Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) will spend S$900 million over the next eight years to launch a new bus connectivity enhancement programme.
Yesterday (July 30) afternoon, LTA issued a statement saying that in recent years, the pace of residential development has accelerated, some residential areas are far away from the existing city center and subway stations, and the demand for buses has increased, in order to ensure that people can use public transportation, this plan has been launched.
LTA will improve bus services by increasing frequency, adjusting routes or opening new routes to keep pace with changing bus patterns. For example, the bus service from Toa Payoh East to Gali Valley MRT station is expected to be extended by the end of this year to enhance the connection between Toa Payoh and Thomson-East Coast Line and Circle Line.
More rush hour express bus services will also be introduced, providing residents with an alternative to the busier MRT lines. For example, Punggol will launch a new urban bus service (CDS) around October.
The progress of bus service in the new residential area will also be accelerated to facilitate the early residents who moved into the new residential area. For example, there are plans to roll out a new bus service ahead of schedule, with the aim of connecting residents of the new and upcoming BTO projects in Yishun East with the nearby Kadi MRT station by the end of September.
For residential areas that are further away from major transport hubs and city centres, express feeder bus services will be introduced. These routes are more direct and have fewer stops along the way, reducing the time it takes for residents to travel the first and last mile from major transportation hubs. For example, in December this year, residents of Tampines North will be able to take the express feeder bus to the Tampines MRT station more directly.
Over the next 8 years, BCEP will require up to S$900 million to purchase new buses, improve infrastructure and other operating costs, similar to existing bus services, part of which will be recovered through fares paid by passengers.
Singapore's Transport Minister Koh Fong Tat also posted on Facebook that buses remain an important part of Singapore's public transport system as the transportation network continues to grow. The government will continue to review and adjust the bus network to better serve commuters in different parts of Singapore.
HQ丨Editor
AY丨Editor
LTA Facebook丨Source
LTA Facebook丨Image source