LTA promises improved bus services with new programme

The LTA has announced that it is launching a Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, designed to enhance the quality of the public buses that ply our roads.

The LTA states the programme will see improvements being made to bus services including the addition of more trips, route adjustments, and the addition of new services in response to changing travel patterns. A service is already set to see an extension that will connect residents in Toa Payoh East to Caldecott MRT station.

More peak-hour express bus services are also set to be introduced to complement busier MRT lines. A new City Direct Service will be introduced in Punggol from around October 2024 to provide residents there a direct route to the city.

The LTA states that it will also adopt new approaches in planning for bus services. It will speed up the introduction of bus services in new towns to better serve early batches of residents in these estates. The introduction of a new bus service is already set to be brought forward to connect residents in Yishun East to Khatib MRT station come September 2024.

New 'express feeder' services are also set to be introduced for estates located further away from major transport nodes and town centres. These services will take more direct routes and make fewer intermediate stops. One such service is set to be introduced in December 2024, to provide a direct connection for residents in Tampines North to Tampines MRT station.

These improvements are set to cost up to $900 million, the funds of which will be used for the purchase of new buses, infrastructural improvements, and to support the operating cost for the new services. Part of this cost will be recovered through fares paid by commuters using the services.