THE TRANSPORT PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

The central theme of this study concerns the aged's transport problems and needs in Singapore, which is set within the context of a framework based on Ullman' s principles of interaction. Three main areas are explored. First, Singapore's current transport system is examined in the light of the elderly people's transport needs, which is then compared with the systems of other countries. It is found that while there have been continual efforts to better serve the elderly' s transport needs in Singapore, other countries have actually achieved more in this regard. Second, by means of a structured questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews, the study ascertains the prevalence of transportation difficulties among different aged people and how these difficulties influence their travel behaviour. The findings reveal that the most pressing difficulties concerning the various transport modes are: getting in and out of the private vehicle (25.4 percent of the elderly passengers) and the inconsiderateness of other drivers (41.7 percent of the elderly drivers); expensive fares of taxis (54.3 percent); high steps of buses (32.8 percent); difficulty of transferring between the bus and the MRT (32.2 percent); and the difficulty of using overhead bridges (42.6 percent). The presence of these problems shows that there is scope for improvement in Singapore's transport system to better meet the elderly people's needs. The findings also suggest that transport difficulties do constrain the elderly' s travel behaviour in terms of their mode choice, trip frequency, and spatial activity patterns. Thirdly, recommendations are provided to resolve the identified difficulties. For example, vehicle entry and exit can be made easier by installing a swivel seat. Hopefully, the information unravelled in this thesis could be useful for the transport authority to establish a more 'elderly-friendly' transport system, which will simultaneously benefit many other mobility-impaired people. Such a system should be considered seriously not only because it involves the issue of equity, but also in the light of Singapore's aim of a world class transport system and its ageing population.