Channel NewsAsia - 49 minutes
ago
SINGAPORE: Eleven new full—day bus lanes came into operation in
the central business district on Monday, and the Land Transport
Authority (LTA) is planning to implement more such lanes in various
parts of Singapore to cut travel times for bus commuters.
Serangoon Road is one of the areas being considered as it has
high bus volume and traffic throughout the day, making it an ideal
candidate for a full—day bus lane.
Tan Tee Nee, deputy director of traffic management at LTA, said:
"The surrounding amenities... the high commercial activities —
these are likely to generate more traffic along the road and of
course, (higher) bus frequency."
Some welcomed such prospects.
R Selvam from Moulmein Tekka Residents Committee said: "Most of
my residents travel by buses, so it is more of an advantage for
them to come back early, then they can spend more time with their
family and the school children."
S Gokulabalam, secretary of the Little India Shopkeepers and
Heritage Association, also said: "We will get more people coming to
Little India and by that we will benefit."
Many shops along Serangoon Road use back lanes and side streets
to load and unload their goods. But a few shopkeepers do not have
such access, so deliveries are dropped off outside the shop during
off—peak hours, when the bus lane is not in operation.
A merchant on Serangoon Road, Rani Kumar, said: "Full—day bus
lane will obstruct a bit of our loading and unloading... It’s
convenient to load and unload at the main road... otherwise we have
to go to the side road, it’s going to be a little
inconvenient."
Currently, the closest legal loading and unloading site to Mrs
Rani’s shop is about 50 metres away.
LTA officers are gathering feedback from shopkeepers so that
issues like Mrs Rani’s can be resolved before the full—day bus lane
scheme is implemented in the area. — CNA/ac
