SERANGOON GARDEN ESTATE (New Bus Service Scheme)

Dr Lau Teik Soon asked the Minister for National Development and Communications how the proposed new bus service scheme for Serangoon Garden Estate will improve the bus service and when the scheme will be introduced.

The Senior Minister of State for Communications (Mr Ong Teng Cheong) (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, presently, the Singapore Bus Service Ltd (SBS) operates seven normal services and one Blue Arrow service serving Serangoon Garden Estate. Despite this large number of services operating into and from the Estate. the level of service provided to the residents is unsatisfactory owing to the inefficient network of services.

The existing bus service system needs to be rationalised because there is a great deal of wasteful deployment of buses as a result of route duplication. Buses operate into the Estate throughout the day thereby lengthening the time taken for each trip.

A study was made by SBS in October last year with a view to improving the level of bus service to Serangoon Garden Estate. After consultations with the hon. Member for Serangoon Gardens and the members of his Citizens Consultative Committee, SBS has proposed the following improvements:

(i) Some services will be abolished to reduce wasteful duplication while other services will be modified to better serve the residents. As a result of this route rationalisation, service frequency will be improved from 14 1/2 minutes to about 9 1/2 minutes during peak hours.

(ii) A one-man-operated internal service will be introduced into the Estate during off-peak hours. This will provide residents in the Estate with a much better level of service.

The proposed route rationalisation is being examined by the Bus Services Licensing Authority to see if the services could be further streamlined. The new scheme will probably be introduced in April as soon as it is finalised and approved by the Bus Services Licensing Authority.