SINGAPORE: The first-ever express feeder bus service in Singapore was launched so residents who live further from transport hubs don't feel disadvantaged, with those at the route's extreme ends set to feel the most benefits, transport analysts said.
Public transport operator SBS Transit announced last Monday (Nov 18) it would roll out service 298X from Dec 9, to provide faster connection to the Tampines town centre and transport hub in the east, for residents at Tampines North and Tampines West areas.
The express feeder will serve 15 select bus stops along the regular route of its parent service 298, which currently serves 36 bus stops.
Service 298X will ply a more direct route and skip intermediate stops from Tampines town centre to Tampines North and West.
It will only operate on weekdays, excluding public holidays, and during the morning peak hours between 6.30am and 10am and evening peak hours between 4pm and 7.30pm.
The new service is part of the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, which will cost up to S$900 million (US$670 million) to implement over the next eight years.
As part of the programme, express feeder bus services like 298x will be introduced to enhance connectivity for residents at estates located further away from major transport nodes.
“Compared to existing feeder services, these services will take more direct routes with fewer intermediate stops, reducing residents’ travel time for the first and last mile of their journeys from major transport nodes,” LTA said in a July statement.
Transport analyst and assistant professor of strategic management at Singapore Management University Terence Fan said the move was likely made to alleviate the concerns of some of such residents.
“It’s likely that authorities don’t want certain residents to feel constantly disadvantaged because their homes are a bit further away from transport hubs and have to constantly endure longer commuting times even on their respective shuttle buses within their estates,” he said.
“(So), they started these express shuttle services.”
The regular service 298 was launched in 2017, according to SBS Transit’s website.
At the time, condominiums The Alps and The Santorini at Tampines West were not completed yet, while Housing Board Build-to-Order projects Tampines GreenDew and Tampines GreenVines at Tampines North were also still being built.
Adding more bus stops to an existing route to serve such new estates may seem like the intuitive step - but it's not so clear-cut, analysts said.
Transport economist Walter Theseira said a bus service may become more cost-effective the more estates it winds through and the more people board it.
However, the more connections it provides, the longer time it would take for each commuter to get from their origin to their destination.
This makes a service “less useful” and potentially disruptive to commuters, said Assoc Prof Theseira, who is from the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
A new express feeder service, on the other hand, will help residents who live further out to more quickly access the town centre by skipping intermediate stops and having a more direct route.
“The general motivation in the (express feeder) concept is to reduce travel time for trips between the extreme ends of the route, which otherwise become very slow because of the many stops needed in regular service,” said Assoc Prof Theseira.
He added that in general, Singapore would have exhausted much of its available land space close to existing transport nodes.
“So, many newer developments are more outlying and require new transport networks to effectively connect."
Asst Prof Fan said: “I certainly hope more of these services will be rolled out as some of the older estates get new ‘expansions’ on their former fringes.”
LTA said in July it would progressively identify and introduce more of such bus service enhancements in the coming months.
Residents at Tampines West and North told CNA they were generally appreciative of the new service. But some expressed hope for better connectivity to nearby amenities instead, including during non-peak hours.
One Tampines West Resident at The Santorini condo, who only wanted to be known as Madam Kua, said she has waited as long as 15 minutes for bus 298.
“For such short trips, we shouldn’t have to wait so long,” said the 74-year-old retiree. “We should be waiting only seven to 10 minutes.”
Even after getting on the bus, it can take about 20 minutes to reach Tampines central, as the bus winds through several estates en route, she added.
“When I first heard of this new service, I was so happy, because I don’t have to wait so long anymore."
Tampines North resident Ain Fong, who lives at the Tampines GreenVines HDB project, likewise was looking forward to potentially shorter waiting times and direct trips to the MRT station, during peak hours.
The 34-year-old administrator pointed out, however, that 298x would not connect her area to supermarkets nearby.
For instance, she prefers to shop at Prime Supermarket to get supplies for her child - and outside of peak hours.
But to get there using public transport, she has to first take bus 298 and then change buses at Tampines North interchange.
The entire journey can take up to an hour, for a supermarket that's a 2km walk from her home, according to Google Maps.
"It’s quite ridiculous,” she said.
03:43 Min
Singapore will spend up to $900 million on improving the bus network. Residents of new and existing housing estates will get more routes and services over the next eight years. Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said the changes will cater to the different needs of each town. Public transport subsidies already amount to over $2 billion a year. The additional $900 million will be used to buy new buses, build new infrastructure and support operating costs. Yishun East, Punggol, Tampines North and Toa Payoh East will be the first towns to see changes in the next few months. Charlotte Lim reports.
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Public transport operator SBS Transit announced last Monday (Nov 18) it would roll out service 298X from Dec 9, to provide faster connection to the Tampines town centre and transport hub in the east, for residents at Tampines North and Tampines West areas.
The express feeder will serve 15 select bus stops along the regular route of its parent service 298, which currently serves 36 bus stops.
Service 298X will ply a more direct route and skip intermediate stops from Tampines town centre to Tampines North and West.
It will only operate on weekdays, excluding public holidays, and during the morning peak hours between 6.30am and 10am and evening peak hours between 4pm and 7.30pm.
The new service is part of the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, which will cost up to S$900 million (US$670 million) to implement over the next eight years.
As part of the programme, express feeder bus services like 298x will be introduced to enhance connectivity for residents at estates located further away from major transport nodes.
“Compared to existing feeder services, these services will take more direct routes with fewer intermediate stops, reducing residents’ travel time for the first and last mile of their journeys from major transport nodes,” LTA said in a July statement.
Transport analyst and assistant professor of strategic management at Singapore Management University Terence Fan said the move was likely made to alleviate the concerns of some of such residents.
“It’s likely that authorities don’t want certain residents to feel constantly disadvantaged because their homes are a bit further away from transport hubs and have to constantly endure longer commuting times even on their respective shuttle buses within their estates,” he said.
“(So), they started these express shuttle services.”
MORE EXPRESS SHUTTLES ON THE WAY?
The regular service 298 was launched in 2017, according to SBS Transit’s website.
At the time, condominiums The Alps and The Santorini at Tampines West were not completed yet, while Housing Board Build-to-Order projects Tampines GreenDew and Tampines GreenVines at Tampines North were also still being built.
Adding more bus stops to an existing route to serve such new estates may seem like the intuitive step - but it's not so clear-cut, analysts said.
Transport economist Walter Theseira said a bus service may become more cost-effective the more estates it winds through and the more people board it.
However, the more connections it provides, the longer time it would take for each commuter to get from their origin to their destination.
This makes a service “less useful” and potentially disruptive to commuters, said Assoc Prof Theseira, who is from the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
A new express feeder service, on the other hand, will help residents who live further out to more quickly access the town centre by skipping intermediate stops and having a more direct route.
“The general motivation in the (express feeder) concept is to reduce travel time for trips between the extreme ends of the route, which otherwise become very slow because of the many stops needed in regular service,” said Assoc Prof Theseira.
He added that in general, Singapore would have exhausted much of its available land space close to existing transport nodes.
“So, many newer developments are more outlying and require new transport networks to effectively connect."
Asst Prof Fan said: “I certainly hope more of these services will be rolled out as some of the older estates get new ‘expansions’ on their former fringes.”
LTA said in July it would progressively identify and introduce more of such bus service enhancements in the coming months.
Related:
RESIDENTS REACT
Residents at Tampines West and North told CNA they were generally appreciative of the new service. But some expressed hope for better connectivity to nearby amenities instead, including during non-peak hours.
One Tampines West Resident at The Santorini condo, who only wanted to be known as Madam Kua, said she has waited as long as 15 minutes for bus 298.
“For such short trips, we shouldn’t have to wait so long,” said the 74-year-old retiree. “We should be waiting only seven to 10 minutes.”
Even after getting on the bus, it can take about 20 minutes to reach Tampines central, as the bus winds through several estates en route, she added.
“When I first heard of this new service, I was so happy, because I don’t have to wait so long anymore."
Tampines North resident Ain Fong, who lives at the Tampines GreenVines HDB project, likewise was looking forward to potentially shorter waiting times and direct trips to the MRT station, during peak hours.
The 34-year-old administrator pointed out, however, that 298x would not connect her area to supermarkets nearby.
For instance, she prefers to shop at Prime Supermarket to get supplies for her child - and outside of peak hours.
But to get there using public transport, she has to first take bus 298 and then change buses at Tampines North interchange.
The entire journey can take up to an hour, for a supermarket that's a 2km walk from her home, according to Google Maps.
"It’s quite ridiculous,” she said.
03:43 Min
Singapore will spend up to $900 million on improving the bus network. Residents of new and existing housing estates will get more routes and services over the next eight years. Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said the changes will cater to the different needs of each town. Public transport subsidies already amount to over $2 billion a year. The additional $900 million will be used to buy new buses, build new infrastructure and support operating costs. Yishun East, Punggol, Tampines North and Toa Payoh East will be the first towns to see changes in the next few months. Charlotte Lim reports.
Continue reading...