HUIXIAN

SINGAPORE: The full-day bus lane scheme will be extended to five routes in the city centre from April 2007.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) says the move can save bus commuters several minutes of travelling time.

Since the scheme was introduced two years ago, about 6,800 summonses were issued for entering the bus lanes.

Victoria Street heading towards Kallang Road and Bras Basah Road is the apex of where the full-day bus lanes will meet.

LTA hopes the new regulations will help cut passenger travelling times by between two and five minutes.

An LTA study has shown that the roads are clogged by the dropping off of passengers on the roadside and the loading and unloading of goods, forcing buses to move out of their lanes.

The five routes are namely Eu Tong Street, from Outram road to River Valley toward Kallang road; Hill Street, from River Valley Road to Bras Basah road; Victoria Street, from Bras Basah to Lavender Street; Bras Basah Road, from Prinsep Street to Beach Road; Somerset Road and Penang Road, from Clemenceau Avenue to Orchard Turn.

"There will certainly be some inconvenience for motorists at first. But with this priority scheme for public transport, we hope even car commuters will see the benefits of using public transport," said Dr Chin Kian Keong, Deputy Group Director, Land Transport Authority.

The LTA is leaving it to the bus companies to review their timetables and assess if the new lanes result in shorter travelling times.

The hope is that bus routes can become smoother so more buses can be added, easing the problem of overcrowding on buses.