Singapore eyed for transport excellence centre
A regional centre for land transport excellence is planned to be established in Singapore.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and International Association of Public Transport (UITP) inked on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding to establish and develop the UITP Centre for Transport Excellence for the Asia Pacific region.
UITP chose Singapore to anchor its training, research and knowledge activities for the region because Singapore "has demonstrated excellent public transport development with continued innovation...", LTA stated in a press release.
To be housed in the LTA Academy on Hampshire Road, the centre is envisioned to be a one-stop land transport knowledge and research hub with a focus on public transport and sustainable mobility. It will also provide training and support to land transport administrations and practitioners in the region, said the agency.
Hans Rat, secretary-general of UITP, a network of transport authorities, said, "Ever evolving societies, changing commuters' behaviors and escalating expectations make managing transportation in a city a 'work in progress' always."
LTA chief executive Chew Hock Yong said that through collaboration with UITP, the statutory board "can acquire cutting edge knowledge, which helps to meet our vision to deliver a land transport system that meets the diverse needs of an inclusive society and one that provides for a liveable and vibrant global city."
The signing of the MOU comes after Singapore's mass rapid transit network suffered three major train disruptions last week, including one breakdown that affected an estimated 127,000 people.
