LAND TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT IN PUNGGOL 21 (Update)

4. Ms Penny Low asked the Minister for Transport (a) if he will give an update of the land transport development in the Punggol 21 area; and (b) whether the Ministry feels that the current bus service and road networks meet the needs of the growing population in that area.

The Minister of State for Transport (Dr Balaji Sadasivan) (for the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, Sir, Punggol New Town was designed to incorporate an integrated transportation network from the start. In tandem with the development of Punggol Town, the transportation system in the area has been built up steadily to meet the needs of its rising number of residents.

Public transportation

Let me start with developments in public transportation. With the opening of the North East Line (NEL) in June this year, Punggol residents now have a fast and direct access to the city.

The bus network has been keeping up with the development of Punggol. Since the opening of NEL, a trunk bus service (Service No. 83) has been extended to bring residents to the Punggol MRT station. This bus service also brings residents to Sengkang bus interchange where they can transfer to other bus services. Two other trunk bus services (Services 136 and 82) connect residents to other towns such as Hougang, Serangoon and Ang Mo Kio.

Ongoing projects to further improve public transport services in Punggol Town include the construction of the Punggol LRT, and a temporary bus interchange (near Punggol MRT station). When completed, the bus interchange will allow the operator to introduce more bus services as the town grows.

Next, let me talk about the road network. Within Punggol Town itself, roads are being built by HDB in tandem with the planned completion of developments there. This is no different from how roads are provided for in other new towns.

Ms Penny Low has been feeding back to us the concerns of residents in Punggol about the inadequate road access into Punggol. We share her concerns. This is why we had earlier brought forward road projects to improve the road access into Punggol Town. As a result, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been able to recently open a new slip road from Tampines Expressway (TPE) eastbound to Punggol Road. This is part of the proposed TPE/Sengkang East Road Interchange project, which will be fully completed by the end of this year. LTA has progressively opened the various slip roads at this interchange to allow motorists to familiarise themselves with the new traffic layouts.

Another project, the TPE/Sengkang East Drive Flyover, is also under construction, and it will provide a new access link between Punggol and Sengkang New Towns by the end of this year.

These projects are proceeding on schedule. When completed, they would provide two important additional road accesses into Punggol Town, and help to relieve the current traffic congestion on Punggol Road.

The road network will receive a further boost in 2007, when the completion of the Kallang/Paya Lebar Expressway will provide Punggol Town with a direct expressway connection to the city.

The operator, the Public Transport Council (PTC) and LTA will continue to obtain feedback from residents and monitor the quality of public transport services and traffic conditions. They will take appropriate measures to improve the situation where required. For example, following discussions with Ms Low and her residents, the operator has proposed changes to three bus routes to better link Punggol residents to NEL and other key towns. The operator has just submitted these proposals to PTC. I am sure the operator will continue to refine and improve the bus system in line with the development and growth of Punggol Town.

Miss Penny Low (Pasir-Ris Punggol): Sir, when will the temporary interchange be ready and operational? And when it is operational, what would it offer to the residents?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: We expect the interchange to be ready by next year. And when the interchange is ready, as the population of Punggol Town increases, there will be the ability to start new bus services.

Miss Penny Low: I have also, at various times, fed back to LTA on the lack of lighting at temporary shelters. I understand that this is something that SBS and other authorities could not do except the LTA. I am wondering whether the Minister of State has an update on this matter.

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: The LTA has obtained this feedback on the lighting, and they will improve the lighting at the temporary bus stops. This is part of the ongoing improvement of services on the ground in Punggol as a result of obtaining feedback from grassroots organisations and their advisers.