First he calls for more fare increases, even when public transport operators are already generating a profit, then he refuses to disclose how much subsidies will be given to new public transport contractors.
Speaking in parliament, Singapore Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew called for regular bus fare increases to ensure the stability of the new bus contracting model. When pressed, he refused to disclose how much the new bus contracting model will cost the government.
“It’s probably not in the government’s interest to reveal any budget that we may have set aside and how much we are prepared to subsidise before the tenders are issued and the returns are seen as this may skew the bid against us.”
Meanwhile, SBS will raise bus fares on 41 “non-basic routes” come 3rd August. This fare raise will apply to all commuters, including seniors and students.
The affected services are Nite Owl, Parks, Chinatown, Direct and Premium services. Nite Owl services will see increases of between 10 to 20c per adult. Parks Services and Chinatown Direct services will see fares increasing by 10c per adult.
