When they do planning for new towns, they should allocate enough
space for bus interchanges. To save space they can make it within
mall - that is okay. But have sufficient lots for multiple
services.
Bidadari, Tengah, Woodlands North, Tampines North all should
have big interchanges. Upset to see that Bidadari interchange will
have only 5 services (at least the press release says so).
Although we are moving towards the era of having more and more
services at interchanges, my personal view is that the older 1980s
system of dual interchange/terminal is more effective in some
towns.
Let me give an example with Yishun New Town:
Instead of the current 1 large interchange concept, 2 additional
terminals (1 around yishun industrial area, and 1 around
khatib/orchid country club area) could be used to reduce reliance
on feeder services and reduce traffic flow into the
interchange.
Services heading south and east bound (e.g. 851-5, 39, 85, etc)
could begin from the industrial area and travel along Ave 2 and pax
living along the route no longer need to make a transfer into and
out of the interchange.
Services heading west and north towards woodlands can begin from
the area around country club, passing through khatib before
continuing via chong pang and gambas.
This will reduce the interchange at yishun to mostly passengers
transferring from MRT and travelling around yishun itself, and
those areas not covered by these routes. As you already may know,
it takes at least 10mins additional travel time to go into the
interchange and out of it, not even taking into account of the bus
waiting time.
If you still need to transfer, that is still possible by
transferring at the key stops outside yishun mrt/int or any other
stops that the services intersect at.
A better town for all?
