The Public Transport Council (PTC) in Singapore has announced that public transport fares for buses and MRT will increase by 7% from December 23. Adult card fares will see an increase of 10 to 11 cents per journey, while adult cash fares will increase by 20 cents for bus rides. On the other hand, concession card users will experience a lower increase of 4 to 5 cents per journey.
The fare adjustment is part of the Fare Review Exercise (FRE) for 2023, which is driven by factors such as the rise in energy prices, core inflation, and strong wage growth in 2022. The increase of 7% is significantly lower than the maximum quantum of 22.6% allowed for fare adjustments.
To provide additional support for concessionary groups, the prices of hybrid monthly concession passes for students, seniors, and full-time National Servicemen will be reduced by up to 10%. The government will also lower the price of the monthly concession pass for persons with disabilities (PwDs) from $64 to $58, similar to that for seniors. Furthermore, a new hybrid monthly concession pass will be introduced for Workfare Transport Concession Scheme (WTCS) card holders, priced at $96 with a $32 discount borne by the government.
These changes to the monthly concession passes will benefit approximately 60,000 existing and new pass holders, allowing for greater affordability and accessibility to public transport in Singapore.
Overall, the fare adjustment aims to balance the financial sustainability of public transport operators while ensuring that fares remain affordable for commuters. The government has also agreed to provide an additional subsidy of about $300 million to cover the deferred fare adjustment quantum from the 2022 FRE.
Sources:
– Public Transport Council (PTC)
– Yahoo Singapore Telegram