Reasons for Scrapping Off-peak Monthly Travel Pass for Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens

13 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport (a) what has been the take-up rate for the Off-peak Monthly Travel Pass for persons with disabilities and senior citizens; (b) why was it discontinued without prior notice; and (c) whether there are plans to provide cheaper off-peak or weekend travel options to encourage senior citizens to stay active.

14 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the reason for scrapping the $40 monthly unlimited off-peak travel pass for senior citizens; (b) how many seniors are affected by the scrapping of the pass; and (c) what percentage of seniors have switched to buying the $60 Senior Citizen Monthly Concession Pass.

The Minister for Transport (Mr Khaw Boon Wan): Sir, senior citizens and persons with disabilities enjoy concessionary fares that are 25% off adult card fares at all times. Regular commuters among this group can also buy the monthly concession pass at half the price of the regular adult monthly pass.

The off-peak pass was introduced in July 2015 as a trial to see if we can get regular commuters to shift from peak to off-peak travel. However, the result has been disappointing. It has shifted less than 200 of the pass users to off-peak travel.

As the scheme has clearly not been effective, the Public Transport Council (PTC) recommended discontinuing it starting this year. Instead, under a new scheme, all commuters can enjoy a fare discount of up to 50 cents throughout the rail network if they tap in before 7.45 am. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities enjoy this discount on top of their regular 25% discounts. The new scheme was launched with wide publicity. PTC, the Land Transport Authority and the public transport operators have placed posters at all Mass Rapid Transit stations and buses since the middle of December last year. More than half of the senior citizens and persons with disabilities off-peak pass users have switched to buy the monthly concession pass in January this year.

Mr Speaker: Er Dr Lee Bee Wah.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): I would like to ask the Minister two supplementary questions. The fact that there was quite a lot of discussion on the ground on this means that it affects these 200 users. I would like to ask whether there is a study to see whether these 200 commuters who used the old scheme were worse off or adversely affected under the new scheme. Secondly, if they need help, is there any other help that is available, such as transport vouchers or anything else?

Mr Speaker: Minister, can you also clarify whether you are taking both Question Nos 13 and 14 together?

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Yes. I do not have the data that Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has asked for, except to say that when we design a public scheme, it must benefit as wide a number of people as possible. After all, we are spending taxpayers' money. When the scheme was formulated, I suppose we were optimistic that there would be many who will benefit and make the switch. Unfortunately, it did not turn out to be so. I think it is the right decision on the part of PTC to recommend disbanding this but, instead, bring out a new scheme, which is what we are enjoying today, which will benefit hundreds and thousands of commuters.

Of the handful who probably are adversely affected, how best to do it? Well, my favourite Member of Parliament (MPs) has good solutions. Good local MPs can always come up with local solutions. When we know a particular resident has been inconvenienced because of this, and yet despite the various 25% discount and so on, still could not afford their transport fares, as a local MP, we do chip in, if I discover such cases. I am quite sure Er Dr Lee will know how to do it.

Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Daniel Goh.

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Minister. Just a question about the experimental effect because it seems like people have switched from the off-peak pass to the all-day pass. Will this increase senior citizens travelling in peak periods and, therefore, actually defeating the purpose of the experiment in the first place?

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: I doubt it. But we would not know until it starts. So, we will analyse the impact of these various new schemes that have just been brought in. It is just a few weeks in the run and we will see whether we need to refine the scheme as we go along.

Last week, I was reading about the death of the famous founder of IKEA. He is a legend and there are many stories about him. I remember his Chief Executive Officer always related an anecdote where, in a board meeting, the founder questioned him, "What are the mistakes you have done?" Meaning that, in life, we must always experiment, try out things. If you never did, you never tried out anything, then that is your biggest mistake.

Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Daniel Goh.

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: Just a quick question. Why not give the senior citizens the flexibility of choice between the off-peak pass and the all-day pass? Maybe an experiment?

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: We will see. But now that we have tried this experiment and found that the off-peak pass has failed miserably, why do we want to do it again? So, yes, while I encourage making mistakes, trying out new things, but when we have discovered something does not work and we keep on banging our head against the wall, why do we do that? We will get a headache.