Let's move on to the next episode of the history of bus srvices
in the 3 towns -- Choa Chu Kang, Bt Batok and Pasir Ris, but let me
start off for the Choa Chu Kang first. Hmm, maybe I should add on
Lim Chu kang as well. The Bt Batok & Pasir Ris bus service
history are on separate posts.
==== CHOA CHU KANG / LIM CHU KANG BUS SERVICES HISTORY ====
In the pre-1971 re-organisation, Choa Chu Kang bus services were
operated by Green Bus Co Ltd, serving the rural districts of Choa
Chu Kang and also Lim Chu Kang areas, coupled with RAF Tengah along
Choa Chu Kang Rd.
Green Bus 2 from Lim Chu kang to Queen St via Bt Timah Rd/Duneran
Rd
this service will divert to Choa Chu kang Rd (End), around kampoung
bereh/CCK village on certain timings.
Green Bus 8 from RAF Tengah to Union Jack Club, North Bridge
Rd
this service operated only on fridays, sats and suns. Its
opperations from RAF tengah was from 6-8pm and from Union Jack Club
(North Bridge Rd), from 12am - 12.20am
Green Bus 9 from Tg Kilng to Choa Chu Kang Rd (end)
this service runs from tg kilng at jurong via Boon Lay Rd and
unnamed road leading to Choa Chu Kang Rd.
On 11 April1971, the day of the re-organisation, the services fall
under the UBC Group. 1 bus service to CCK and the another to
LCK.
UBC 172 - from Lim Chu kang to Prince Edward Rd (integrates with
former Green Bus 2 & 8, convert to full day service)
UBC 206 - from Choa Chu kang Rd end to Tg Kilng (former Green Bus
9)
Somewhere in 1971, UBC 206 was extended to Lim Chu Kang Rd End,
while continuing to serve the Choa Chu kang Rd End sector.
Int the 1974 reorganisation, service 172 amended to skip Choa Chu
Kang Rd End, while a new service 179 from Lim Chu Kang to Upp Bt
Timah Rd was introduced and runs via the entire stretch of Upp BT
timah Rd and Choa Chu kang Rd.
In 1977/78, another new service 177 from Choa Chu Kang Rd End to
Upp Bt Timah Rd was also introduced and runs parallel on the
service 179 (for part of Choa Chu Kang Rd (starting from the
junction of Lim Chu Kang Rd/Jln Bahar), Upp Bt Timah Rd, Jln Anak
Bukit sector). It was noticed that 177 was amended to start its
trip from Upp Bt Timah Rd and loops at Choa Chu kang Rd End.
In 1978, service 206 was amended to call at Jurong Interchange, as
part of the Jurong Bus Service Rationalisation.
However, in the early 1980s, with the amendment of 177, service 179
was withdrawn and part of its route were covered by 177. Service
177 was withdrawn in 1985.
Now, let's move on to the present generations of Choa Chu Kang. The
part of Teck Whye Lane was starting to develop in rapid succession
in the 1980s, with the mass clearing of squatters/ villages to make
way for the HDB development. the 32 blocks of 1-story SIT flat were
also being cleared to make way as well.
The only terminus in Choa Chu Kang was situated at Choa Chu Kang
Dr, with 3 services terminating there, mainly 75, 179 and 185,
before the actial location at Choa Chu Kang Ave 4, which is also
located to the Choa Chu Kang branch line of the MRT on 10 Mar
1990.
75 - Choa Chu Kang to Marina Centre [service extended from Clementi
and extended to Marina Centre]
179 - Choa Chu Kang to New Bridge Rd [service extended from Bt
Batok]
185 - Choa Chu Kang to Shenton Way [new service]
With the interchange opening, 2 new feeder services were
introduced, services 300 and 301, and TIBS SS7 was introduced later
in 1990, to cater residents of Choa Chu Kang to Woodlands new Town,
when the Woodlands MRT extension is planned and began its
construction as early as 1992/93.
Services in Choa Chu Kang in 1990:
75 - Choa Chu Kang to Marina Centre
179 - Choa Chu Kang to New Bridge Rd (withdrawn)
185 - Choa Chu Kang to Shenton Way (was shortened to Jln Anak Bukit
in 1992)
190 - Choa Chu Kang to New Bridge Rd
300 - Choa Chu Kang to Choa Chu Kang Ave 3 (Loop)
301 - Choa Chu Kang to Teck Whye Lane (Loop)
SS7 - Choa Chu Kang to Woodlands.
Service that are withdrawn/amended/introduced after 1990,
LCK services are included as well
[amendments shown in bracket]:
67 - Choa Chu Kang to Tampines [Introdced on 26 May 1991, merged
with service 4 and it serves Bedok North Ave 3, New Upp Changi Rd,
Lavender St]
75 - Choa Chu Kang to Marna Centre [service shortened to Bt Panjang
in 1993, with the introduction of new Service 179 from Choa Chu
Kang to Fajar Rd]
172 - Choa Chu Kang to Boon Lay [service shortened
to Upp Bt Timah Rd and was amended to call at Boon Lay on 26 May
1991. When Choa Chu Kang Rd was closed in stages, it plys along Sg
Tengah Rd, Brickland Rd, CCK Ave 4 in 1993. When 172 handed over to
TIBS in 1999, it was shortened to CCK int instead of looping at Upp
Bt Timah Rd]
175 - Lim Chu Kang to Upp Bt Timah Rd (Loop)
[Service introduced on 18 Jul 1993. When Choa Chu Kang Rd was
closed in stages, it plys along Sg Tengah Rd, Brickland Rd, CCK Ave
4. Service was then amended to Bt Panjang and loop at LCK in 2005,
service was renumbered to 975]
179 - Choa Chu Kang to Fajar Rd (Loop) [service introduced in 1993,
withdrawn due to LRT Rationalisartion in 1999]
185 - Choa Chu Kang to Jln Anak Bukit (Loop) [service shortened in
1992, and integrates with former 989 in 2003 to form the current
985]
188 - Choa Chu Kang to WTC (Harboutfront} [service introduced in
1998]
188E - Choa Chu Kang to Harbourfront [an express varaint by SMRT
introduced on 23 june 2007 charging express fares.]
190 - Choa Chu Kang to New bridge Rd [service amended to Teck Whye
Ave instead of Choa Chu Kang Way in 1999]
206 - Service amended to Boon Lay. On 18 Jul 1993,
it was converted to operate during peak hours on weekdays &
saturdays, skipping the Choa Chu Kang Rd (End) Sector but later on
it was withdrawn.
300 - Choa Chu Kang to Choa Chu Kang Ave 3 (Loop) [service amended
to call at CCK Ave 5 in 2001]
301 - Choa Chu kang to teck whye ave (Loop) [service merged with
303 and form Townlink 307 in 1997 (now known as Intratown 307 when
handed to TIBS in 1999]
302 - Choa Chu Kang to Choa Chu Kang St 62 (Loop) [service
introduced in 1994. Extended to CCK Cres and was amended to skip
CCK St 62 in 1997 with the formation of Townlink 307 (now known as
Intratown 307 when handed to TIBS in 1999]
303 - Choa Chu Kang toChoa Chu Kang North 5 (Loop) [service
introduced in 1994, and integrted with 301 to form Town link 307 in
1997 (now known as Intratown 307 when handed to TIBS in 1999]
307 - Choa Chu Kang to Choa Chu Kang St 62/Teck Whye Ave (Loop)
[Townlink service (Intratown when handed over to TIBS with merger
of 301 and 303, there was a conversion of 307 to feeder in 2001
when 307 ceased to operate Teck Whye areas but however with the
feedback gatehred by Teck Whye residents, the sector of Teck Whye
route was revived and bacame an Intratown service again in
2002.]
925 - Choa Chu kang to Woodlands (via Sungei Kadut) - service
extended to Choa Chu Kang with the opening of Woodlands MRT Station
and the Woodlands Reg Int in 1996.
927 - Choa Chu Kang to Mandai Lake Rd (Loop) - service extended to
Choa Chu Kang via bt Panjang instead of looping at Mandai Rd in
1996. The service was also amended to serve Woodlands Rd/Mandai Rd
when 171 was amended to serve Bt Panjang in 1999.
975 - Renumbered from 175 in 2005. Bt Panjang to Lim Chu kang Rd
(Loop)
985 - Choa Chu Kang to Geylang Lor 1 - serivce introduced when 185
and 989 merged in 2003.
985W - Choa Chu Kang to geylang Lor 1 - service introduced parallel
to 985, but it doesnt serve Bt Batok West ave 5 and 7 in 2006 but
was withdrawn 1 year later.
989 - Choa Chu kang to Changi Ariport - service introdced in 2001
to provide linkage to Changi Airport, however with the Changi
Airprot MRT opening, the demand declined significantly and was
being merged with 185 and withdrawn in 2003.
NR3 - NightRider service from Choa Chu Kang to Marina Centre
[service introduced in 2000, but was converted to 2 directional
service and became Choa Chu Kang to North Canal Rd (Loop) skipping
Marina Centre]
NR16 - NightRider service from Choa Chu Kang to Yishun [service
introduced in 2001, but it was withdrawn later]
NR17 - NightRidr service from Choa Chu Kang to NTU (Loop) [service
introduced in 2001, but it was withdrawn later]
NB: BOLD denotes Lim Chu Kang Services.
Some things you might not have noticed:
When SBS won its contract for the NEL Line, the Sengkang services
from TIBS had to be handed over to SBS, while SBS handed the
service 190 to TIBS and 864, 865 and 866 was handed to SBS, which
so-called the exchange between Sengkang/Jln Kayu services and Choa
Chu Kang services.
Singapore Bus
Service (1990 - 1995)
Service 67 - Introduced in
1991. Choa Chu Kang - Tampines service. Merged with 4 to ply Bedok
area.
Service 75 - Extended to
serve Marina Centre from Choa Chu Kang. Amended to ply Bukit
Panjang in 1993 with the introduction of service
179.
Service 172 - Shortened to
Boon Lay with the introduction of service 175. Amended to ply
Sungei Tengah & Brickland area when Choa Chu Kang Rd was closed
in stages.
Service 175 - Introduced
in 1993. Lim Chu Kang - Choa Chu Kang - Upper Bukit Timah service.
Amended to ply Sungei Tengah & Brickland area when Choa Chu
Kang Rd was closed in stages.
Service 179 - It was
withdrawn in 1990, with the extension of service 190. Re-introduced
in 1993 between Choa Chu Kang - Fajar area.
Service 185 - Shortened to
loop at Jalan Anak Bukit / Upper Bukit Timah in
1992.
Service 190 - Extended to
serve Orchard / New Bridge Road, with the
withdrawal of service
179.
Service 206 - Operating
hours were revised to operate on Weekdays & Saturdays only.
Withdrawn between 1993 and 1995.
Feeder 300 -
Introduced in 1992 to ply Choa Chu Kang Ave 1 /
2.
Feeder 301 -
Introduced in 1994 to serve Teck Whye area.
Feeder 302 -
Introduced in 1994 to ply Choa Chu Kang St 52. When Choa Chu Kang
was joined with Choa Chu Kang North 6 & St 62, it was
amended to loop at St 62 in Nov 1994.
Feeder 303 -
Introduced in 1994 to ply Choa Chu Kang North
5.
Singapore Bus Service
(1995 - 1999)
Service 67 - Handed to TIBS in
1999.
Service 75 - Handed to TIBS in
1995.
Service 172 - Handed to TIBS in 1999 &
shortened to Choa Chu Kang Int.
Service 175 - Handed to TIBS in
1999.
Service 179 - Handed to TIBS in
1995.
Service 185 - Handed to TIBS in
1999.
Service 188 - Introduced in 1998 to serve
World Trade Centre. Handed to TIBS in 1999.
Service 190 - Handed to TIBS in
1999.
Feeder 300 - Amended to
ply Choa Chu Kang Ave 3. Handed to TIBS in
1999.
Feeder 301 - Merged with 303 to became 307
in 1997.
Feeder 302 - Amended to ply Choa Chu Kang
Crescent when 307 was amended. Handed to TIBS in
1999.
Feeder 303 - Extended to ply Choa Chu Kang
St 62. Merged with 301 to became 307 in 1997.
Townlink 307 - Merged from
301 & 303 in 1997. Handed to TIBS in 1999.
