BUS TERMINI (Particulars)

Encik Abdul Aziz Karim asked the Minister for Law and National Development (a) how many bus termini have been constructed; and what is the area, cost and rental of each terminus; (b) if he is aware that oil drippings from badly maintained bus engines are causing damage to the termini; and who undertakes and bears the cost of repairing the damage; and (c) if he will take action to stop the misuse of valuable public property, utilities and services.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, eight bus termini have been constructed by the Public Works Department at a total cost of $241,650 and are let out for a total rent of $6,600 per month. Details are as follows: Location Area Capital Rental Sq. Yds. Cost per month Serangoon Garden Way 1,920 $38,000 $960 Crawford Street 860 17,200 800 Upper Thomson Road 320 5,760 300 Changi Point 1,070 16,050 500 Yio Chu Kang Road 860 17,200 400 Kampung Bahru Road 270 5,400 200 Balestier Road 430 8,600 240 Prince Edward Road 11,120 133,440 3,200 ------ -------- ------ Total 16,850 $241,650 $6,600 ====== ======== ======

In addition to the above, the Housing and Development Board has constructed two bus termini at a total cost of $1,408,000 and let out for a total rent of $18,600 per month: Locality Area Cost Rental Sq. Yds per month Toa Payoh Town-Centre 51,000 $1,008,000 $12,600 Upper Changi (Chai Chee) 13,300 400,000 6,000 ------ ---------- ------- Total 64,300 $1,408,000 $18,600 ====== ========== =======

Most of the bus parking areas are constructed with concrete which is not so badly affected by oil drippings as compared to areas constructed of bitumen. Any damage is repaired as and when necessary by the Roads Branch of the PWD or the HDB.

Oil drippings from buses are inevitable unless a very high standard of maintenance of the buses is exercised by the bus owners.

The PWD and HDB do take action against any misuse of the bus termini. At one time action was taken against unauthorised hawkers who were related to bus drivers and were brought in to hawk at the bus termini.

Mr Ivan Baptist (Potong Pasir): Mr Speaker, Sir, could not the Minister give these figures in metric, as the Government policy today is metrication?

Mr Barker: I could have really. But if I were to repeat all these figures in metric, it will take up much more time. As it is, I have already taken up about five minutes reading out all these particulars in square yards and dollars. Perhaps if the Member were to ask the Minister for Science and Technology questions of this nature, he would get his answers in square metres.