Parliamentary Highlights - Workers' Party Members of Parliament raised questions on SimplyGo.

In Parliament on 5th Feb 2024, several Workers’ Party MPs raised concerns about the card-based ticketing (CBT) system and the SimplyGo account-based ticketing system for public transport. We were particularly troubled by the apparent lack of adequate public consultation preceding the implementation of SimplyGo, which seemed to have led to an underestimation of the public's desire to view their remaining card balances upon exiting.

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝:

MP Gerald Giam of Aljunied GRC questioned whether the CBT system would continue to coexist with SimplyGo indefinitely and sought details on the decommissioning timeline for the CBT system, including concession cards. He also inquired about the government's expenses on SimplyGo, potential savings, and the possibility of passing on these savings to commuters when phasing out the CBT system. Furthermore, he requested a breakdown of the $40 million spent to extend the CBT system and the expected additional costs of maintaining both CBT and SimplyGo systems concurrently.

Ms. He Ting Ru, the Sengkang GRC MP, aimed to understand the reasons behind the reversal of the decision to replace CBT with SimplyGo in 2024 and sought information on steps taken to prevent similar issues in the future.

Fellow Sengkang GRC MP, Mr. Louis Chua, inquired about plans to improve the SimplyGo system, including its compatibility with universal cards and new on-board units, referencing successful alternatives in Japan.

Lastly, Hougang MP, Mr. Dennis Tan, asked about LTA's long-term plans for SimplyGo and the expected duration of the $40 million expenditure for hardware replacement and system maintenance.

#wpsg #makeyourvotecount #SimplyGo