LTA announces three new City Direct Services to be launched this year

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded a two-year contract, estimated to be worth $3.4 million, to private bus operator, Aedge Holdings Pte Ltd, to operate three City Direct services from Bedok, Eunos and Hougang to the Central Business District (CBD).

Launched under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) the three new City Direct services will make two one-way trips on weekday mornings and two one-way return trips in the evenings from the respective housing estates to the CBD. The bus services will operate during weekday peak periods - excluding public holidays - and further details will be announced closer to the implementation dates.

The three new services will be launched progressively in the third quarter of 2014. As the buses from the City Direct Service calls at minimal bus stops and utilises the expressways, journey times will be comparable to that of taking a feeder bus or LRT and transferring to the MRT into the city, LTA announced in a press release.

Also, the LTA cited that more trips may be added, depending on demand for the services.

The City Direct service initiative is in line with the Transport Ministry's announcement at the Committee of Supply 2013 to tap on the resources of Private Bus Operators (PBO) to supplement those of the Public Transport Operators (PTO). Of the fourteen parallel bus services which will be introduced under BSEP, 10 will be operated by the PBOs.