Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): Chairman, currently, and for many years, there is only one full-day bus service, Bus Service 112 serving Hougang Avenue 7. Would the Government please consider either increasing the frequency of Bus Service 112 throughout the day or add an additional full-day bus service to serve Hougang Avenue 7.
I have written appeals regarding various different residents’ feedback for this bus service over the years, including frequency of services and asking for services to be increased, bus services timing on the LTA’s my TransportSG app, at being inaccurate, buses not keeping to scheduling, buses bunching up and so on.
Residents have also asked for an additional bus service to ply Hougang Avenue 7. Newer residents have moved into Hougang Avenue 7 in the past few years, including the large Riverfront Residences condominium from October 2023 onwards, with 1,472 units, increasing the pre-existing commuter load from residents from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) estate and other condominiums along Hougang Avenue 7. Some residents welcome the new City Direct Service 676 to the Central Business District from 2 January 2025. But there are only two services each during morning and evening peak periods.
I would like to thank the LTA for agreeing to add additional trips to Bus Service 112 during morning peak hours, from 17 February 2025 onwards, as LTA had informed me in a reply to one of my appeal letters on behalf of my residents. May I seek LTA’s confirmation regarding what is the expected waiting time now for the morning peak period?
Nevertheless, resident commuters I spoke to before and after 17 February still wish for the waiting times for the rest of the day, including the evening peak times, to be reduced, as well as for a second full-day bus service to ply Hougang Avenue 7. I appeal for LTA to look into reducing waiting times at other times of the day, as well as to consider my request for an additional full-day bus service along Hougang Avenue 7.
I recently appealed, on behalf of a resident, for LTA to consider diverting one of the current bus services currently travelling from Hougang Avenue 8 Punggol Park towards the Hougang Interchange via Upper Serangoon Road. LTA did not agree to this request.
Sir, there are a number of bus services, such as Bus Services 74, 113, 147 and 324 which pass through Upper Serangoon Road before terminating at Hougang Interchange, three stops later. One of these buses can be diverted to travel via Hougang Avenue 7, Hougang Avenue 5, before heading to Hougang Interchange. LTA has said in a recent reply to my appeal letter on behalf of a resident that diverting could result in longer travel times and higher fares for onboard passengers, as well as affect connectivity for commuters at bus stops along Upper Serangoon Road.
Respectfully, such a proposal will only add one more additional bus stop to any of the four bus services as compared with the current route along Upper Serangoon Road but will cater to serve a greater number of residents living along Hougang Avenue 7. On the other hand, there are already a number of such services plying Upper Serangoon Road before heading towards Hougang Interchange. I will urge LTA to balance the interest of Hougang Avenue 7 commuters, who have only one such full-day service, as opposed to various existing full-day services along Upper Serangoon Road.
LTA also suggested in a reply to my appeal letter on behalf of a resident that Hougang Avenue 7 residents are within a 400-metre walk to bus services plying Upper Serangoon Road. Sadly, such a walk may not be expedient for many of our seniors, or those with mobility issues. Moreover, Bus Service 112 is a long loop service between Hougang Interchange, Hougang Avenue 7, Tampines Road, Kovan, Upper Serangoon Road, Hougang Avenues 2, 8, 9 and 10 and Hougang Street 92.
I took a ride on Bus Service 112 recently in the afternoon, and it took me more than one hour and 10 minutes for the loop. I am not surprised that the nature of this long greater Hougang loop service contribute to the bunching, especially during peak times. A diversion from one of the four above mentioned buses, or better still, a direct feeder bus service alongside Bus Service 112, will provide a more direct access for residents along Hougang Avenue 7.
The Minister for Transport (Mr Chee Hong Tat): I would like to assure Mr Dennis Tan and Mr Faisal Manap that, as with all bus services, LTA will continue to monitor demand and ridership and introduce new services or enhancements where necessary, including in Hougang SMC and Aljunied GRC.
Ministry of Transport
5 March 2025
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=budget-2604
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 