Tiong Bahru Bus Interchange is a future Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) located at Tiong Bahru, currently under planning. It is located at the junction of Tiong Bahru Road and Lower Delta Road. Rail connections are offered via Tiong Bahru MRT Station along the East West Line.
Plans for the interchange were first mooted as part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s 2019 Draft Masterplan.
However, this ITH was not mentioned in the Land Transport Master Plan 2040.
They need to first and foremost launch the land parcel for sale to developer, to build the Integrated Transport Hub (bus interchange with commercial and usually private condominium). Based on Boon Lay ITH (construction started in Q4 2006, bus interchange opened in Q4 2009), it will take around 4 years like that, after awarding the land parcel to developer.
Until now, still haven’t launch the land parcel for sale. Even if 2025 launch, also 2029 then open.
ITH, is just a simple matter of development. Need not be mentioned under any master plan. And since this one more certain on the bus routes (all transferred from Bukit Merah Bus Interchange), it’s just a matter of when they want to implement it only. And since already got the idea, probably within the next 10 years from first made known to public (2019).
Such a straightforward matter, no need do ridership study whatever, definitely won’t drag one. Most probably by 2029 it will happen already. Just saying.
Actually, I have this theory that this ITH will be eventually built to serve as a replacement for Kampong Bahru terminal instead of the speculated Bukit Merah interchange. Bukit Merah Int will likely stay as it is needed to serve the already underserved Bukit Merah town centre which does not have a MRT connection close by.
According to URA land use plans, Spooner Road and Kampong Bahru terminal will be demolished for residential development. While it is also possible for Kampong Bahru Ter and Shenton Way Ter to be consolidated at Marina South ITH, I think replacing Kampong Bahru Ter with Tiong Bahru ITH makes more sense logistically considering the latter ITH will only be `1km+ from the existing location while Marina South is considerably further away at 3km+. In terms of bus stops, its just 4 additional bus stops for Kampong Bahru services. For services such as 120 and 122 which already pass by the proposed ITH and it cannot be shortened, it can be moved to Shenton Way/Marina South ITH together with 121.
I think some BM int services will still be amended to this ITH nonetheless considering all Kampong Bahru services except 120 and 122 are not included in BM package. 5 and 16 are likely candidates to be shortened to Tiong Bahru ITH and perhaps 2 more services from Bukit Merah may be extended to Tiong Bahru ITH. My choices would be 198 and 273 (which can still call at Bukit Merah Int as enroute stops) to replace 5 and 16’s sectors. 75 and 851 can still continue to call at BM Int to bridge Tiong Bahru Rd – BM Int gap.
Hoping my predictions come true at least partially, if not wholly, and we get an announcement for this ITH soon.
I like your idea of having 120 and 122 to follow 121 at Shenton Way. As for Service 16, it should be withdrawn by then due to TEL4 rationalisation. 132 (likely will be under CRL rationalisation but will retain its current route between BM and Tanglin) and 851 will stay as what it is now and one of them will have a modified service to replace 16M lost sector. Not too sure about 198 but 273 should stay as a BM feeder rather than Tiong Bahru.
If it is a replacement for KBT, where will service 195 ends at during the road closure in the city due to events such as F1? Highly doubt it will end at Tiong Bahru ITH, most likely to end further up either at BM (via Jalan BM) or HBF (via Kampong Bahru). I’m not sure if left turn is allowed from New Bridge Road to Cantonment and follow service 121 to Shenton Way.
We still don’t know if this ITH will be built at all since there has been no confirmation or updates about Tiong Bahru ITH. If we look at the latest URA master plan map, the land next to Tiong Bahru MRT has been zoned for residential use only, indicating that there are no plans for a mixed use development unless URA amends the plan. There is a reserved site across Lower Delta Rd at Joint Testing & Vaccination Centre is but I highly doubt the ITH would be built there as it is hundreds of metres from Tiong Bahru MRT. So as of know its safe to assume the idea of Tiong Bahru ITH has been shelved.