Jurong West-to-CBD direct bus service to be rolled out

Wait for it on 3Q13.

According to a release, Jurong West commuters travelling to the CBD will have an alternative travel option come third quarter 2013 when the new City Direct (Jurong West) service is implemented under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).

With limited stops and the use of the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), the journey time is expected to be comparable to taking a feeder bus service and transferring to a train into the city.

For a start, the new City Direct service will operate two trips on weekday mornings at 7.30am and 7.45am respectively from Jurong West Avenue 3 towards Robinson Road and Marina Boulevard.

In the evening peak hours, the service will operate two return trips at 6.15pm and 6.30pm respectively from Central Boulevard and will travel along Shenton Way towards Jurong West Avenue 3.

The service will operate on weekday peak periods excluding public holidays. More details will be announced closer to the implementation date.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is calling a tender today to invite private bus operators to submit their cost proposals to operate the new bus service. The tendering process will allow the most cost-efficient operator to win the rights to operate the service.

The successful operator will have to apply for a bus service licence from the Public Transport Council (PTC), the regulator of bus services.

The move is in line with the Government’s announcement at the Committee of Supply 2012 to explore the feasibility of engaging private bus operators to run selected aspects of the BSEP on a limited scale during peak hours to complement BSEP capacity improvements to existing bus services.