On paper, it looks perfect. After all, SMRT rarely executes such
wonderful service enhancements.
TIBS took the pains to ensure its bus journeys do not exceed one
hour end-to-end but all SMRT does is to ruin all this in its
efforts to maximise profits. To pass through one other town sounds
fair enough. Woodlands residents can surely live with a "via Bukit
Panjang" (think 966) or "via Yishun" if the total journey time is
still reasonable. But yes, SMRT loves to test our limits and now we
have a super combo of "via Sembawang and Yishun". This is simply
too much.
I do not buy the reason that the amendment is to improve
Sembawang's connections to the east. Changi Airport is too out of
the way to be used as a transit point for those heading to other
destinations in the east. Especially when there is a comprehensive
859 linking the whole of the town to Yishun, from which you have
39, 85, 854, 965, 969.
If you're really talking east, you're talking 969. But SMRT
knows the backlash it will receive from Woodlands and Yishun
residents from such an amendment would far outweigh the benefits it
would seek to gain from Sembawang.
Personally, I would rather have 965 serve Sembawang. Already
this service pales in performance compared to 858 and 969. Its
route is short and frequency sucks. So it would have been a win-win
situation as frequency will be boosted, it will find more use in
having higher loads to/from Sengkang to make up for what it has
lost to 85, and total journey time can still be within an hour.
Surely SMRT would have been tempted to carry out such an
amendment. But somehow it just didn't; perhaps it is still bound to
the 2:1 town territorial ruling, which 858 is exempted from. In
fact, if 965 was to take up 858's amended route, it would have
created a wonderful connection between Sengkang and KTP Hospital.
After all, KTP has been touted to be sited in Yishun in the
first place due to its proximity to both the northern and
northeastern towns. And the best part? Sembawang's intertown links
will still be enhanced, while 858's journey time will remain
unaffected.
And as if Sembawang is not enough, there's KTP. Yes, it's a
vital link bla bla bla but we all know that 858's chosen as it
would be the one and only service linking Woodlands and Sembawang
(and Yishun) to the hospital without having to introduce or amend
the other routes. Amending 965 or 969 would have been stupid as it
would have left Sembawang with no link to KTP.
But please la, wouldn't a dedicated WAB shuttle service be more
efficient in ferrying visitors to the KTP and back from Yishun
Int/MRT? Imagine a packed 858 from Changi Airport with majority
alighting at Yishun MRT, trying to pack in even more visitors from
KTP. I just hope SMRT will amend 811 or something before such a
situation starts to develop.
All in all, Sembawang has joined Yishun and Bukit Panjang in
becoming a pain in the ass for Woodlands residents suffering longer
journey times. I can't wait for the throughfare system to be
implemented. That would make 168>858 a much more appealing
option.
And oh, for the record, I stay in Woodlands. And I take 858 at
least six times a week. During peak hours :)
For 858, there is no choice as it was initially a Woodlands to
Yishun route. Taking it away from Yishun when TIBS extended it to
airport will mean more complaints from Yishun commuters. Anyway, it
really benefited both Woodlands and Yishun commuters to the airport
all these years and the healthy loads benefitted TIBS to sustain
the service.
For 965, if it was to served Woodlands only to Sengkang, most
likely it will be withdrawn within 6 months because of very poor
load issues. Extended to Yishun was a wise choice by TIBS back
then.
For 966 and 969, don't want to comment much since they are
poorly managed now.
Another extension which I feel is a bit too much is service 28
to Tampines East. It would be better that SBST extends 292 to
Tampines East and make it an Intra Town service.
Not everyone has the luxury of direct bus links and yes, it DOES
kill the butt to not just sit in an 858 a little longer, but also
in the other buses he/she has to make transfers to. And normal
working adults dont have so much time to spare in
travelling.
To add on, some commuters don't even have the luxury to
even "kill the butt" because right from the start from the airport,
they have to STAND all the way to Yishun, at least.
I shall just post the proposed route again.
Proposed 965 route.
From WRI:
Woodlands Ave 7, Sembawang Way, Canberra Rd, Sembawang Rd,
Yishun Ave 7, Yishun Ave 2, Yishun Central, Yishun Central 1 (New
bus stops Opp&Outside BLK 921, BLK 932), Yishun Central 2,
Yishun St 61 (New bus stop outside BLK 605 and Chung Cheng High
Sch), Yishun Ring Road, Yishun Ave 2, then proceed the usual route
to Sengkang.
Same for return route.