History of Sengkang Bus Services

Introduction:

Sengkang is one of Singapore’s latest satellite towns developed since the late 1990s, located in the north-eastern region of the island. To cater to the increasing population in the developing public housing estate, TIBS (and later SBS) gradually introduced new trunk services and amended the routes of existing trunk services to serve the town, as well as providing several feeder services that connected the town’s neighbourhoods with the town centre.

While there was no specific bus plan implemented by SBS, Sengkang Bus Interchange serves as the main transport hub for bus services (and later the MRT) in the housing estate, opening its doors on 28th April 2001 along Sengkang Square. The current air-conditioned Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) is sited in a separate location west of the original bus interchange along Sengkang Square.

Pre-Interchange Opening (1998 – 2001):

Before the development of Sengkang New Town, the area where the housing estate occupies today was mainly served by long distance trunk services along Yio Chu Kang Road, Jalan Kayu and Punggol Road.

In June 1998, TIBS introduced its 1st bus route in Sengkang, with the launch of interim Bus Service 860 to Hougang South. The operator had first taken over several bus services serving areas adjacent to the new town in 1995, which mainly operated from the bus terminals at Jalan Kayu and Punggol Road End. Thus, the Singapore government also initially assigned TIBS to run bus services in the developing Sengkang New Town.

Over the subsequent few years, more trunk services were added to Sengkang New Town between 1998 and 2001, while the interim bus interchange was constructed in the Sengkang Town Centre to serve as the primary transport node for the estate:

• Bus Service 860: New interim trunk service to Hougang South from 12 Jun 1998, subsequently replaced by Bus Service 865 from 13 Dec 1998
• Bus Service 864: New trunk service to Marina Centre via Paya Lebar and Bugis from 15 Nov 1998, subsequently replaced by Bus Service 80 from 12 Dec 1999
• Bus Service 865: New trunk service to World Trade Centre via Little India and Orchard Road from 13 Dec 1998, subsequently re-numbered as Bus Service 85 from 12 Dec 1999
• Bus Service 866: New trunk service to Ang Mo Kio via Yio Chu Kang Road from 21 Feb 1999, subsequently re-numbered as Bus Service 86 from 12 Dec 1999
• Bus Service 27: Extended from Tampines on 25 Jul 1999
• Bus Service 508: New peak hour Express service to Robinson Road and Orchard Road from 30 Aug 1999, subsequently replaced by the extended Bus Services 501/501X & 502
• Bus Service 87: New trunk service to Bedok via Hougang Ctrl from 19 Sep 1999
• Bus Service 80: New trunk service to World Trade Centre via Hougang, Paya Lebar, Bugis and Chinatown from 12 Dec 1999, replacing Bus Service 864
• Bus Service 501: Extended from Hougang Ctrl on 10 Sep 2000, with an alternate route to Orchard Road and Suntec City during off peak periods daily
• Bus Service 502: Extended from Hougang Ctrl on 10 Sep 2000
• Bus Service 159: Extended from Ang Mo Kio on 18 Feb 2001

To link the neighbourhoods to the town centre, 2 new feeder bus services – 371 & 372 – were also implemented by SBS, operating from the roadside bus terminus along Sengkang East Way since 1999. The interim bus terminal for Sengkang had previously been located along Compassvale Road since 1998, but was subsequently relocated to Sengkang East Way on 1st Feb 1999.

When SBS clinched the bid to operate the upcoming North East Line (NEL) in May 1999, the Singapore government announced the transfer of the remaining 4 bus services from Jalan Kayu that TIBS had taken over in 1995, as well as the transfer of 3 bus services in Sengkang, to the newly-minted multi-modal public transport operator. These transfers took place in 2 phases between July and December that year, coinciding with the transfer of bus services from SBS to TIBS in Choa Chu Kang, which were conducted in exchange for Sengkang and Jalan Kayu bus services.

On 28th April 2001, the interim Sengkang Bus Interchange was opened, offering a pleasant environment for bus passengers to transfer and wait for their buses. All bus services from Sengkang Bus Terminal were relocated to the new interchange. The interim status of the bus interchange set the stage for it to be replaced by a permanent air-conditioned bus interchange located within an integrated development, comprising of Compass Point (later renamed as Compass One) shopping mall and the Compass Heights condominium, commencing operations on 18th January 2003 as Singapore’s 2nd Integrated Transport Hub (ITH).

Summary of Post-Amendment Bus Routes in Sengkang (as of 28 Apr 2001):

• 27: Sengkang – Tampines – Changi Airport
• 80: Sengkang – Hougang – Upper Paya Lebar Road – Bugis/Chinatown – World Trade Centre
• 85: Sengkang – Upper Serangoon Road – Little India – Orchard Road – World Trade Centre
• 86: Sengkang – Jalan Kayu – Yio Chu Kang Road – Ang Mo Kio
• 87: Sengkang – Hougang – Kaki Bukit Avenue 1 – Bedok
• 89: Hougang Central – Sengkang – Pasir Ris – Changi Airport Cargo Complex (Loop)
• 159: Sengkang – Hougang – Ang Mo Kio – Toa Payoh
• 371: Sengkang – Rivervale Drive – Sengkang East Avenue (Loop)
• 372: Sengkang – Punggol Road – Anchorvale Drive (Loop)
• 501: Sengkang – Hougang – Serangoon – Robinson Road – Penang Road (Loop)
• 501X: Sengkang – Hougang – Serangoon – Orchard Road – Suntec City (Loop)
• 502: Sengkang – Hougang – Serangoon – Orchard Road – Clementi – Boon Lay

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