1979 New Bus Plan for Bedok

Introduction:

The New Bus Plan for Bedok of 1979 was a major change to bus routes serving the Bedok New Town from a point-to-point network of bus services to a hub-and-spoke network operating out of Bedok Town Centre. Instead of plying lengthy routes within the estate, Trunk routes were rerouted, with their deleted sectors replaced by a new series of Feeder bus services.

Initiated in 3 stages, starting on 25th February 1979, the bus plan coincided with the opening of the then-newly opened Bedok Bus Interchange, located at the junction of Bedok North Ave 1 and New Upp Changi Rd. The current air-conditioned Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) sits on the former location of the bus interchange.

The gradual implementation of the New Bus Plan for Bedok was strategically laid out by SBS to reduce instances of commuters’ confusion during the relocation of bus services to bus interchanges, which was a major critique for the mass implementation of bus service changes during the opening of Jurong Bus Interchange a year prior.

Integration and Relocation of Roadside Bus Terminals to Chai Chee (1973):

To better understand the need for a bus interchange in the then-developing Bedok New Town, we have to go back further to previous reorganisation plans for bus services around Bedok.

After the major bus reorganisation plan on 11th April 1971, bus services in Bedok were mainly operated by the Associated Bus Services (ABS) and Amalgamated Bus Company (ABC), with the United Bus Company (UBC) absorbing some trunk services from the dissolved Singapore Traction Company (STC) later that year. At the time, there were multiple roadside bus terminals in Bedok, located in Opera Estate, and along Changi Road and Telok Kurau Road.

In an effort to conslidate the trunk services from these roadside bus terminals under 1 roof, the 3 operators extended the routes from these terminals to a new integrated terminus in Kampong Chai Chee from 1st July 1973.

However, as the Bedok New Town continued to develop eastwards, it became clear over the years that the Chai Chee Bus Terminal was insufficient to cope with the increasing demand for bus services in the new housing estate, which necessitated the construction of a bus interchange by the Singapore Bus Service (SBS).

Stage 1 (25 February 1979):

From 25th February 1979, the Bedok Bus Interchange officially commenced operations, absorbing 2 trunk services (Bus Services 6 & 30) from the existing Chai Chee Bus Terminal. 3 new feeder services (222, 224 & 227) and semi-express Bus Service 8 to Shenton Way were also launched as part of Stage 1 of the New Bus Plan for Bedok.

Prior to the opening of Bedok Bus Interchange, several feeder services (220, 221 & 223) were already implemented by SBS as early as 1976, operating from the existing Chai Chee Bus Terminal. To improve accessibility to the new bus interchange, Feeder Services 221 & 223 were also extended to serve the new interchange as an en-route stop.

Stage 2 (11 March 1979):

From 11th March 1979, 2 new trunk services (Bus Services 4 & 7) were launched, providing new links to Geylang and Orchard Road respectively. In addition, Blue Arrow Bus Service 302 was merged with Blue Arrow Bus Service 301, providing enhanced links from the private residential estates in Bedok New Town to/from the Central Business District (CBD).

Stage 3 (8 April 1979):

From 8th April 1979, 3 trunk services (SBS Bus Services 3 & 152 and CSS Bus Service 8) from the roadside bus terminus along Bedok South Road were absorbed into the new bus interchange. These bus services provided connections to New Bridge Rd, Toa Payoh New Town and Bukit Merah respectively, and were amended to the Bedok South Road terminus as an interim measure between 1976 and 1977.

In addition, a new day Bus Service 9 was also implemented under Stage 3 of the New Bus Plan for Bedok, supplementing existing Bus Services 1 and 2 between Geylang, Bedok, Upper Changi Road and Changi Point.

However, despite the full implementation of the New Bus Plan for Bedok, many bus services continued to operate from the existing Chai Chee Bus Terminal. In fact, the terminus would operate alongside Bedok Bus Interchange for six more years, until the expansion works for the bus interchange was completed.

Summary of Post-Amendment Bus Routes in Bedok (as of 8 Apr 1979):

• 1: Changi Point – Bedok – Shenton Way – Delta
• 2: Changi Point – Bedok – Bugis/Chinatown – Commonwealth Avenue
• 3: Bedok – Changi Road – New Bridge Road (Loop)
• 4: Bedok – Changi Road – Geylang (Loop)
• 6: Bedok – Changi Road – North Bridge Road (Loop)
• 7: Bedok – Changi Road – Orchard Road (Loop)
• 8: Bedok – Changi Road – Shenton Way (Loop)
• 9: Geylang – Bedok – Changi Point
• 13: Chai Chee – Geylang – Orchard Road – Ghim Moh
• 20: Chai Chee – Geylang – Shenton Way – Ghim Moh
• 21: Chai Chee – North Bridge Road – Commonwealth Avenue
• 22: Chai Chee – North Bridge Road – Tanjong Berlayer
• 30: Bedok – Old Airport Road – Shenton Way – Jurong
• 32: Chai Chee – East Coast Road – Mei Chin Road
• 33: Chai Chee – Geylang Road – Bugis/Chinatown – Pasir Panjang Road
• 40: Chai Chee – Old Airport Road – Prince Edward Road
• 41: Chai Chee – Marine Parade – Bugis/Chinatown – Redhill Close
• 44: Chai Chee – Old Airport Road – Bugis/Chinatown – Redhill Close
• 45: Chai Chee – Haig Road – Tanjong Rhu Road
• 152: Bedok – Paya Lebar Road – Toa Payoh
• 158: Chai Chee – Tanjong Katong Road – Toa Payoh
• 220: Chai Chee – Bedok South Avenue 3 (Loop)
• 221: Chai Chee – Bedok North Road (Loop)
• 222: Bedok – Chai Chee Street (Loop)
• 223: Chai Chee – Bedok North Avenue 2 (Loop)
• 224G/224W: Chai Chee – Bedok North/South Roads (Loop)
• 227: Bedok – Bedok North Avenue 4 (Loop)
• 401: Chai Chee – East Coast Park (Loop)
• CSS 8: Bedok – Marine Parade Road – South Bridge Road – Bukit Merah

More detailed information for operational bus services can be found in the Historical Routes of Bus Services article.