About 8 in 10 give Singapore public transport system the thumbs up

ABOUT eight in 10 residents in Singapore give the city-state's transport system the thumbs up, according to a recent poll commissioned by REACH.

The telephone poll with 1,200 randomly selected Singapore residents aged 15 and above from Feb 29 to March 4, 2016, showed perceptions towards both the quality and affordability of the public transport system have improved since last year.

Eighty per cent of respondents agreed that Singapore has a good public transport system, up from 74 per cent last year. Sixty-six per cent agreed that public transport in Singapore is generally affordable, up from 63 per cent last year.

On bus services, 37 per cent felt that the waiting time has improved compared to one year ago, while 10 per cent said it is longer. Some 29 per cent felt that it was now less crowded on buses, compared to 20 per cent who felt it has become more crowded.

On train services, six in 10 respondents were confident that the government's efforts will help improve the reliability of train services.

Half of the respondents were supportive of the country's move towards lower car ownership. About 16 to 18 per cent of bus, MRT and taxi users and 31 per cent of car users did not support the move.

REACH, or Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home, was launched in October 2006 when the Feedback Unit was restructured. Apart from gathering public feedback, it also aims to engage and connect with citizens.