Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Proposal to Prioritise Installation of Passenger Lifts to Pedestrian Overhead Bridges along Hougang Avenue 3

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Transport regarding the prioritisation of pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs) for the installation of passenger lifts 

a.     whether the Land Transport Authority (LTA) should consider the demographic profile of the population in the vicinity, including the density of senior citizens and presence of senior citizen housing as relevant; and 

b.     whether LTA can prioritise the inclusion of the remaining non-lift POBs along Hougang Avenue 3 into its lift installation programme.

Reply by Minister for Transport S Iswaran:

1.     To ensure that limited public funds are optimally utilised to benefit more people and those who need the facility more, the retrofitting of lifts at pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs) are prioritised based on two key considerations. First, the number of seniors and commuters with mobility challenges that will benefit from the lifts, and second, whether the lifts will facilitate barrier-free access by connecting these commuters to public transport nodes and healthcare institutions.

2.     Based on these criteria, the Land Transport Authority has retrofitted the POB near Block 2 of Hougang Avenue 3 with lifts in 2018, as it would serve a high number of senior residents and those visiting the eldercare facility in the vicinity. The seven remaining POBs along Hougang Avenue 3 will be included in LTA’s future reviews. Four of them will be accorded higher priority than the other three which are located within an industrial estate and would serve a low number of seniors.