Transport In The Past

The earliest modes of land transport in singapore were the horse and carriage and the bullock cart. Introduced by the British, the horse and carriage was used for about a century from the 1820s until it was replaced by the motorcar in the 1930s. While horse carriage were for passengers , bullock carts were used for carrying goods. They were also used for carrying refuse and building materials, delivering mail,and even for road repairing. The bullock cart was in use for about a century till it was replaced by lorries and vans from the 1920s.

The Jinriksha was imported from Shanghai and Japan in the 1880s.It was pulled by a man running in front. From the Japanese Occupation onwards, the jinriksha was replaced by the trishaw.Instead of being pulled, the trishaw could be pedalled around like a bicycle. Today, trishaws are usually used by tourists for sightseeing.

Another mode of transport was the tram. The electric tram for passengers ran from 1905 to 1929. Trolley bus stopped running in 1962. in the 1980s,double-decker and air-conditioned buses were introduced. In 1987, the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) trains started running. The MRT enables the people to travel around quickly and comfortably. It also helps to reduce traffic congestion on the road.