BUSES LEAVING BUS BAYS (Right of Way)

Mr Tan Cheng San asked the Minister for Communications and Acting Minister for Culture, because of the difficulties encountered by bus drivers when moving out from bus bays, if he will consider introducing a scheme whereby other vehicles have to give way to buses moving out from bus bays.

Mr Ong Teng Cheong: Mr Speaker, Sir, this is being looked into.

A study group, comprising officers from the Public Works Department, Traffic Police, Registry of Vehicles and SBS, is now examining the feasibility of giving priority to buses leaving bus bays.

Mr Tan Soo Khoon (Alexandra): Sir, is the Minister not aware that such a scheme, if implemented, would cause hazards to other road users?

Mr Ong Teng Cheong: On the contrary, Sir, it will not. The present practice of motorists not giving way to buses leaving the bus bays has caused much inconvenience and congestion to impede traffic flow; thus bus drivers are reluctant to pull in to the bus bays. As we know, when a bus pulls in to a bus bay, it will have great difficulty in getting out of the bus bay because motorists along the carriageway are reluctant to give way to buses pulling out.

The aim of this scheme is to encourage bus drivers to pull their buses in to the bus bay when loading and unloading passengers in order to free the carriageway for other traffic to flow. I am not suggesting at this stage that we have decided on it. A number of traffic studies are being carried out to determine what the effects will be and until the result of the studies is known, we will not implement the scheme. We will have to wait until the outcome of the studies.