Parents can board buses with open strollers from next month
From April 2, parents can board buses without having to close their baby strollers.
This will make public transport more accessible for families with young children, Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng said yesterday.
Currently, prams must be closed while on board buses for safety reasons.
Mr Ng said safety concerns from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and bus operators were valid.
"But on balance, we think we can move on this... We hope this will make travelling with young children on public transport more convenient."
He urged parents to be fully attentive and take responsibility for their children's safety, and hold on tight to the open strollers during the bus ride.
In a press release yesterday, LTA said open strollers would be allowed on all public buses, but parents and caregivers are urged to bring them onto wheelchair accessible buses, which are designed for easier boarding and have more space.
As a general guide, the dimensions of the open stroller should not exceed 120cm in length and 70cm in width.
Open strollers should be placed in the designated wheelchair space where available, with the brakes applied.
Passengers in wheelchairs will be given priority to use the space, and only one wheelchair or open baby pram is allowed on a bus at any one time.
Housewife Liana Jamali, 27, is glad about the change. The mother of two children, aged 19 months and four, sometimes takes the feeder bus to Toa Payoh Interchange.
She said it will be easier for her to not have to fold the stroller when she boards a bus.- LINETTE HENG
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