The Public Transport Council (PTC) is assessing whether cheaper fares for off-peak travel should become a permanent feature of the transport system, its chairman Richard Magnus said in a blog post yesterday.

The council is studying travel patterns to see how differentiated fares can help smoothen travel demand here, he said, adding that it will keep the commuters' interests "at the forefront", even as improvements to the transport network have raised operating costs.

The PTC is in the midst of its annual fare review exercise and evaluating this year's fare adjustment as well as proposals from rail operators, SBS Transit and SMRT.

SEE TOP OF THE NEWS: PTC reviewing fare adjustments but may keep off-peak incentive