FULL-DAY BUS LANE SCHEME

FULL-DAY BUS LANE SCHEME:

(Assessment of efficacy): 1.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether he can provide an assessment on the efficacy of the full-day bus lane scheme; (b) whether the full-day bus lane scheme has improved the travelling speeds of buses; and (c) whether there is any assessment

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on how the scheme has affected the travelling speeds of other traffic.

The Minister of State for Transport (Mrs Lim Hwee Hua) (for the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, Sir, since the extension of the full-day bus lane scheme to five locations in the CBD on 1st April 2007, this has benefited commuters on some 45 bus services. LTA has observed average improvements in bus speeds of about 7%. The improvements are especially significant during the non-peak hours between 9.30 am and 5.00 pm.

However, along certain stretches of Eu Tong Sen Street, the improvement has been limited due to the large volumes of left turning traffic. LTA is closely monitoring the area to see if further improvements can be made.

Prior to April, bus lanes were already operating at the five locations during the peak hours. As such, the impact of the full-day bus lane scheme on other traffic is primarily felt during the non-peak hours. During these hours, there is minimal adverse impact on the travel speeds of motorists, as the traffic volume along the roads is less heavy.

The co-operation of all road users will ensure the effectiveness of the full-day bus lanes in improving bus speeds and reducing public transport journey times.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Marine Parade): Mr Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of State whether LTA would consider the loading of the buses, ie, the number of passengers on the buses during off-peak hours, and whether the convenience of travel for these bus commuters would justify the inconvenience caused to other motorists by the closure of one lane just for these buses.

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Second question: if the obstruction to the bus traffic is due to inconsiderate stoppage of vehicles (taxis, pick-ups and others), as written by Nurlizah Ibrahim in her reply in the Straits Times , would LTA consider having double zig-zag lines, instead of having a full-day bus lane, at those five locations?

Third question: would LTA consider regulations so that buses do not travel on other road lanes whenever there are dedicated full-day bus lanes?

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua: Sir, the overall philosophy of giving buses priority is one of recognising that buses are the most efficient movers in terms of the masses of people that they are able to convey. Within Singapore where there is a limitation to the amount of road space that we can increase, public transportation and therefore buses would remain one of the priorities. In deciding to accord full-day bus lanes, the Ministry has carefully chosen roads and stretches which have maximum benefit in terms of the number of services that they would cover.

As to whether we should consider the loading of buses, that is one possibility. Ultimately, the aim is actually to incentivise more people to go onto buses by assuring them of a quick travel time through the provision of this full-day bus lane scheme.

In terms of the obstruction to buses, whether it is a question of zig-zag lines, ultimately it is a question of enforcement and that would continue to be used rather than to find an alternative way of indicating what would constitute an offence. As to whether there should be regulations that will limit buses from using other than bus lanes, the idea is not to provide inflexibility. As I have said, it is buses that we will want to have smooth travel on the roads than other vehicles.

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Mr Speaker: Mr Lim, last question. Be brief, please.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: Thank you, Sir. I do recognise that buses are the most efficient movers of passengers during peak hours. Hence, I have never quibbled over having bus lanes during peak hours. But I would like to ask the Minister of State whether she recognises that during off-peak hours, there are less passengers on buses and, hence, there must be a balance between moving passengers during off-peak hours in the buses versus the inconvenience caused to motorists during off-peak hours.

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua: Mr Speaker, Sir, the point that the Member has raised is well taken. But that is precisely the reason the LTA is very careful in terms of the roads that it chooses to implement the full-day bus lane scheme. This is not implemented throughout the whole country. So the roads are carefully chosen and these are the roads that cover many bus services, and the idea is to provide an incentive for more people to go onto buses.