Letter to the Editor: Improve public transport for the elderly, especially those with mobility issues

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Dear Editor,

Currently, there are two SBS feeder bus services serving residents from Block 601 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 and its surrounding blocks, to Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and to the Cheng San market. These are SBS feeder bus services 265 and 269.

Extending feeder bus services

There are a number of elderly residents in the neighbourhood who have mobility issues, and these include several elderly neighbours in my block.

Whenever they need to go to the market at Block 628 for meals or to buy groceries, these seniors would have no choice but to take feeder bus 269 up to Block 163 and then cross over on the opposite side to take either SBS trunk services 71 and 76 or feeder bus 269 to reach the market. These residents in the neighbouring blocks with mobility issues are also inconvenienced in having to take 2 buses to reach the market at Block 628.

Additionally, whenever elderly residents need to seek assistance from the Community Centre, they have to also take two buses.

It would be helpful in view of our ageing population in this estate if the SBS management can extend the routes of either bus 265 or 269 to travel to the market from Block 601 and the nearby blocks so that our seniors can be better supported in their commuting journeys.

Option to pay between 1 to 3 months for EZ Link cards

For seniors there is a concession rate for monthly top ups on their EZ link cards. They pay $64 for one month’s travel, either on bus or the MRT. Elderly citizens with mobility issues could be given an option to top up their EZ link cards from anything to 1 to 3 months. But the 2 to 3 months’ top ups must not be made compulsory, but rather a choice for seniors who have mobility issues to opt for multiple top-ups.

Raymond Anthony Fernando

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of The Independent Singapore.