SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is developing a system that will relay real-time information between buses and bus stops, so commuters can get more information while they are travelling.

The central bus management system will be implemented progressively from the end of next year, and will be completed in 2017, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo in Parliament on Wednesday.

She was responding to Non-constituency Member of Parliament Gerald Giam, who had asked whether the LTA will consider using technology on buses and at bus stops to help visually-impaired commuters travel more independently and safely.

Ms Teo said of the new system: "We will have announcements of the next bus stop, for example broadcasted on buses, or delivered in a more targeted way through smart-phone applications and other devices."

Separately, the LTA is also looking into providing Wi-Fi access on buses and at bus interchanges.

Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim revealed this when replying to MP Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), who had asked if the free Wi-Fi service WIFI@MRT would be extended to Khatib MRT station.

Noting that the service was being rolled out on a trial basis for now, Dr Faishal said MRT interchanges stations that see a high volume of commuters would be given priority.

He said that it would be made available at Khatib MRT station by next year.

If the trial is successful and well recevied by people, he added, the service would be rolled out at other MRT stations too.

Since the Wi-Fi service was launched at City Hall, Orchard and Raffles Place MRT stations in August, more than 145,000 commuters have used it.