http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,184950,00.html?
Let Fly
COMMUTER'S TAKE ON MODIFIED MRT TRAINS
'More trains, not fewer seats'
November 28, 2008
TNP PICTURE: KUA CHEE SIONG
THE removal of some seats from MRT trains has financial consultant Jason Ow scratching his head.
Both the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT have said that their intention is not to fit more people into the train, but to give standing commuters more room so they can travel in greater comfort.
But that does not make much sense, Mr Ow, 33, pointed out.
He said: 'When people see that there's more space on the trains, they would naturally want to get on.
'More so now because there is additional space created by removing the seats.'
It's very likely that more people will try to board these trains instead of waiting for the next one, he said.
Hence, instead of making more room for commuters, the trains become packed to the brim again.
How does that make travelling more comfortable, Mr Ow asked.
In a Straits Times report two weeks ago, the LTA said that removing some seats would help more people board the train.
Since last month, MRT trains with one-third of their seats (84 seats per train) removed have been running.
A total of 10 trains will be modified by the end of January next year.
Mr Ow, who has to meet clients, takes four to five train rides every day.
He finds it hard to think that commuters would find travelling more comfortable with fewer seats.
He said: 'Sure, not everyone gets a seat even if the same number of seats is kept.
'But now, more people will need to stand, and that already reduces the comfort level.'
With fewer seats, the elderly and pregnant women may find it even harder to get seats.
Mr Ow said: 'As it is, not many Singaporeans are willing to give up their seats.'
He feels that instead of removing seats, SMRT should focus on improving the frequency and volume of train services during peak hours.
SMRT has already done that.
In a reply to a letter from a New Paper reader last week, Ms Bernadette Low, SMRT's corporate marketing and communications manager, said that SMRT had added an extra 900 train runs since the beginning of the year.
But, Mr Ow claimed that there have been instances where he had to wait up to seven minutes for the train during the evening peak hours.
When it finally arrived, there was barely room for more people to board, he added.
To fix the problem, there must be more trains that arrive more frequently during peak hours, he noted.
'People are less likely to cram into an already-packed train if they know that the next one is just a minute or two away.
Like sardines
'That way, trains won't be as crowded like they are now during peak hours - now they're packed like sardines.
'And passengers, both standing and sitting, would also have more room.'
As for the trains whose seats will be removed, Mr Ow suggests SMRT should have different types of trains for different periods of the day.
'Have the trains with fewer seats during peak hours so more people can get in, then use the ones with more seats for the off peak periods,' he said.
Perhaps it's all about balance.
Ms Low said: 'In determining the number of seats to be removed, we are mindful of the need to strike a balance as we understand some commuters would still like to have seats.'
So the trains will have only one-third of their seats removed.
Ms Low added: 'Where the train seats used to be, we have introduced more handrails and hand straps for use by standing passengers.'
Eoin Ee, newsroom intern
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