SINGAPORE - Train operator SMRT has acknowledged that it should have obtained the authorities' approval before allowing Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) to charter five trains to take students to a rugby union match.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) told The Straits Times yesterday that SMRT has explained to the regulator why it allowed Tuesday's charter and admitted that prior approval should have been sought. LTA did not reveal the reason.
The LTA spokesman said: "As a regulator, LTA is responsible for ensuring that train services to the public are provided as scheduled, and that any additional trips in the network do not adversely affect such services."
SMRT did not answer questions from The Straits Times.
ACS(I) had chartered trains from One-north station to take at least 3,000 staff and students to the Singapore Sports Hub at Stadium MRT station for its match with St Andrew's Secondary.
The LTA issued a statement later on Tuesday saying it would take "appropriate action" against SMRT. The authority has not said what penalty it could mete out, if any.
The episode has sparked controversy among the public, especially on social media.
Most people that The Straits Times spoke to felt SMRT should have sought approval from the authorities before it entered into the private arrangement.
Auditor Joshua Goh, 26, said: "Trains are a public service so while I understand that they were trying to support educational and sporting causes, they should do it in the right way."
Others said they were not too bothered, as long as their commute was not affected.
Education manager Michel Veltman, 49, who used to live in Holland, said: "This happens sometimes in the Netherlands, and no one really cares."
While some felt the episode was simply an issue between the LTA and SMRT, others questioned whether the school did the right thing in chartering the trains in the first place.
Some felt the school was being considerate in chartering separate trains so that other commuters would not be affected by students packing the regular trains.
Facebook user Marie Lim said: "Thanks for being considerate and not crowding the public trains, and for cutting down traffic by not having 20-30 extra chartered buses on the roads."
Chairman of the ACS board of governors Richard Seow, who spoke in his personal capacity, said: "This is a national school event involving two government-aided schools at the National Stadium, not a private party."
Mr Seow added that train schedules were not disrupted. "The scheduled trains still ran and the chartered trains ran in between the regular trains."
ACS(I) student Dominick Wee, 15, who took the chartered train that day, played down suggestions that a group of privileged students had been travelling in luxury. "We were super squashed and some of my friends had to sit on the floor," he said.
However, Mr Kleve Tan, writing on The Straits Times Facebook page, said the incident showed that train services could be improved.
"If they can allocate five extra trains on top of (the) regular (scheduled ones), why can't they keep the five trains running daily to ease congestion?"
Additional reporting by Tjoa Shze Hui
This article was first published on August 28, 2014.
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