RE-ROUTING OF BUS ROUTES TO CENTRAL BUS STATIONS IN CITY AREA

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Communications if his Ministry has made a feasibility study on the establishment of two or more central bus stations in the City area and the re-routing of bus routes where practicable to one or other of the bus stations so that commuters to and from the City will not have to change buses.

The Minister for Communications (Mr Yong Nyuk Lin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the bus transport system is of a flexible nature by which passengers can be conveniently loaded and unloaded at very close intervals along the routes, unlike a rail or other mass transport system. The need, therefore, for a concentrated passenger stop, where passengers unload and walk to their destination, is not considered necessary. Nevertheless, in the bus reorganisation plan a number of high capacity bus stops in the City area, for example, in Market Street, Cecil Street, Empress Place, Collyer Quay, Prince Edward Road, which is just opposite the Singapore Polytechnic, are provided to cater for the needs of the majority of commuters who concentrate in this area.

The proposed re-routing of services has also been designed so as to provide direct links between major residential areas with the City area, namely, Collyer Quay, Shenton Way, Robinson Road, Chinatown, North Bridge Road, Victoria Street, High Street, and Orchard Road. Furthermore, a series of re-routes and inter-urban services also provide direct links between major residential and industrial areas. This arrangement of services should enable the majority of bus commuters to complete their journeys without changing buses or, at most, with only one transfer.