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SINGAPORE: Newly minted Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat has introduced that the Authorities will spend an extra $40 million to increase the prevailing card-based EZ-Hyperlink ticketing system and run it alongside the SimplyGo system. The extension will enable passengers to proceed to pay fares utilizing EZ-Hyperlink and NETS FlashPay Playing cards.
Earlier this month, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) introduced that EZ-Hyperlink playing cards and NETS FlashPay playing cards can be discontinued on public transport from 1 June, and commuters can be required to improve their non-concession playing cards to SimplyGo EZ-Hyperlink playing cards or NETS pay as you go playing cards.
The announcement stirred up discontent and the priority that the push to digitalise could also be coming on the expense of shoppers, because the shift will imply there can be no single card for Digital Highway Pricing (ERP) and parking, retail, and public transport like the present EZ-Hyperlink playing cards seamlessly provide.
One other major level of rivalry is that the brand new SimplyGo card, touted for its technological development, is not going to show card balances at MRT gantries or bus card readers. Critics argued that the shortcoming to test card balances at a look could result in extra inconveniences for customers, who would wish additional steps to find out if a top-up is critical.
The Authorities has now backtracked on its preliminary plan and accepted the widespread name for system integration, versus scrapping the prevailing setup.
LTA introduced as we speak that it is going to be extending the prevailing grownup card-based ticketing (CBT) system to function in parallel with the SimplyGo system and that commuters could have the choice of utilizing both the EZ-Hyperlink and NETS FlashPay playing cards or their SimplyGo-compatible playing cards on public transport.
It seems the extension can be in impact indefinitely, as LTA didn’t make clear when it’s going to finish.
LTA stated that commuters who’ve bought SimplyGo EZ-Hyperlink playing cards or transformed their EZ-Hyperlink playing cards to SimplyGo this month could have the choice to change their playing cards for a conventional EZ-Hyperlink card freed from cost if they need to take action. The statutory board added that it could proceed to reinforce SimplyGo to supply a greater person expertise.
The extension is one in all Chee Hong Tat’s first acts as full Transport Minister after he was appointed to the position following his predecessor S Iswaran’s resignation final week after he was charged with alleged corruption in courtroom.
In a Fb put up printed as we speak, Mr Chee apologised for delays some commuters skilled as they transformed their playing cards. Acknowledging that this might have been prevented with higher preparation and indicating that he’s conscious of the unfavourable “public reactions,” surrounding the preliminary deliberate conversion, he stated:
“I additionally hear and acknowledge the issues of commuters who wish to proceed seeing their fare deductions and card balances at fare gates and bus card readers. I’ve mentioned your suggestions and issues with MOT and LTA. We’ve determined to increase the usage of the present CBT system for grownup commuters, and to not sundown the system in 2024 as initially deliberate.
“We’ll spend an extra $40 million, in order that commuters can proceed to make use of EZ Hyperlink playing cards and NETS FlashPay playing cards in the event that they want to.”
He additionally defended the SimplyGo account-based ticketing system (ABT) as superior to the standard stored-value playing cards as they shield the saved worth within the occasion of card loss. In instances of misplaced ABT playing cards, the stability is safeguarded as a result of the worth is saved within the person’s account and on the cardboard itself, the place it could be misplaced if the cardboard is misplaced.
Mr Chee additionally highlighted the comfort supplied by ABT playing cards, which permit customers to purchase saved worth playing cards for members of the family and facilitate simple top-up by cell apps. ABT playing cards additionally allow commuters to make the most of financial institution playing cards and cell wallets for seamless cost of public transport fares.
He added that card balances can’t be seen at gantries as a result of the fare and stability information is just not saved instantly on the cardboard, and retrieving this info from the backend system could take a number of seconds. This delay may doubtlessly decelerate the stream of commuters, particularly throughout peak hours, resulting in lengthy queues at fare gates and bus card readers.
Minister Chee added that different world cities like London and Hong Kong additionally don’t show fare deductions and card balances at fare gates, as they use ABT playing cards.
For now, the Minister has instructed LTA to discover methods to reinforce the options and enhance the person expertise for ABT playing cards whereas extending the usage of conventional EZ-Hyperlink playing cards past June.
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