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SINGAPORE: Singapore's disabled can now travel on buses more conveniently as SBS Transit rolls out eight new wheelchair accessible bus services to commemorate World Disability Day on Thursday.
The services are numbers 13, 15, 36, 52, 54, 57, 291 and 333.
The move will bring the total number of wheelchair accessible bus (WAB) services introduced this year to 16.
In total, SBS Transit will have 38 WAB services running on the roads.
It said ridership on its services by passengers-in-wheelchairs has increased steadily.
In November, close to 1,000 trips were made by passengers-in-wheelchairs on 30 wheelchair accessible bus services, and the company said it is expecting the numbers to grow as more WAB services continue to be rolled out.
A passenger who benefits from the WAB services is Hong Kai Siong, who suffered a stroke three years ago. His family said they are happy the service is affordable.
"Taking taxi is very expensive, I find taking bus is very convenient, said Mabel Tan, his caregiver. "(We) will take buses that have handicap logo."
However, disability group "CAN!" said providing such accessibility is not enough, and members are renewing calls for public transport subsidies for the disabled as they say not everyone can afford the fares.
Its coordinator Reena Rajeswari, who is visually impaired, has been pushing for transport subsidies for a decade now, so that the disabled community can travel without financial worries.
"I realise there are many disabled people who are not willing to come out because of insufficient funds for transport," she said.
The group held a two-week campaign to petition for their cause in May.
Nearly 400 signatures were collected but the group claimed it has not been easy to hand over the petition to the relevant authorities.
CAN! said it will continue to petition for a subsidy similar to that given to senior citizens, but without the restricted hours.
When contacted, the Public Transport Council said it does not administer any form of subsidy, but both SBS Transit and SMRT said they are exploring the possibility of concessionary travel for the disabled.
SMRT said that any concessionary travel is effectively cross-subsidised by full-fare paying commuters. Hence, there is a need to exercise prudence in granting travel concessions.
The public has been mostly receptive of the idea of subsidised fares for the disabled.
"There should be some benefits for them, looking at circumstances, some of them don't work, they can’t get work," said a commuter. "People need to be educated, like in England, you actually have a disabled badge and only those people get free access on the public transport and on MRT... and even free parking."
"I believe there should not be subsidies but more so giving them facilities to help them get around conveniently," said another member of the public.
The Public Transport Council said there are agencies which provide transport help, specifically for the disabled to get around conveniently.
The National Council of Social Service, for example, administers the Land Transport Authority's Cares Fund, which provides reimbursements to disabled persons for journeys to-and-fro home for employment or schooling purposes.
- CNA/yb
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