The number was about half that of pre-Covid-19 levels, with flexible working arrangements being the main reason. Read more at straitstimes.com.
SINGAPORE – The number of commuters who exited MRT stations in the Central Business District during weekday morning peak hours from January to October was about half that of pre-Covid-19 levels, withThe Land Transport Authority said ticketing data also showed slightly lower peaks in public transport ridership during the morning and evening rush hours, as overall ridership for buses and trains in October 2022 remained lower than in October 2019.
The data given to The Straits Times by LTA echoed comments made by Mr Chua Chong Kheng, the authority’s deputy chief executive for infrastructure and development, during a panel discussion in early November at the Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition . He said public transport ridership in Brussels exceeds pre-Covid-19 levels on Saturdays. But on other days, such as Tuesdays and Thursdays, ridership dips below 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
This has led to lower ridership on public transport during morning and evening peak periods, he said. “Over the longer term, we anticipate more offices in decentralised locations, and this would influence travel patterns in Singapore,” he said. He said these shifts in commuting patterns are a good thing if they can be sustained and predictable, but the changes now are not significant or stable enough to justify planning on this basis, yet they are large enough to cause a dent in public transport finances.