Singapore land transport knowledge hub in the works

New center at Hampshire Road will focus on training land transport experts in Asia-Pac.

It will be called the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) Centre for Transport Excellence for the Asia Pacific region.

UITP and the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) will lead the development of the said Centre, which according to a joint release, "aims to be a one-stop land transport knowledge and research hub with focus on public transport and sustainable mobility, and to provide training and support to land transport administrations and practitioners, in the region."

"Cities in this age are challenged to meet the travel needs of their growing populations with public transport increasingly a major contributor to the cities' mobility and livability. The UITP Centre for Transport Excellence in Singapore is set up against this backdrop to facilitate knowledge exchange among the land transport communities in the region through conferences, seminars, training programmes, exhibitions, study visits, etc." it added.
Explaining why the Centre is ideally located in Singapore, UITP said:

"UITP has chosen Singapore to anchor its training, research and knowledge activities for the Asia Pacific region because Singapore has demonstrated excellent public transport development with continued innovation, and of LTA Academy's role in capacity building, research and knowledge development synergising with UITP's activities in the region."

One of the Centre's first major plans is to host a global congress of urban transport thought leaders in October 2013.

“One of the Centre's first initiatives is to organise the inaugural LTA-UITP Singapore International Transport Congress (SITC) in October 2013. The biennial SITC will congregate eminent international speakers to share insights on urban transport issues, and solutions that improve the quality and effectiveness of land transport systems. SITC will enable participants such as policy makers and industry players, to exchange knowledge and experience on urban transport planning, development, operation and management,” the release said further.