Daily trips on private vehicles fall for first time in two decades
SINGAPORE — For the first time since 1997, the number of daily journeys made on privately owned vehicles tumbled, even as more daily trips were made across all modes of transport, based on the findings of a survey by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) released on Friday (Aug 31).
It also found that journeys on taxis and private-hire cars — which proliferated with ride-hailing applications such as Grab entering the market in 2013 — had jumped to 1 million in 2016 from 800,000 in 2012.
The Household Interview Travel Survey, which studies travel patterns, is conducted once every four years to help the government shape transport policies.
The latest survey, conducted between August 2016 and May last year, canvassed responses from 45,000 participants.
Among other things, it found that the number of trips made daily on private vehicles fell to 4.2 million, 13 per cent lower than the 4.8 million journeys in 2012. Resident household car ownership also dropped to 39 per cent from 46 per cent over the same period.
The declines in private-vehicle journeys came as more trips were registered on public transport: There were 6.1 million bus and train journeys in 2016, compared with 5.5 million in 2012 — a sign that residents here could be switching to public transport for their everyday commutes.
The share of journeys made on public transport — spanning trains, buses, taxis and private-hire cars — during peak periods also rose to 67 per cent from 63 per cent.
This, said the LTA, puts Singapore "firmly on track" to achieving its target, set out in the Land Transport Master Plan 2013, of having public transport form three-quarters of all journeys made during peak hours by 2030.
On the whole, travel demand is also on the rise, with 15.4 million total daily trips made in 2016, compared with 14.7 million in 2012.
Here are some key numbers at a glance:
TRAIN JOURNEYS
Daily train trips rose to 2.7 million in 2016, from 2.3 million in 2012.
What contributed to the increase: An expanding rail network with the opening of the Circle and Downtown MRT lines, and the addition of about 200 trains.
BUS JOURNEYS
Daily bus trips climbed to 3.4 million in 2016, from 3.2 million in 2012.
What contributed to the increase: 1,000 new buses and 80 fresh bus routes were added under the S$1.1 billion Bus Service Enhancement Programme. At the programme's completion last year, it boosted the capacity of about seven in 10 bus services.
GREATER SHARE OF SHORTER BUS, TRAIN TRIPS
The share of daily trips under 20km on buses and trains which were completed within an hour rose to 79 per cent in 2016, up from 76 per cent in 2012. The target is 85 per cent by 2030.
MORE JOURNEYS ON FOOT, PMDS
There were also more daily trips on foot, bicycles and personal mobility devices — which typically include electric scooters, hoverboards and unicycles. A total of 2.6 million journeys were recorded daily in 2016, up from 2.2 million in 2012.
What contributed to the increase: More cycling towns that have sprouted up, as well as the continuing expansion of sheltered walkways and cycling paths.
NEXT LAND TRANSPORT MASTER PLAN
In September, the LTA will start public consultations to shape the next Land Transport Master Plan. The engagement will be done via a range of online platforms and focus-group discussions.
From Friday, the public can give their take on various land transport issues via an electronic poll on the LTA website.
