News

With an ageing population, more people (abled and disabled) are expected to use personal mobility aids (PMAs) and also MRT and LRT trains for their journeys. However, these days, our trains are often crowded during peak and non-peak hours. Commuters are fighting for space to get in and out of trains with PMA users who need to park their devices near exit doors, posing a safety hazard to commuters. Also, it’s not uncommon to see oversized prams, luggage and electric bicycles inside train cabins. I have not seen any officers checking the stipulated sizes of these objects or seen any enforcement action at train stations. When rail disruptions happen (often during peak hours), it becomes chaotic as commuters rush to get out of the train for alternative means of transport, and oversized PMAs and other objects could obstruct exit doors. It’s time for the Land Transport Authority and train operators to review this safety issue and implement enforcement action for commuters boarding trains with big objects. If security officers stationed inside train stations are not the right resources to check commuters and take enforcement action, then technology such as sensors, camera systems and artificial intelligence could be deployed at train stations’ entry gates. After all, we are a smart nation and it should be easy to improve commuters’ safety.