It's a matter of efficiency and resource management, really ...
it still bugs me as to why some of the less crowded Yishun trunk
services (especially 852, 853) are not being diverted to serve the
inner roads (as is the case for many SBS towns, in particular
Tampines), while at the same time so much resources is dumped onto
new feeders and intra-towns (804, 860).
For example, it would only require a short diversion for any
trunk service serving at Khatib MRT to pass by Yishun St 61 / Ave
4, or Yishun Ring Rd near St 71 / 72. The trunk would link these
areas to both Khatib and Yishun MRT stations, while skipping a few
stops that the remaining trunks can easily cover. 812 would also be
freed to serve the new St 41 / 51 areas.
===========================
What about 853 and 855? Seeing that both have moderate frequency
/ demand and do not serve Yishun Ave 2 outside Yishun MRT, is it
possible that they can be enhanced to take over 812's route at both
St 61 and Ave 4, with minimal route amendments? As per below:
853: Yishun Int --> Ctrl 2 --> Ctrl --> Ave 4 --> Ring Rd
--> Ave 2
855: Yishun Int --> Ctrl (via SAFRA & KTP) --> St 61
--> Ring Rd --> Ave 2
In this way we have two-way direct services to KTP and SAFRA
from Khatib MRT. Chung Cheng and Northland get proper links as
well. The stop at Blk 935 still has 857, and is close enough to
Yishun Ave 2 for other services.
Then:
812 (merged, with G/W): Yishun Int --> Ave 2
--> Ring Rd --> Ave 4
--> St 51 --> St 41 --> Ring Rd --> Ave 11
--> Ctrl --> Int.
(812 will now provide a much more direct link from Yishun Int to
the area around Northbrooks Sec Sch, and complements 860 to Khatib.
117 will still connect to Khatib from Ave 1.)
Your merged 812 may lose the Yishun RIng Road (Chong Pang) to
Khatib MRT commuters and also the Swimming Pool - Chong Pang
or even interchange commuters.
Svc 855 should not served the St 61 sector. No point leh.. Svc
853 also just leave it as it is..
There has to be compromises for any route change ... in this
case I tried my best to preserve most of the existing routes, while
making the overall system
more efficient with the enhancement of 812, and not simply
through introducing new feeders or intratowns.
853 & 855: Why not? If it's a matter of lost links, there's
easy transfer at Khatib MRT. And these two trunks are within the
moderate frequency and demand range, so there shouldn't be too much
problems with those. It's really high time that St 61 / Ave 4
residents get a direct bus link to Khatib MRT.
812: Yishun Swimming Complex is still within comfortable walking
distance from the Blk 774 bus stop. Keeping 812's route to Ave 3
may be another option, but that'd mean cutting off those going to
Naval Base Sec.
853 already does a bit. 855 is only direct connection b/w
Thomson/YCK road west to Yishun (so I doubt).
Again, 859 is my preference to extend to Ring Road.
853 can do Ring Road > Ave 4 > Central to Yishun (yes some
deviation possible here).
859 can still do Yishun Ave 5 --> Ctrl --> St 61 -->
Ring Rd --> Ave 3 --> Ctrl, close to what I have suggested
for 855. But I'm thinking if it may be better utilised in northern
Yishun, or near the upcoming Ave 8 regions. Doing western Yishun
Ring Rd is probably pointless if the connection to Yishun MRT is
severed.
For now I'll stick to 853 and 855 for St 61 and Ave 4. Like I
said, it shouldn't be a major loss for these mid-tier routes.