A new multi-storey bus depot will be built in the Simpang area near Yishun, as revealed in an LTA tender published on 2 February 2024.
The new bus depot is situated along Yishun Avenue 8, opposite Yishun Industrial Park. The official name of the depot will be confirmed at a later date.
In February 2024, a tender was called by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), titled Contract BD202 – Proposed Multi-Storey bus depot at Simpang. Construction of the depot is expected to commence in 2024 and be completed by 2029.
| General Information | |
| Name | Final name TBC |
| Address | Yishun Avenue 8 |
| Depot Information | |
| BCMÂ Route Package | To be confirmed |
| Incumbent Operator | To be confirmed |
| Years In Operation | To be confirmed |
| Catchment | To be confirmed |
Location
Simpang Bus Depot (final name TBC) is a multi-storey bus depot in Yishun, intended to support bus operations in the northern region of Singapore. It comprises a four-storey main building, multi-storey quarters for transport workers, and other ancillary buildings, according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
The depot will be built along the north edge of Yishun Avenue 8, between Yishun Industrial Park A and Yishun Avenue 7. This plot of land was formerly occupied by Simpang Lodge 1 & 2, (since demolished), and also covers part of the existing Yishun Avenue 7 Heavy Vehicle Park.
In August 2022, under a gazetted Proposed Amendment to Master Plan 2019 (Amendment No. 28/22), the depot site was rezoned from Reserve Site to Transport Facilities Zone / Road Zone, paving the way for planning and construction of the bus depot. The site occupies approximately 5.6 ha.
The main depot building will include facilities for daily bus operations, bus repair and maintenance, bus parking and electric bus charging. Solar panels will be fitted on the roof. The bus depot would house about 500 buses.
Simpang Depot is the third depot that LTA plans to build by 2029, alongside two others in Pasir Panjang and Lorong Halus.
Route Package Assignment
Under Singapore’s Bus Contracting Model (BCM) implemented in 2016, ownership of all bus assets falls under the LTA, which includes the construction of new bus depots, and their subsequent tendering as part of a route package.
The new bus depot at Simpang will be one of many bus depots commissioned by the LTA under the BCM, alongside Bulim, Loyang, Seletar, Ulu Pandan, Mandai, Sengkang West, Gali Batu, East Coast, Kim Chuan, Tengah, Pasir Panjang and Lorong Halus.
LTA has not disclosed the specific Route Package to which the Simpang Bus Depot will be assigned. LTA described to The Straits Times that the new depot in Simpang is a replacement depot, but did not specify which existing bus depot it will replace. The URA Masterplan indicates that Woodlands Bus Park sits on land zoned for business use, while Seletar Depot occupies a reserved site. Therefore, both sites are not zoned for transport use in the long term and may be requisitioned in future.
Construction
In February 2024, LTA called for a tender under Contract BD202 – Proposed Multi-Storey bus depot at Simpang.
Depot Site (2024):
References
- Amendments To Master Plan 2019 – Urban Redevelopment Authority [Accessed 02 Feb 2024]
- New bus depot to be built in Yishun by 2029 – The Straits Times [Accessed 12 Feb 2024]
If SEDEP is going to be replaced, can just move Seletar to AMDEP since Bishan-Toa Payoh will most probably be shifting to KCDEP anyway.
I speculate this will be the future depot allocation in the north:
MDDEP – Woodlands package
SPDEP – Sembwang-Yishun package
AMDEP – Seletar package (if SEDEP is getting replaced)
Woodlands Bus Park sit on business reserved lot and Woodlands depot alone is already packed to the core(300buses plus other vehicles) so i think Woodlands will be moving to Mandai and Sembawang-Yishun Package will move to Simpang.Seletar on the other hand might stay.Ang Mo Kio might have a new depot in future instead.
How about being a replacement depot for AMK/Seletar? With Seletar buses shift to this Simpang Depot and AMK buses shift to Seletar Depot.
Doesn’t seem to have the need to shift Woodlands Depot which is currently a multi storey depot with the infrastructure sufficient to be converted to eBus ready (similar to SL Depot)
Dont think LTA wants Woodlands Depot which is mostly not DD friendly on certain areas..Maybe Woodlands will have new depot in Woodlands/Northshore area…Probably Seletar will move to Simpang…Seletar might be demolished.
This bus depot will be completed in 2029.
I AGREE With Tan Jun Wei This Depot could be used for Sembawang-Yishun Package and Mandai Depot could be used for Woodlands Package