On a recent trip to London, where a Singapore delegation went to study the city's much-acclaimed model for public bus services, I observed that the city operated a fleet of double-decker buses only. I did not see any single-deck public buses in operation.

Not being able to board several crowded buses is a common experience for commuters in Singapore during peak hours. This results in extended travelling times and discomfort.

Since we have a tight labour market for bus drivers and we are pushing for greater productivity in having more work done by each worker, shouldn't we be operating more double-decker buses, instead of single-deck ones?

This can increase the capacity of each bus and reduce the number of vehicles on the road, thus, helping to reduce congestion.

Felix Kim Heok Eng