Land Transport Master Plan 2040: What You Can Expect

Singapore Train
3 min readMay 26, 2022

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The Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2040 report sets out how the Land Transport Authority (LTA) hopes to build a “convenient, well-connected, inclusive and fast land transport system for Singaporeans over the next two decades and beyond. LTA and transport operators will work together to create a transport environment that supports healthy lives and enables safer journeys.

What you can expect by 2040

1. You will see a Singapore that is a 45-Minute City with 20-Minute Towns in 2040. This means journeys to the nearest neighbourhood centre using Walk-Cycle-Ride modes of transport will take less than 20 minutes. And, peak-period journeys using Walk-Cycle-Ride will be completed in less than 45 minutes.

2. Transport for All. Singapore will have a gracious and caring commuting culture — one which makes everyone, regardless of their needs, feel welcome.

3. Healthy Lives and Safer Journeys. To support healthier lifestyles, Singapore will dedicate more space to public transport, active mobility, and community use. Town planning will be changed so that people can easily walk, cycle or use other active mobility methods to reach nearby bus stops, MRT stations, and other amenities.

4. We will continue to improve barrier-free travel. We will work with all stakeholders to foster a gracious culture, where commuters are encouraged to be more thoughtful towards one another. We will also upskill our transport workers to meet the increasingly diverse needs of our commuters. We can look forward to more Walk-Cycle-Ride journeys becoming barrier-free, and more help available to all.

5. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) will also become a reality and could radically transform our land transport system. People will enjoy more efficient dynamically-routed or on-demand forms of shared transport. SMRT Corporation, a leading transport operator, is partnering with the authorities, industry partners, and academic institutions to train bus captains on Autonomous Vehicle operations.

6. LTA aims to have cleaner energy fleets for a healthier environment. SMRT is working with LTA and other partners to launch and deploy electric buses. As of May 2022, SMRT has 6 electric SMRT buses in the fleet, in line with LTA’s initiative to have public buses run on cleaner energy by 2040. There will bea 100% cleaner energy public bus fleet by 2040, like electric or hybrid vehicles. Commenting on the same, SMRT Chairman, Seah Moon Ming, said: “As a responsible steward of the environment, we continue to strengthen our green mobility capabilities to bring value to all our stakeholders and support the Governments vision of a car-lite nation.” Seah Moon Ming further added: “We have also tied up with Chinas biggest commercial EV digital platform, DST Electric Vehicle Rental (Shenzhen) to provide EV services in Singapore and the region. We aim to make a complete switch to EV taxis in the next five years.”

7. By 2040, the growth of employment centres outside the Central Business District (CBD) will bring more jobs closer to homes, shortening daily commutes for those who work near their homes.

8. Commuters will be able to use Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), where you can subscribe to a combination of transport options as a single service. Commenting on the MasS services, Neo Kian Hong, SMRT CEO, said: “We saw an opportunity beyond just electric vehicles and partnered with SP Group to push for an ecosystem of connected electric services.” Neo Kian Hong further added:“Through both Mobility-as-a-Service and Electrification-as-a-Service, we intend to bring charging infrastructure and a diverse fleet of electric taxis, cars, vans, limousines, motorcycles, and buses to meet the evolving needs of a diverse local and regional market.”

Conclusion

LTMP 2040 is a shared journey and experience. Community, transport operators, and industry stakeholders can partner with the government and LTA to deliver fresh and innovative solutions. By 2040, commuters can expect to see a transport network in Singapore that is affordable, sustainable, convenient, and safer. They will see a transport environment that supports healthy lifestyles and faster journeys.

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