Engaging the public
Public consultation was the cornerstone of the Land Transport Review, with six focus group discussions organised. There were tours to the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway tunnel as well. And since April, there's been an e-game on the LTA website that lets you play at being Transport Minister.Straits Times, The (Singapore)
Insight
December 15, 2007
Author: Goh Chin LianMany avenues to have your sayEVERY other week, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) would gather about 50 people for a two-hour powwow. Their goal: to help find ways to improve Singapore's transport system.
In all, six such focus group discussions were held over three months to let a cross-section of the travelling public have their say.
It was one of two modes of communication LTA transport planners chose to get the pulse of the ground for the Land Transport Review.
The other was the Internet. A website portal was set up for four months to let commuters give their ideas and wish list via e-mail.
By end-June, the LTA received 225 e-mail messages.
Most centred on public transport. Ideas ranged from letting even individuals run feeder services to introducing a taxi service using electric cars on rails. Others included ways to curb the car population, like giving a tax rebate to those who switch from cars to buses and trains.
These views were in addition to those from 300 people who took part in the focus groups that dwelt on three topics: making public transport the preferred choice of people, managing road use and meeting people's diverse needs.
Holding forth at these sessions were commuters, motorists, people with disabilities, interest groups representing cyclists and the elderly as well as representatives of public transport operators and cabby associations.
They suggested, among others, cutting back on parking lots in the city and offering cheaper parking at MRT stations so people can park and ride.
Such efforts to engage people are pivotal in Singapore's approach towards handling its transport issues and policies, says Transport Minister Raymond Lim in an interview.
'You need to get them involved because transport impacts on their lives every day.
'By engaging them, you give the public a better understanding of the wider issues involved, which go beyond their personal interest.
'At the same time, it allows the policymakers to have a better understanding of their concerns. So you create a two-way process.'
Besides lending them an ear, the LTA also believes in giving people a first-hand experience. For instance, residents were invited to visit nearby worksites of infrastructure projects like the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE).
Also, its engineers went door to door to get feedback on, say, dust and noise levels.
Beyond these targeted measures, the LTA also has two ongoing efforts.
One is an online role-playing game, and the other a programme that deploys LTA officers to work with MPs and grassroots leaders on problems raised by residents.
In April, the online game was launched to let a person play the role of the Transport Minister, so that person could get a grasp of the trade-offs involved in each policy decision.
More than 3,000 people have taken on the role, and most said they went away with a better understanding of the complex nature of Singapore's land transport policies.
As for the LTA's liaison officers, MPs such as Mr Michael Palmer find them a big help.
The MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC recalls a resident complaining that a side road was too narrow for school buses to make a U-turn safely.
The LTA officer took over the case and dealt directly with the resident. The authorities later expanded the turning radius for the buses.
Mr Palmer believes these officers make a difference.
'Singaporeans know you can't solve every problem.
'Still, they raise it and appreciate it when the ministries have someone who will listen and give an explanation.
'It's better than sending an e-mail and not getting a reply, or to receive a reply saying, 'Thank you very much for your feedback' and that's it.'
[email protected]Copyright, 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited