Task force to look into bus safety after recent spate of accidents
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The task force aims to complete its review by early 2025.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – The safety of public buses here will be scrutinised by a task force that will be led by newly minted Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai.
This comes on the heels of a spate of accidents involving public buses. In the most recent one on June 27, a 33-year-old Indian construction worker was hit
The task force, comprising representatives from government agencies, the National Transport Workers’ Union, all four public bus operators and the Singapore Road Safety Council, aims to complete its review by early 2025, said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat on July 1.
The four operators are SBS Transit (SBST), SMRT Buses, Go-Ahead Singapore and Tower Transit Singapore. In all, they operate about 5,800 public buses.
Mr Chee said in a Facebook post that the review will identify ways for the bus industry to make further improvements, building on safety initiatives and practices put in place over the years.
He noted that the annual number of serious accidents involving public buses in Singapore has remained stable in the past few years. There were 75 such accidents in the first five months of 2024, compared with 207 in the whole of 2023 and 207 in the whole of 2022.
“Safety is a key priority for our public transport network,” Mr Chee said. “Murali has been a strong advocate of road safety, and this will be a useful platform to work with our tripartite partners to review how we can enhance safety for commuters, bus captains and other road users.”
In 2023, 3.75 million public bus rides were taken each day on average.
Apart from the Anson Road accident on June 27, there were at least four other accidents involving public buses reported in June alone.
On June 11, two passengers on board Go-Ahead Singapore’s bus service 518 were injured in an accident involving the bus and two cars
On June 8, two people were taken to hospital after an accident involving a stationary Tower Transit bus and a lorry
On the same day, a bus driver was taken to hospital after two off-service buses operated by Tower Transit collided
On June 6, four bus passengers, including a 93-year-old, and a pedestrian were taken to hospital after an accident involving a Tower Transit bus and a trailer truck
Videos of the accident showed the left side of the travelling bus hitting steel bars secured onto the bed of the trailer truck.
In response to queries, Tower Transit and SMRT said they will work closely with the task force, while SBST expressed commitment towards enhancing safety with the tripartite group.
Go-Ahead Singapore also said it is committed to supporting the task force.
The operators also pointed to existing safety initiatives, such as structured training for new drivers, safe driving incentives and investments in technology like fatigue and collision warning systems.
Tower Transit Singapore managing director Winston Toh said compulsory safety timeouts are conducted at its depots and interchanges to brief drivers on the learning points from recent accidents.
Go-Ahead Singapore said it has safety champions who update senior management about safety-related feedback from staff.
At SBST, bus drivers are trained on safety drills, such as those at pedestrian crossings and junctions, while at SMRT, drivers are given scenario-based training using simulators, said their spokesmen.
Mr Murali, 56, who is MP for Bukit Batok and formerly a partner with law firm Rajah & Tann, started work as Minister of State for Transport and Law on July 1.
In his Facebook post, Mr Chee welcomed him to the Transport Ministry, saying he will help to look after the maritime industry and the Government’s engagements with the transport unions.
Mr Murali will look after some land transport matters such as transport technologies and public bus services as well.
In a June interview with Petir.sg, he said he aims to improve road safety through joint efforts with the Ministry of Home Affairs, when asked about his new appointment.
“Road safety for the most vulnerable groups like motorcyclists and the elderly is close to my heart,” he told the People’s Action Party’s sociopolitical website. “The statistics show we have not achieved the highest safety standards in these areas.”
Mr Chee also welcomed veteran public servant Lau Peet Meng, 49, to the ministry on July 1 as the new permanent secretary for transport development, and expressed his appreciation to the outgoing Ms Lai Wei Lin, 48.
She is taking on the role of permanent secretary for policy and development at the Ministry of Health.
