BUS and train fares will be cut from April 1, saving commuters 2 cents to 14 cents a trip, and even more with transfers.

Overall, public transport fares will fall by 4.6 per cent, said the Public Transport Council (PTC) yesterday, of the first cut in the council's 22-year history.

RELATED LINKS  HOW MUCH FARES WILL BE CUT

The fare cuts come from transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT deciding to pass on savings from the Budget to commuters, as well as the ongoing transition to distance-based fares.

With the cut, adult ez-link fares will cost 2 cents less per trip. Commuters who make transfers see further reductions, from 14 cents for journeys with one transfer, up to a maximum of 38 cents for three transfers.

This is due to a 50-cent transfer rebate, up from the current 40 cents. It will go up to about 60 cents next year, so commuters who make transfers will eventually pay the same as those taking a direct trip to the same destination.

Coming after bus and train fares were last increased in October, PTC chairman Gerard Ee said the fare cuts will 'certainly go a long way to help commuters' during this difficult period.

The fare revisions will cost public transport operators about $80 million from April 1 to June 2010. Just under half - $37 million - comes from road tax rebates and other savings the companies got in this year's Budget.

The operators have chosen to not increase fares in past years when economic conditions were tough, but this is the first time they have approached the PTC to cut fares. Mr Cedric Foo, the chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, said: 'It's good that public transport operators are doing this now and they need to be recognised for taking this step.'

Traditionally, the companies apply for fare changes by August and the new fares start in October. But the PTC brought forward this year's exercise so commuters can benefit earlier.

From next year, the deadline to apply for fare changes will be moved to May and new fares will take effect in July.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times