I don't think residents would complain about having "redundant
bus services" with an extra svc 983. If anything, it would maintain
the important connection between schs at Ave 4 and flats at Ave 5.
More likely the "new concerns" are regarding loss of other
intra-town connections.
Let's take a look at the changes in connectivity with the
proposed route changes:
Existing svc 300
CCK Int/MRT - Ave 4 - Ave 5 - Ave 2/3
Amended svc 300G/W
CCK Int/MRT - Ave 4 - Ave 3 (only for 300W) - Ave 2
New svc 301
CCK Int/MRT - Ave 3 - Ave 5
New svc 983
CCK Int/MRT - Ave 4 - Ave 5
With the proposed changes, the following direct connections are
lost:
1. Ave 4 - Ave 3 (full stretch)
2. Ave 5 - Ave 2
The Ave 4 - Ave 3 connection is needed for students at BP Govt
high or Concord Pri (Ave 4) living at Ave 3, mainly for those on
the other side of Ave 3 further from Ave 4, although they can also
walk to Ave 2 to take 300G/W.
The Ave 5 - Ave 2 connection is needed for students at CCK Pri
(Ave 2) living at Ave 5, and maybe for Ave 5 residents heading to
Keat Hong Shopping Centre, although they can also walk to Ave 1 to
take 172 to Ave 3, then walk in to Ave 5.
For both cases, pax can make a one way connection by
transferring at the bus stop in front of Sunshine Plaza, along Ave
3. (975/301 -> 300W for Ave 3 to Ave 4, and 300W -> 301 for
Ave 2 to Ave 5) Currently, there is only one bus stop in front of
Sunshine Plaza with no bus stop opposite due to lack of space, with
an Esso petrol station in the middle of that stretch of road.
A possible solution is to have a single, wider road leading into
the petrol station for both entry and exit, instead of entry and
exit points at both ends of the petrol station. A bus stop can then
be placed at the longer stretch of pavement which includes the
closed entry/exit point. The traffic flow within the petrol station
would also need to be reconfigured to allow vehicles to turn back
to exit. With a bus stop there, pax can make transfers in the
opposite direction as well, and also improving connections to that
area with an extra bus stop.
With the route changes postponed just a few days before
implementation, and after the official announcement has been made,
this tells us how difficult it is to reroute bus services to
improve efficiency, at the cost of reducing the number of direct
connections provided. Also shows how powerful the grassroots
advisors are in having a say on such matters.
