LTA allows Bus Services to ply along MRT routes

iamgoondu SG

Straits Times reported that LTA allowed bus services to run along MRT routes IF THE TRAINS WERE PACKED.

But what packed is packed? At present, I found it uncomfortable to ride on train at any hours. I hardly can find any seats when I first board the train at Buona Vista, especially during rush hours.

With a 6min frequency, and a 15 minutes walk to train station, generally I prefer buses over trains.

Let's hope we can have services that ply along clementi, dover, buona vista, commonwealth, queenstown and Orchard (extension of SBST 111 to clementi?)

Allowing the change, we may see services extended from BV and GM terminals to Clementi. Likewise we may see buses extending from Clementi to BV, like 99 and .....

Dream on..

phillipC SG

Tell LTA that talk is cheap! Please tell them to define the meaning of "Packed"?
Basically all the trips run by SMRT are packed to the brim!

Trains at Jurong east stations are packed with people(peak hour) until no where to stand, they also dunt want to start the bloody train!

That is what they call world class transport!

sbst275 SG

It has taken them too long to realise this prob of the MRT... They had forced ppl to take MRT, now this prob is here, esp when train line is very profitable

Simple, packed is when the train capacity reaches 100% that is 1800

sbst275 SG

Not dream on but a real, go to Clementi Int, can you have more bus svs terminating there?

phillipC SG

so we shall see if there is any initiative by SBST.
dunt expect any bus services from SMRT to run these packed MRT lines, unless there is a breakdown of services by SMRT. According to them is a duplicated of resources.

if not, what i can say is that these top management from LTA or PTC is only "talk big". Because they never take transports to work, they only drive big cars or have "ahmad"-chaeffuer to send them to work.

5454 SG

i hope SBST brings back Service 85 Very Happy

kenny_cai SG

Not gonna happen for a long time. I think LTA was refering to the packed East-West Line, but I don't think both companies want THEIR MRT operations to suffer. But I'd agree for a service from Tampines to the City Hall area. This stretch of the East-West line is always packed! A bus service along this stretch might help ease the load.

iveco SG

TAM to City Hall? Request Svc 23 to loop at Suntec lar.

sBs_boy SG

NEL is already under capacity.. you still expect them to bring back 85.. ?? No way that they going to do that...

Acx1688 SG

There used to be Express 503 from Tampines to Robinson Rd/Suntec Rd but withdrawn due to low dd...

tranquilice SG

Some examples of bus services along MRT routes:
2 (Tanah Merah - Bugis)
105 and 147 (Clementi - Commonwealth)
180 (Boon Lay - Chinese Garden)
143 (Toa Payoh - Somerset)

tranquilice SG

SBST expected answers: Go to Tampines Ave 1/2/7, take Express 518. Laughing

tranquilice SG

Will duplicate service 857.

tranquilice SG

Express 503 was converted to Express 505, which was again converted to Express 518.

iveco SG

Don't forget 147 (Little India to Serangoon Ctr)

kenny_cai SG

I was hoping for the return of Service 4, which I believe operates between Tampines and New Bridge Road. However, instead of New Bridge Road, let the service loop at Suntec City.

And Express services are a pain sometimes!

bluezombie10 SG

Ermm.. Svc 4 route before it was withdrawn was actually between Tampines Int & St Michael's Terminal. The service that was serving from Tampines Int to New Bridge Rd was the previous Svc 28 (before the MRT was introduced).

Svc 4 withdrawn route (taken from TransitLink Guide 1993):-

Tampines Int, (Central 1, Central 2), Ave 5, Ave 1, Bedok Reservoir Rd, Bedok North Ave 3, New Upp Changi Rd, Changi Rd, Geylang Rd, (Kallang Rd), Sims Ave, Lor 1 Geylang, (Upp Boon Keng Rd), Boon Keng Rd, (Bendemeer Rd), Lavender St, Balestier Rd, Moulmein Rd, Thomson Rd, Balestier Rd, Whampoa Dr, Jln Bahagia, (Kim Keat Rd, Whampoa Rd) and St Michael's Ter

And return via St Michael's Ter, Whampoa Rd, (Whampoa Dr), Jln Bahagia, Kim Keat Rd, Balestier Rd, Thomson Rd, Moulmein Rd, Balestier Rd, (Serangoon Rd), Boon Keng Rd, (Upp Boon Keng Rd), Lor 1 Geylang, Sims Ave, Sims Ave East, New Upp Changi Rd, Bedok North Ave 3, Bedok Reservoir Rd, Tampines Ave 1, Ave 5, (Central 2, Central 1) and Tampines Int

Routes in red are covered by Svc 67, while those in blue are covered by Svc 21.
In 1993, Svc 21 was from Pasir Ris Int - Lor 1 Geylang, and part of Svc 67 route was actually duplicating Svc 23.

Svc 28 original route (can't really remember which year it was withdrawn):-

Tampines Int, (Central 1, Central 2), Ave 5, Simei Ave, Upp Changi Rd, Bedok Rd, New Upp Changi Rd, Changi Rd, Geylang Rd, Kallang Rd, Crawford St, North Bridge Rd, South Bridge Rd, Neil Rd, Eu Tong Sen St and New Bridge Rd Ter. (correct me if I'm wrong, can't remember whether the bus took this route?)

And return via New Bridge Rd Ter, Eu Tong Sen St, Hill St, Victoria St, Kallang Rd, Sims Ave, Sims Ave East, New Upp Changi Rd, Bedok Rd, Upp Changi Rd, Simei Ave, Tampines Ave 5, (Central 2, Central 1) and Tampines Int

I applaud SBST for introducing svc 518, however on the return trip (esp on weekends), commuters who board the bus at Suntec City might find themselves standing throughout the "express" journey. What SBST could do is that they should introduce ADDs during the Orchard peak hours, esp weekend evenings. Else have some single decks start their trips eg at Far East Plaza to Pasir Ris Int.

tranquilice SG

Service 4 used to ply between Bedok ---> Pasir Ris ---> Tampines, and St. Michael's.

The services that used to ply between Tampines and Chinatown were 28 and 81.

bluezombie10 SG

What i can remember is that Svc 4 was originally from Bedok Int – St Michael’s Ter. Afterwards, it merged with Svc 19 (originally plying between Bedok Int – Pasir Ris). Then it’s route got cutback to ply from Tampines Int instead, together with Svc 8 (originally Pasir Ris – Toa Payoh)

tranquilice SG

Service 17 replaces service 8 former route between Pasir Ris int and Tampines Ave 2. I think it was the introduction of service 17 in 1993 that service 8 was shortened to Tampines.