Two new City Direct services serving residents in Hougang, Buangkok and Sengkang will begin operations in the fourth quarter of this year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced today. Their addition will bump up the total number of City Direct Services to 22.

The two new services - serving Hougang and Buangkok/Sengkang respectively - will each run two one-way trips towards the Central Business District (CBD) during morning peak hours and another two one-way trips from the CBD during evening peak hours on weekdays. More trips may be added if there is more demand for them, said LTA.

The contract is worth about $2.87 million in total. LTA had called for a tender in April, inviting private bus firms to bid on the two new services. Introduced in 2013, the services - which incorporate fewer stops and use expressways - serve areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Clementi, Dover, Hougang, Jurong West, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Tampines East, Simei, West Coast, Yew Tee and Yishun.

The LTA also called for a tender on six existing services - 652, 653, 654, 655, 656 and 657 - as their current contracts are due to expire between January and February next year. The tendering process will allow the most cost-efficient operators to win the rights to operate them, LTA added.