Lianhe Zaobao, 67%公交乘客高峰时段 45分钟内可抵市区

(Summarised translation)

Last year, 67% of commuters in Singapore were able to travel between their homes and city-centre workplaces within 45 minutes during peak hours using walking, cycling, or public transport—falling short of the Land Transport Master Plan 2040 goal of 90%.

Experts believe that until new MRT lines are completed, initiatives like the S$900 million Bus Services Enhancement Programme and the accelerated adoption of autonomous vehicles over the next five years will be key to reducing travel times.

Challenges remain, especially in newer and more remote estates like Tengah and Punggol, where residents often live farther from MRT stations.

The government is working to improve connectivity in these areas, aiming to shorten public transport commutes to within one to two times that of driving. While autonomous vehicles could help address labour shortages in the transport sector and enhance first- and last-mile connectivity, experts stress the need for careful testing, strong public acceptance, and clear policies around liability and cybersecurity.

Dr Samuel Chng, Research Assistant Professor of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at SUTD, said that for wider implementation of autonomous vehicles on public roads, it will be important to gain public’s trust and acceptance. Issues that the public would be concerned about include the reliability of autonomous technology, the ability of autonomous vehicles to operate safely alongside other vehicles, and cybersecurity issues involving these connected vehicles.