Use of Bus Boarding Ramps for Wheelchairs and Baby Pushchairs
Ministry of TransportSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms He Ting Ru’s inquiry regarding operational differences in deploying bus boarding ramps for wheelchairs versus pushchairs and the resources allocated for family-friendly transport accessibility. Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat explained that while ramps are standard for wheelchair users who may travel alone, caregivers can request ramp assistance at rear doors. To support families, buses are equipped with stroller restraints in wheelchair bays, and caregivers have flexibility regarding boarding doors and stroller use. Since 2014, all new bus interchanges have been built with family-friendly features like baby care rooms, which will also be added to existing interchanges during upgrades. Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat added that these facilities are standard for the Thomson-East Coast Line and will be included in the upcoming Jurong Region and Cross Island Lines.
Transcript
34 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Transport (a) what operational considerations underpin the current differentiation in the deployment of bus boarding ramps for wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs; and (b) what are the specific targets and resources allocated to improve public transport accessibility for families with young children.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Parents or caregivers have the flexibility to board from either the front or rear doors and to decide whether they wish to leave their child in the stroller as they board. Parents or caregivers who prefer to use the ramp at the rear door can ask the bus captains for assistance. For passengers in wheelchairs who require the use of the ramp to board from the rear door, bus captains will deploy the ramp as a standard procedure. There is a difference for passengers in wheelchairs as many of them may be by themselves, unlike the case for children, and it may not be easy for someone in the wheelchair to alert the bus captain.
Stroller restraints have been installed in the wheelchair bays of buses for families who prefer to keep their strollers open. Since 2014, all new bus interchanges are equipped with family-friendly features, such as baby care rooms and child-friendly facilities in toilets. For existing bus interchanges, we will include these family-friendly facilities during upgrading works where feasible. All stations along the Thomson-East Coast Line and the upcoming Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line are also equipped with similar features.