We thank Mrs Armstrong for her feedback, ‘Electric wheelchair gets stuck when boarding trains’ (Straits Times, 13 March).

 

To minimise the space between trains and platforms, the Land Transport Authority has installed gap fillers along platform edges at all above-ground stations of the North-South and East-West Lines, as well as on the new trains on the North East Line and the Circle Line. However, platform gaps cannot be completely eliminated, as a minimum physical clearance is needed to allow the train to approach the station safely. The train floor height may also vary slightly over time, and is set at a level to cater for various vehicular tolerances, such as differences in train wheels, rail wear and passenger loading.

 

Nonetheless, for passengers who require assistance with boarding and alighting, we encourage them to approach station staff, who are always ready to help. We would also like to call upon all fellow commuters to lend a hand or approach the station staff whenever they see another commuter in need. Mrs Armstrong’s feedback has helped deepen our understanding of the challenges faced by persons travelling on mobility aids. We thank her for her feedback and will continue to explore more ways to improve the accessibility of our public transport.

 

Yeo Teck Guan 

Group Director, Public Transport

Land Transport Authority