Increase in new bus routes but less improvement to existing ones

The number of new bus routes has spiked since the Land Transport Authority (LTA) assumed the role of central bus route planner in 2009, but improvements made to existing routes have actually slowed down, reported The Straits Times. 

In response to queries from local paper, the LTA said 32 new routes were added from 2010 to last month - up from 16 between 2006 and 2009, when operators SBS Transit and SMRT did their own route planning.

The growth was fuelled largely by the $1.1 billion tax-funded Bus Service Enhancement Programme, which started in 2012.

While observers expected profound changes - such as the slicing up of long, circuitous routes - amendments have been few. From 2010 to last month, there were 27 route changes, or an average of six per year - down from 6.5 per year between 2006 and 2009.

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng said the LTA should embark on fundamental changes akin to Seoul's major revamp of its entire bus network in 2004. He added that while there might be initial confusion, it could be greatly minimised with careful preparation and publicity.