Provide universal transport service: Workers’ Party
The Workers' Party (WP) has called again for a National Transport Corporation to "oversee and provide universal transport service to all".
In a statement on Tuesday, a day after SBS Transit and SMRT Corp applied to the Public Transport Council for a 2.8 percent fare hike, the WP outlined its views.
WP noted that its 2006 and 2011 manifestos called for the MRT and public buses servicing major trunk and inter-town routes to be brought under a national transport corporation.
The corporation should not be profit-oriented but should "aim to provide public transportation services on the basis of cost and depreciation recovery," it said.
"This would avoid a situation like we have seen (on Monday) where, despite earning profits of S$215.4 million last year, the two public transport operators are still applying for what threatens to be the single biggest fare increase to hit commuters in recent years."
During this year's General Election, the People's Action Party said that the WP's proposal would lower service levels and burden taxpayers, who would have to subsidise the system.
The WP noted on Tuesday, however, that its proposal "would not necessarily mean higher subsidies or a loss-making endeavour".
"If competently run, the corporation could reduce costs associated with the duplication of functions and roles," it said.
"We have seen many examples of efficiently run publicly-run service providers in Singapore in the past. It is a fallacy to think that the two public transport operators today represent genuine competition which imposes market discipline that ensures efficiency and good performance."
