SINGAPORE: Elderly Get Safety Lesson on NEL Train Stations

SINGAPORE (Channel NewsAsia), May 23, 2006: Nine in 10 injuries at the North East Line (NEL) train stations are caused by the improper use of escalators, and the majority involve the elderly. So bus and rail operator SBS Transit has introduced a series of public safety programmes targeted primarily at this group of commuters. Twenty-five elderly commuters in wheelchairs and on walking sticks were taken on a train ride from Boon Keng to Chinatown, accompanied by MediaCorp artiste Quan Yifeng as NEL's Safety Ambassador. Their mission - to show how a trip on the train can be both fun and safe. Older commuters are also encouraged to take the lifts that are situated in the train stations. "We had a similar campaign last year. After the campaign, we found that the injury rate particularly in the senior citizens group had gone down. But over time we have found that there is a need for us to drive this awareness so that people will continue to remember this and practice safety," said Mr Wong Wai Keong, Senior Vice President (Rail) SBS Transit. By Eunice Ong Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd