The public transport fare formula is being reviewed by PTC in the light of rising operating costs, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan in Parliament on Wed. Khaw told the House that the current formula is “inadequate” and can be better improved to track total costs. “While transport fares must be affordable, we must be careful that they are not priced too cheaply as maintaining a high quality transport requires resources. Cheap fares are popular but they are just not sustainable,” said the MP for Sembawang GRC. The 65-year-old affirmed Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui’s observation that there had been a “alarming spike” in public transport subsidies. Much of this was down to the fact that, over the last five years, improvements to public transport services have increased operating costs by 60 per cent new lines, buses and trains were added. In the same period, said Khaw, fares have gone down by 2 per cent.... Continue Reading