite statistics to prove otherwise - they can't hide the true picture of how our standards stagnate while other leapfrog.
so what if HK trains runs much shorter (need to be confirmed this assertion)- does this mean longer distances here the operators can slacken and use it as an excuse?
Passengers are already moving into the centre and the trains are still very packed. I suppose authorities would never, never understand what passengers experience when it comes to travelling between Choa Chu Kang MRT and Jurong East MRT. Travelling on crowded trains is such a chore.
4.9 passengers per square metre? means people are standing shoulder to shoulder. What if your journey is 45min long? Very uncomfortable. Many times, no matter which part of the platform, I cant get into the train, at morning peak at jurong (east bound), or on weekend nights in the city (situation no different from morning peak). Weekend train frequency ought to increase. I am saddened that instead of further improving our public transport for comfort, they rather say that our train crowding is already much better than some european or japanese train service. Shouldn't we aim to provide the best for our citizens, bring the service to a higher level than these other countries? (we like to be ranked #1 right) We did it for airport. Why is the benchmark target so different.
The trains have reached saturation point, SMRT cannot add on anymore trains to cater for the peak hours. So, what they can do is hire a few "pushers" in some populated stations and increase the carrying density to maybe 5.5 or 6.0
Whatever figure, it is still less than 7.0 compared to Tokyo.
and they want more drivers to take public transport... What a joke !!
Must cater for a "No Driving day" when nobody can drive and all have to take the public transport... let's see how our public transport can handle that !!
November 06, 2008 Thursday, 02:27 AM
