Public transport is significantly subsidised by government: Lui Tuck Yew

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew says public transport is significantly subsidised by the government, and this helps keep fares affordable. 

He was responding to a question by MP Gan Thiam Poh, on the public transport transport subsidy for each Singaporean in the past ten years.

He said public transport operators bear the operational costs of running the system and these costs are recovered largely from fares. 

The government bears the cost of infrastructure development, including capital-intensive infrastructure such as MRT tunnels and bus interchanges. 

The government also pays for the first set of operating assets for rail, such as trains and signalling systems. 

Mr Lui said such funding represents a significant subsidy to the public transport system and has helped ensure fares remain affordable. 

He added that over the past ten years from 2002 to 2011, such investments in public transport have amounted to around $17 billion.

Mr Lui also highlighted financial aid to help low-income Singaporeans cope with fare increases. 

"The government has also provided targeted financial aid to low income Singaporeans over the years, to help mitigate the impact of fare increases. In the last 5 years, more than 10 million dollars of such aid was disbursed."