by Kaelyn Thum (S4 2023)

          Do you know that Singapore’s transportation is ranked 6^th in the world in the list of best cities for public transit? The world has many different countries, including Japan which is known for its impeccable transportation system, so being ranked 6^th is outstanding for a small city. Singapore’s transportation system is convenient, safe and provides a good experience when travelling. However, it might not be able to surpass some other countries’ transportation system in other aspects. Despite that, overall, I agree with this statement to a large extent.

         Firstly, Singapore’s transportation system is very accessible. There are in-built ramps in buses to allow the bus to be accessible to wheelchairs or strollers, making it easier for people with disabilities to board the bus. There are also bus stops, Mass Rapid lines and taxi stops everywhere in Singapore. This makes it easier and more convenient for people to travel from one place to another without having to walk a very far distance. For example, there is a bus stop at least every 400 meters, which allows boarding buses to be more accessible. There are also more than 140 stations across six Mass Rapid Transit Lines across Singapore, which covers more than enough area to connect numerous places, making it accessible to people taking the transportation system. Therefore, with all these different bus stops and lines, Singapore’s transportation system is really accessible to people and tourists.

         Secondly, there is a lot of funding provided to the transportation system to allow people to have a good travel experience. To allow a public transportation system to have different types of facilities, resources and money are needed. The total expenditure by the Ministry of Transport in the Financial Year of 2022 was projected to be $10.25 billion. This shows that a lot of money is invested in public transport in Singapore. The funding is channeled into amenities like air-conditioning of transportation vehicles and numerous padded seats. These are some of the details that the money is spent on to allow people to have good travelling experience. There are also platforms doors along the station to ensure the safety of the people as it prevents people from tripping and falling down onto the tracks. The bus interchange also has bathrooms people can use and there are benches that the elderly can rest on while waiting for the next bus to arrive. These little details cost money which provides a good travelling experience for people, making Singapore’s transportation system the best.

         However, Singapore transportation system might be unsafe from outrage of modesty acts, not making it the best transportation system in the world. In Japan, there are trains with women-only cars, which do not allow men to enter. This can reduce the attempts of sexual harassment and make it a safe environment for the women when travelling. Unlike Japan, this is something Singapore does not have. However, Singapore is generally safe as there are various other measures that have been put to ensure safety of people. For example, there are CCTV cameras in every nook and cranny which is one of safety features of public transport. This ensures that people can have a safe trip from one place to another. Therefore, there would not be a need to have separate cars for women.

         All these reasons contribute to why Singapore’s transportation system is the best. There are really high safety standards and much funding has been invested into equipment for public transport. However, there is always room for improvement, and the government must continue to invest in the transportation system to ensure it is accessible. Overall, the transportation system in Singapore can be considered one of the best in the world.

Under Cognitus Academy’s writing programme, your child can write this well, too. Find out how your child can prepare for Continuous Writing in Paper 1 of PSLE English examinations today by clicking here.