Jurong East bus interchange to be relocated from Dec 6

SINGAPORE - Jurong East bus interchange will be relocated from Dec 6 to facilitate the construction of the Jurong Region Line and the Jurong East integrated transport hub.

The new interchange is located opposite the current interchange, along Jurong Gateway Road between the junctions of Jurong Gateway Road/Jurong East Street 12 and Jurong Gateway Road/Jurong East Central 1.

The relocated interchange will be in operation until the completion of the Jurong East integrated transport hub around 2027, the Land Transport Authority said on Wednesday (Nov 11).

A pedestrian overhead bridge, equipped with lifts and escalators, has been built across Jurong Gateway Road. This sheltered passage between the bus interchange and train station is to "ensure that commuters can continue to transfer conveniently between their bus and rail journeys", the authority said.

Additionally, there will be a new bus stop opposite Jem mall (along Jurong Gateway Road) to provide commuters with an additional stopping point closer to Jurong East MRT station.

Two bus stops outside Block 131 and before Jurong East MRT station along Jurong Gateway Road have also been expanded to accommodate more commuters and buses.

Full-day bus lanes will be implemented along Jurong Gateway Road.

The LTA said most bus services will continue to operate directly from the relocated interchange. But adjustments have been made to their routing and stopping points to allow faster travel and minimise potential congestion in the vicinity of the bus interchange.

Specifically, services 97/97e and 197 will enter the bus interchange via Jurong East Street 12 and Jurong Gateway Road, while service 333 will enter via Boon Lay Way and Jurong Gateway Road.

The following services will also now start and end their operations outside the interchange:

- Service 78 will start at the bus stop outside Block 131 and end at the bus stop before Jurong East MRT station in the return direction, without calling at the bus interchange.

- Service 79 will not call at the bus interchange but loop around Jurong East town centre via Jurong East Street 12, Jurong Gateway Road, Jurong East Central and Jurong Town Hall Road. Commuters can board this service at the bus stop outside Block 131 or outside Jurong Regional Library.

- Cross Border 3 and Cross Border 4, which are currently not in operation, will have boarding and alighting at a bus pick-up and drop-off point in Venture Avenue instead of Jurong East Bus Interchange when services resume.

Information on these bus route changes will be available at locations such as the affected bus stops, existing and relocated bus interchanges, as well as on the online platforms of the LTA, Tower Transit Singapore and SBS Transit.

Additional service ambassadors will also be deployed at the bus interchange to provide assistance, the authority added.

The LTA said the relocated interchange will have more spacious boarding points at each of the seven berths and graduated kerb edges to facilitate boarding for passengers in wheelchairs.

A bus berth availability system will also be installed near the bus park, signalling to bus drivers when their berths are available. This will mitigate the risk of congestion within the smaller interchange space.

In addition, high-volume low-speed fans have also been installed at the concourse area.

There will also be more facilities that cater to the needs of the elderly, less mobile and families with young children, including four barrier-free alighting areas, priority queue zones with seats, a nursing room and barrier-free toilets.

There will be 64 bicycle parking spaces.

The interchange will also come with upgraded facilities for public transport workers such as an air-conditioned staff canteen, dedicated staff toilets and a staff lounge.

The LTA said: "We seek commuters' understanding as our bus operators familiarise themselves with the new environment. The above changes are necessary to ensure safety and avoid congestion within the new bus interchange and surrounding areas. LTA will monitor the situation closely and make adjustments to the arrangements where necessary."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.