A new privately-run feeder bus service, introduced to cut waiting times and congestion for Woodlands residents who use route 912, began plying the roads Monday morning.

The 'peak period short service', called 912P, will overlay the busiest stretches of feeder route 912. It is operated by BT&Tan Transport and Commute Solutions, which has deploy three buses for a start to run 11 trips each in the morning and evening peak periods.

It is the first of four such services that will be rolled out in the next month as part of the Government's Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). The others will serve commuters in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Boon Lay.

Providing an update on the programme on Monday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said 339 of the initial 550 state-funded buses have been put on the road as of last month. These have been used to introduce 18 new routes and improve 125 existing services. The LTA will roll out the remainder of the 550 by the end of this year.

Last month, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced that the Government would fund another 450 buses, nearly doubling the state-funded bus fleet to 1,000 buses.

Sembawang GRC MP Ong Teng Koon said grassroots leaders started asking the LTA to improve service 912 last year.

Residents had given feedback that 912 can be slow, he said. "When traffic is heavy in the morning, sometimes two or three buses come at the same time."