History of Bukit Panjang Bus Services

Further Bus Service Developments in Bukit Panjang (2012 – Present)

To facilitate the development of Hillion Mall & Residences, an integrated residential and retail development, as well as the construction of the Bukit Panjang MRT station on the Downtown Line (DTL), the former Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange was closed and demolished in 2012.

However, owing to a lack of space, no interim bus interchange was constructed for Bukit Panjang at the time, unlike other residential estates affected by similar redevelopment plans for their bus interchanges. Instead, 9 bus services originating from the former bus interchange operated from the Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park along Woodlands Road, while Bus Services 177 & 180 were amended to loop around the Bukit Panjang town centre.

Initially slated for completion in 2015 in conjunction with the opening of Bukit Panjang MRT station on the DTL, construction works for the new bus interchange was delayed for almost 2 years until 2017, when the Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) was finally opened. However, due to its smaller parking capacity compared to the original bus interchange, Bus Services 75, 184 & 700/700A continued operating from Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park, rather than moving to the ITH.

In 2021, Gali Batu Bus Terminal, located on the roof of Gali Batu MRT Depot for the DTL, was opened as a secondary bus terminus for Bukit Panjang bus services, absorbing the remaining Bus Services 75 & 184 from Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park (Bus Service 700/700A was already discontinued a year prior under the Downtown Line 2 Bus Rationalisation). Bus Service 974, which unofficially used the interim bus park as a layover point, was amended to loop around Bukit Panjang town centre instead, without moving to the new bus terminal.

Gallery:

Chronological History of Bukit Panjang Bus Services:

• 1971 (11 Apr):
  • Launch of 3 new services in Bukit Panjang:
    • 170 between Queen St & Johore Bahru via Upp Bt Timah Rd & Woodlands Rd
    • 171 between Queen St & Sembawang Rd via Upp Bt Timah Rd & Woodlands Rd
    • 172 between Lim Chu Kang Rd & Prince Edward Rd via Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1971 (8 Nov): Route extension for Bus Service 181 to Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1971: Route extension for Bus Service 200 to Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1974 (3 Feb):
  • Launch of Bus Service 178 between Corporation Dr & Upp Bt Timah Rd
  • Launch of Bus Service 179 between Lim Chu Kang Rd & Bukit Timah via Upp Bt Timah Rd
  • Route extension for Bus Services 180 & 208 to Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1976 (11 Jan): Route extension for Bus Service 180 to Admiralty Rd via Woodlands Rd
• 1976 (6 Jun):
  • Route extension for Bus Service 182 to Admiralty Rd via Woodlands Rd
  • Route cutback for Bus Service 208 to loop at Kranji Way from Admiralty Rd
• 1976: Route extension for Bus Service 193 to Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1978 (27 Nov): Launch of Bus Service 177 between Bukit Timah & Choa Chu Kang Rd via Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1980 (14 Dec):
  • Route extension for Bus Services 178 & 181 to Woodlands
  • Route cutback for Bus Service 193 to Princess Elizabeth
• 1981 (15 Nov): Route cutback for Bus Service 200 to loop at Jln Anak Bt from Kent Ridge
• 1983 (27 Nov): Discontinuation of Bus Service 179
• 1986 (1 Jun): Route extension for Bus Service 5 to Bukit Panjang via Upp Bt Timah Rd, Bt Panjang Rd & Gangsa Rd/Pending Rd
• 1988 (24 Jan): Launch of Bus Service 176 to Jurong East
• 1988 (28 Feb): Launch of alternate Bus Service 181# between Woodlands & Crawford St via Marina Ctr on Sundays & Public Holidays
• 1988 (10 Jul):
  • Launch of Bus Service 187 to Jurong
  • Launch of Bus Service 190 to New Bridge Rd
• 1988 (31 Jul):
  • Route extension for Bus Service 75 to Choa Chu Kang via Cashew Rd, Pending Rd & Bt Panjang Rd
  • Discontinuation of Bus Service 177
  • Launch of Feeder Bus Service 344
• 1989 (5 Mar): Route amendment for Bus Service 176 to ply Bt Panjang Rd & Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1989 (28 May): Launch of Feeder Bus Service 343
• 1990 (11 Mar): Launch of Bus Service SS7 between Woodlands & Choa Chu Kang via Bt Panjang Rd
• 1990 (12 Mar): Route extension for Bus Service 177 to Bukit Panjang
• 1990 (10 Jun): Launch of Bus Service 951 between Marsiling & Jurong via Bt Panjang Rd
• 1990 (16 Dec): Route extension for Bus Service 190 to Choa Chu Kang via Bt Panjang Rd
• 1991 (6 Jan): Discontinuation of Bus Service 180
• 1991 (26 May): Launch of Bus Service 67 between Tampines & Choa Chu Kang via Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1993 (3 Jan):
  • Route cutback for Bus Service 75 to Bukit Panjang
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 171 to ply Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd & Cashew Rd
  • Launch of Bus Service 179 between Choa Chu Kang & Fajar Rd
• 1993 (18 Jul): Launch of Bus Service 175 between Lim Chu Kang & Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1994 (3 Jul): Launch of Bus Service 184 to Clementi
• 1995 (2 Jul): Transfer of operations for Bus Services 177, 179 & 184 to TIBS
• 1995 (6 Aug): Transfer of operations for Bus Services 75, 343 & 344 to TIBS
• 1995 (17 Sep): Transfer of operations for Bus Services 5 & 187 to TIBS
• 1995 (1 Oct): Transfer of operations for Bus Service 176 to TIBS
• 1996 (10 Mar):
  • Discontinuation of Bus Services 182, 951 & SS7
  • Launch of Bus Service 180 to Boon Lay
  • Route extension for Bus Service 187 to Woodlands via Bt Panjang Rd
• 1996 (28 Apr): Route extension for Bus Service 927 to Choa Chu Kang via Bt Panjang Rd
• 1996 (12 Jul): Launch of Bus Service 960 between Woodlands & Marina Ctr via Woodlands Rd & Bt Panjang Rd
• 1997 (3 Jan): Launch of Feeder Bus Service 345 on weekdays & Saturdays
• 1997: Conversion of Feeder Bus Service 345 to daily service
• 1998 (31 Aug): Launch of RapidBus Bus Service 700 between Woodlands & Shenton Way via Bt Panjang Rd on weekdays & Saturdays
• 1998 (27 Dec):
  • Discontinuation of Bus Service 181/181#
  • Launch of Bus Service 961/961# between Woodlands & Lor 1 Geylang via Woodlands Rd & Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 1999 (1 Sep): Launch of Express Bus Service 521 to World Trade Ctr
• 1999 (26 Dec):
  • Discontinuation of Bus Services 5, 179, 344 & 345
  • Route amendment for Bus Services 75, 176, 177, 180, 184, 343, 521 & 700 to Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 171 to ply BKE, Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd, Petir Rd, Jelebu Rd & Bt Panjang Rd
  • Route cutback for Bus Service 172 to Choa Chu Kang
  • Launch of alternate Bus Service 700A to Suntec City during off peak periods daily
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 927 to ply KJE, Woodlands Rd & Mandai Rd
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 960 to ply Jelebu Rd, Petir Rd & Pending Rd
• 2000 (26 Mar):
  • Re-numbering of Feeder Bus Service 343 to 921
  • Launch of Feeder Bus Service 920
• 2000 (20 Aug): Launch of Bus Service 970 to Shenton Way
• 2002 (29 Sep):
  • Discontinuation of Express Bus Service 521
  • Launch of Bus Service 963 between Woodlands & World Trade Ctr via Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd, Petir Rd, Jelebu Rd, Bt Panjang Rd & Upp Bt Timah Rd
• 2004 (5 Sep): Launch of cross-border Bus Service 160 between Jurong East & Johor Bahru, Malaysia via Woodlands Rd
• 2005 (27 Feb):
  • Discontinuation of Bus Service 175
  • Launch of Bus Service 975 to Lim Chu Kang Rd
• 2005 (29 May): Route amendment for Feeder Bus Service 920 to ply Senja Rd & Senja Lk
• 2006 (20 Feb): Launch of peak hour Express Bus Service 963E from Woodlands to HarbourFront via Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd, Petir Rd, Jelebu Rd & Bt Panjang Rd
• 2006 (23 Apr): Launch of Feeder Bus Service 922
• 2006 (18 Jun): Discontinuation of Feeder Bus Service 921, with the route amendment for Bus Service 700/700A to ply Pending Rd, Petir Rd & Dairy Farm Rd
• 2007 (7 Jan): Route amendment for Bus Service 966 to ply Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd, Petir Rd & Dairy Farm Rd
• 2008 (25 Feb): Launch of Premium Bus Service 555 from Bt Panjang Ring Rd to Fullerton Rd during weekday peak hours
• 2009 (11 May): Implementation of evening peak trips for Express Bus Service 963E from HarbourFront to Woodlands via Bt Panjang Rd, Jelebu Rd, Petir Rd, Pending Rd & Bt Panjang Rd
• 2010 (30 Jan): Launch of Express Bus Service 963R between Woodlands & Resorts World Sentosa via Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd, Petir Rd, Jelebu Rd & Bt Panjang Rd on Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays
• 2010 (28 Feb): Route extension for Feeder Bus Service 922 to loop at Bangkit Rd
• 2011 (14 Mar): Launch of peak hour Express Bus Service 971E to Cecil St
• 2011 (29 Aug): Implementation of evening peak trips for Express Bus Service 971E from Anson Rd to Bukit Panjang
• 2011 (24 Oct): Launch of Bus Service BPS1 from Segar Rd to Choa Chu Kang during weekday peak hours
• 2012 (16 Dec):
  • Route amendment for Bus Services 75, 184, 700/700A, 920 & 922 to start/terminate at Bt Panjang Rd
  • Route amendment for Bus Services 176, 971E & 975 to start/terminate at Jelebu Rd
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 177 to loop at Jelebu Rd from Bukit Batok
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 180 to loop at Bt Panjang Rd from Boon Lay
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 970 to start from Petir Rd & terminate at Jelebu Rd
• 2013 (17 Nov): Launch of Bus Service 972 between Bt Panjang Rd & Orchard Rd under BSEP
• 2015 (14 Jun): Route amendment for Bus Service 972 to ply Senja Rd & Senja Lk
• 2015 (21 Sep): Implementation of evening peak trips for Bus Service BPS1 from Choa Chu Kang Ave 4 to Segar Rd
• 2015 (27 Dec):
  • Route amendment for Feeder Bus Services 920 & 922 to start from Petir Rd & terminate at Upp Bt Timah Rd
  • Route extension for Bus Service 975 to start from Petir Rd
  • Launch of Bus Service 979 between Petir Rd & Choa Chu Kang Cres under BSEP
  • Route extension for Bus Service 983 to loop at Bt Panjang Rd from Choa Chu Kang under BSEP
• 2016 (24 Apr): Launch of interim supplementary Bus Service 979M between Petir Rd & Choa Chu Kang Nth 5 under BSEP
• 2017 (26 Feb): Launch of Bus Service 973 between Bt Panjang Rd & Hume Ave
• 2017 (3 Apr): Discontinuation of Premium Bus Service 555
• 2017 (4 Sep):
  • Route extension for Bus Services 75 & 184 to start/terminate at Woodlands Rd
  • Opening of Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub (ITH), with route amendments for Bus Services 176, 920, 922, 970, 972, 973, 975 & 979/979M to the ITH
  • Route cutback for Express Bus Service 971E to start/terminate at Bt Panjang Ring Rd
• 2018 (25 Feb): Route amendment for Bus Service 180 to loop at Bukit Panjang ITH from Boon Lay
• 2018 (8 Apr): Launch of Bus Service 974 between Upp Bt Timah Rd (Bt Panjang Stn) & Joo Koon
• 2018 (22 Jul): Discontinuation of interim supplementary Bus Service 979M
• 2018 (13 Aug): Re-numbering of Express Bus Service 963E to 963e
• 2019 (8 Sep): Re-numbering of alternate Bus Service 961# to 961M
• 2019 (10 Nov):
  • Launch of Bus Service 976 to Choa Chu Kang
  • Discontinuation of Bus Service BPS1
• 2020 (30 Aug):
  • Route cutback for Bus Service 171 to loop at Upp Bt Timah Rd (Bt Panjang Stn) from Yishun
  • Discontinuation of Bus Service 700/700A
  • Launch of alternate Bus Service 972M between Bukit Panjang ITH & Orchard Rd via Dunearn Rd/Bt Timah Rd & Newton MRT
• 2020 (31 Aug): Conversion of Express Bus Service 971E to Bus Service 971 and route amendment to ply Pending Rd, Petir Rd & Dairy Farm Rd
• 2021 (23 Jan):
  • Route extension for Bus Services 75 & 184 to Gali Batu Bus Terminal
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 974 to loop at Upp Bt Timah Rd (Bt Panjang Stn) from Joo Koon
• 2022 (3 Apr):
  • Route amendment for Bus Services 920, 972/972M & 976 to ply Senja Rd with the conversion of Senja Lk for northbound uni-directional travel
  • Route amendment for Feeder Bus Service 920 to ply Senja Cl in both directions
  • Route amendment for Bus Service 972M to ply Pending Rd, Petir Rd & Dairy Farm Rd
• 2022 (4 Apr): Discontinuation of peak hour Bus Service 971
• 2022 (30 Jun): Discontinuation of Express Bus Service 963R
• 2025 (24 Mar): Launch of supplementary Bus Service 979X to Choa Chu Kang Cres during weekday peak hours under BCEP
• 2025 (26 Oct): Launch of Bus Service 984 between W’lands Rd & Jurong Town Hall under BCEP
• 2025 (24 Nov): Re-numbering of Bus Service 979X to 455

External Links & References:

• The Straits Times: Zhenghua is now Bukit Panjang (17 Jan 1987)
• The Straits Times: Tibs to take over in Bt Panjang, Jalan Kayu (26 Jun 1995)
• The Straits Times: New bus terminal clears Petir Rd jams (27 Dec 1999) [Accessible via NLB workstations]

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