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Withdrawal of Bus Services 700 & 700A, Launch of Bus Service 972M & Amendment to Bus Service 171
30 August 2020
On Sunday, 30 August 2020, as part of the modified Downtown Line 2 Bus Service Rationalisation plan:
- Bus Services 700 & 700A will be withdrawn. The last day of service would be on Saturday, 29 August 2020.
- Bus Service 171 from Yishun Bus Interchange will be shortened to loop at Bukit Panjang MRT Station, no longer serving Marina Centre Terminal.
- New Bus Service 972M will be launched from Bukit Panjang – Orchard Road (Loop) via Newton MRT, plying the routing originally planned for Service 972 via Dunearn Road / Bukit Timah Road and Scotts Road.
See also: Renumbering of Express Bus Service 971E to Trunk Bus Service 971 on 31 August 2020.
Operator Posters
![[Updated Poster] Withdrawal of Bus Services 700 & 700A](https://landtransportguru.net/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Aug20_Service-700-700A-Withdrawal_updated-212x300.jpg)
Former Changes
Originally planned to take effect from Sunday 16 August 2020:
As part of the Downtown Line 2 Bus Service Rationalisation:
- Bus Services 700 & 700A would be withdrawn, with the last day of service on Saturday, 15 August 2020.
- Bus Service 171 from Yishun Bus Interchange will be shortened to loop at Bukit Panjang MRT Station, no longer serving Marina Centre Terminal.
- Bus Service 972 will be amended to serve Newton MRT Station, via Dunearn Road / Bukit Timah Road and Scotts Road.
In addition, Short Trip Service 972A will also be amended to serve Newton MRT Station via Dunearn Road and Scotts Road.
Due to the controversy over Bus 700 withdrawal and Bus 171 & 972 amendment, the plan to implement the changes on 16 August 2020 was scrapped, with the modified plan to be implemented from 30 August 2020 instead.
Operator Posters (Withdrawn)
![[Withdrawn Poster] Bus 171: Route Amendment to loop at Bukit Panjang](https://landtransportguru.net/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Aug20_Service-171-Amendment-212x300.jpg)
![[Withdrawn Poster] Bus 972: Route Amendment to Newton MRT](https://landtransportguru.net/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Aug20_Service-972-Amendment-212x300.jpg)
![[Withdrawn Poster] Withdrawal of Bus Services 700 & 700A](https://landtransportguru.net/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Aug20_Service-700-700A-Withdrawal-212x300.jpg)
25 thoughts on “Withdrawal of Bus Services 700 & 700A, Launch of Bus Service 972M & Amendment to Bus Service 171”
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Actually i am shocked lta say 171 no load. From what i saw all this while 171 is doin fine imo.
Load only from Yishun to Bukit Panjang. After Bukit Panjang, load depleting.. At times, got empty buses. I boarded before and I am the only passenger till Orchard Road/Marina Centre.
A very bad idea.
Rare that LTA has allowed parallel bus services to stay untouched with opening of MRT lines for almost 5yrs. In past cases during NEL and NSEWL days, withdrawals and amendments came within months and the extent of cut was sharp i.e. withdrawal of all express sector routes SS7, 950, 951 & 952 under Woodlands Extn bus rationalisation.
Then if resident complain about the changes, it would be the same for Svc 74 & Svc 852 when Circle Line had began operational to HarbourFront and now also got Downtown Line along the Bukit Timah stretch….
I also observed some of the loading on these services have decrease along the Bukit Timah Stretch
Svc 66, Svc 67, Svc 74, Svc 170, Svc 852
So IMO, nothing wrong to do amendments or discontinuation. Maybe you all have different opinions…
I just dun understand why there is such a huge fuss about the amendments and the withdrawal of Svc 700/700A, Svc 171 & Svc 972. I myself taken all these services before and my observation from my rides:
Svc 171:
Yishun – Bukit Panjang Sector: Good load of passengers travelling from Yishun to Bukit Panjang.
Bukit Panjang – Marina Centre Sector: The bus is damn empty
Eventhough the amendment sparks dismay, it is to encourage residents to board the Downtown Line. You all when there is no transport network, you all complain. Now got Downtown Line, want to amend the buses, you all complain. RIdership already so low. The buses on the services can be used on other high capacity services.
Svc 700/700A:
Somerset – Pending Road: Got some load from Takashimaya bus stop and Royal Plaza on Scotts bus stop.
My observation on this service, ridership has gone low. At times, you can get an empty bus. AM Peak & PM Peak; I assume that workers would have taken any City Direct Services or Premium Services or even transferred to the Downtown Line. Again, when got no MRT, complain, take bus so long. Sit the bottom is painful. Now got MRT, fast moving transport network, bus being amended, complain until no moon.
Svc 972:
Bukit Panjang Interchange – Dhoby Ghaut: Heavy load at certain areas in Bukit Panjang. The bus frequency sometimes can be atrocious and caused the bus to have full load. The bus stops along Stevens Road, not many passengers board this service. Maybe one can argue other than waiting for 190 to go to Dhoby Ghaut, I have 972 as alternative. then now want to amend, need to wait for 190 for a long time if i miss the bus.
To me, changing the route to ply Dunearn Road/Newton MRT, does not make a difference. I would like this bus to be extended to Shenton Way Terminal to allow bus drivers to have a break after a long drive around BP estate and the expressway.
IMO, commuters must be rational and adapt to the changes.
67 can be used as cover for 171 between Upper Bukit Timah and CBD. 65 can be used as cover for 67 between Little India and Bedok Reservoir. Affected commuters can take DTL 2 and 3 as well as 66. Furthermore, there are also 21 and 22 between Tampines and Jalan Eunos.
http://www.routes.one/idea/1526
http://www.routes.one/idea/1527
66 amendment next to come…..