Raw deal for seniors on concession rates

ST Forum, The Straits Times, March 5, 2007


I CANNOT fathom the reason given by SMRT for discouraging senior citizens from travelling during morning and evening peak periods ('Why no extra 30 mins of concessional fare'; ST, March 1).

Ms Noelle Tang, SMRT's manager for corporate marketing and communications, said 'it would not be ideal for seniors to travel during these periods'.

Why not? What are they afraid of? In other countries I have visited, like the United States and Canada, the elderly enjoy concession fares on public transport all day, seven days a week. And they don't ask you if you are a citizen or not.

Our cinemas also restrict hours for a concession rate, that is, to morning and early afternoon shows only, and then only on weekdays, not weekends and public holidays. So if I take my grandchildren to a movie during a peak period, I pay the full rate.

Furthermore, the cinemas I often patronise not only demand to see my identity card to verify my age but also record my personal particulars. This brings up an important question: Is this practice legal?

On the whole, we seniors do not get a good deal. Public transport and cinema operators adopt half measures in giving us concessions. If they really want to help us, they should go all-out.

The real reason for the restricted hours is pure economics. The cinemas, for example, are empty during off-

peak periods so they may as well encourage us old fogeys to fill the seats and gain some revenue.

Public transport and cinema operators should not think only of making money.

Anyway, how many seniors are there crowding buses, trains and cinemas during peak periods? What do operators have to lose by allowing us to enjoy concessions without restriction?


Anthony Oei

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