New 'Green Man +' crossing scheme to help elderly and PWDs

The LTA is in the process of rolling out a 'Green Man +' scheme, which is aimed at helping the elderly and Pedestrians with Disabilities (PWD), by increasing the time given at crossings.

In the first quarter of 2013, LTA will be installing 235 ‘Green Man +’ readers across selected areas, allowing elderly pedestrians, as well as PWDs extra time to cross the road. By 2014, it is estimated that 500 readers will be installed all over the island.

Mr Oh Kok Wee, Senior Engineer at the Intelligent Transport Systems Development Division of the LTA, stated: "The reader at the traffic light junction on which the senior citizens can tap their concession cards is called the Green Man +. It is a scheme by LTA to provide elderly pedestrians and Pedestrians With Disabilities (PWD) more time to cross the road when they activate its function.”

The crossing time is extended by 3-12 seconds, depending on the crossing. Mr Oh explained how the scheme works: “This is done by tapping the CEPAS-compliant senior citizen concession card or the Green Man + card on the reader mounted above the standard push button at the traffic light pole. There is no charge for using the scheme.”

He believes that this scheme is positive, and said that: “The elderly pedestrians felt that the Green Man + had provided more assurance and instilled a higher confidence level in them when they crossed the roads.”

But this scheme is not very well known. Mdm Nanda, 62, has not seen or heard of this scheme. She said: "No, never seen it actually. But it sounds like a good scheme for all the people in Singapore to walk.”

Mr Haji Othman, 78, said: “I’ve never seen before, but looks very good. You just tap your card and get free crossing time.”

Mr Poh Leong, 44, has heard about the scheme, but never seen it around. “I think it’s good for the elderly and disabled. But I don’t know where they (crossings) are, so maybe they should increase their publicity.”

On the other hand, Mr Lancelot Fernandes, 69, has seen the crossings being used near Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and finds it a very useful scheme. He suggests: “ Maybe they could have an amber flashing light, as well as an auditory alarm for when the crossing time is about to finish. They should also have more publicity about the scheme, because I hadn’t known about it till I saw it.”

Elderly pedestrians (aged 60 and above) can obtain the senior citizen concession card at TransitLink Ticket Offices, and PWDs can obtain their ‘Green Man +’ cards from the following organisations: Handicaps Welfare Association (HWA), Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities (THKMC), Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) and Spastic Children's Association of Singapore (SCAS).

The areas that will see these readers coming up soon are: Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bukit Merah, Chinatown, Geylang, Hougang, Kallang, Marine Parade, Outram, Queenstown, Rochor, Tampines and Toa Payoh.

Here is what some members of the public think about the scheme:

LTA's promotional video for the 'Green Man +' scheme