Forum: Have more reserved seats in train cabins aligned with priority boarding platforms
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Follow topic:
My wife is heavily pregnant and often struggles to board trains during peak hours, even when waiting at the “priority boarding” platform screen doors.
These doors are frequently crowded with able-bodied commuters since they are located next to the lifts. As a result, vulnerable commuters like my wife are left to queue behind them, which defeats the purpose of priority boarding.
The challenge continues inside the train. The carriages aligned with priority boarding areas do not have additional reserved seats, and some even have fewer seats to accommodate wheelchairs and personal mobility devices. This limits seating options for the elderly, pregnant women, and those with mobility issues, raising questions about how inclusive the scheme really is.
In Japan, priority boarding areas are paired with a row of reserved seats in the corresponding carriage, ensuring easier access for those who need them most.
I urge the authorities to consider improvements such as clearer public education on priority boarding doors, station staff guiding able-bodied commuters to other doors during peak hours, and designating a carriage with more reserved seating for vulnerable users.
These steps would make our transport system more inclusive and support those who need seats most.
Dick Chan
