BUS SERVICES FOR HOUGANG NEWTOWN

Mr Sia Kah Hui asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour, in view of the recent requests from the residents, whether he will indicate what bus services have been planned for Hougang New Town.

The Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour (Mr Ong Teng Cheong): Mr Speaker, Sir, the development of Hougang New Town is presently centred along Lorong Ah Soo in Neighbourhood I where the first 10 blocks of flats comprising about 1,200 dwelling units have been balloted.

The SBS will soon provide a feeder service to serve the residents of this neighbourhood. This feeder service, to be designated as Service 321, will link Lorong Ah Soo with Upper Serangoon Road, Upper Paya Lebar Road and Tampines Road. From here, residents can take a total of 14 passing-through trunk services to various parts of the island.

The SBS has already finalized a comprehensive bus plan for Hougang New Town. Implementation of this can only take place after the bus interchange in the Town Centre is ready in the first quarter of next year. Briefly, a total of seven feeder services will be provided to serve different neighbourhoods. From the bus interchange, a comprehensive network of trunk services will be provided to the Central Business District, neighbouring New Towns and main traffic corridors. The SBS will be most happy to brief the hon. Member for Paya Lebar on further details of its bus plan for Hougang New Town.