Bus Services Plying Ubi Avenue 1

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Transport whether there are plans to improve bus services plying Ubi Avenue 1 by having more bus services and increasing the frequency of buses.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew: The areas along Ubi Avenue 1 comprise largely of industrial and residential estates. The majority of residents along Ubi Avenue 1 stay within 400 m walking distance of three pairs of bus stops along Eunos Link and Ubi Avenue 2, and can access 19 bus services that provide direct links to various key destinations such as nearby MRT stations, adjacent HDB towns, and the city centre. In addition, SBS Transit's Service 63 plies along Ubi Avenue 1 today and provides a direct link to Aljunied and Eunos MRT stations along the East-West Line, and also to MacPherson MRT station along the Circle Line. It also connects the Ubi areas with destinations further away in Bugis, Chinatown, Tiong Bahru and Redhill.

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Given the good connectivity of the existing bus service network, there is no plan to increase the number of bus services along Ubi Avenue 1, so long as the existing Service 63 performs adequately.

However, to reduce the waiting time and crowding during the peak hours, SBS Transit also operates Supplementary Service 63A to provide additional one-way trips from Eunos Bus Interchange to Aljunied MRT station during the weekday morning and evening peaks. These trips complement the parent Service 63, and provide Ubi residents additional capacity when ridership demand during these periods is higher.

LTA has also been actively working with SBS Transit and Ubi grassroots representatives to explore other possibilities to further improve the level of bus service along Ubi Avenue 1.

LTA and SBS Transit are finalising plans to improve Supplementary Service 63A to further boost capacity and reduce waiting time during the peak periods. More details will be provided by the end of the first quarter this year.