SINGAPORE - Since it opened on June 13, Singapore's 11th and largest integrated transport hub (ITH) in Woodlands has provided greater accessibility and comfort for commuters such as Mr Yee Fook Seng.
Fully air-conditioned and located close to Woodlands MRT station, which serves the North-South and Thomson-East Coast lines, the new ITH has made taking the bus and train more convenient for Mr Yee, 38, and his wife, 33.
However, temporary amendments to several bus routes in the vicinity over the past two weeks have caused some confusion and brought back inconveniences that commuters had previously experienced.
Due to roadworks along Woodlands Avenue 7 near the east entrance of the ITH, six public bus services - 161, 168, 858, 962, 964 and 969 - were on Dec 12 shifted to the open-air Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange, which the ITH had replaced.
Another nine bus services that used Woodlands Avenue 7 were also temporarily diverted to Woodlands Avenue 2 and Woodlands Avenue 5, resulting in slightly longer routes.
On Sunday (Dec 26), all 15 original bus routes were reinstated.
But Mr Yee said the route changes led to a delay in his wife's morning commute as she went to the wrong place to board her bus.
Other commuters faced similar issues. At least five workers from transport operator SMRT were stationed at the entrance to the temporary interchange to guide commuters when The Straits Times visited the area on Sunday afternoon.
Posters were also put up to remind commuters that the affected bus services had been reinstated to the ITH.
Mr Yee said he is glad that the bus services are operating from the ITH again.
"It is better because we don't have to walk so far. There are escalators and lifts so we don't have to climb stairs, unlike the temporary interchange," he added.
Four bus services - 925/925M, 950, 961/961M and 965 - continue to be run from the temporary interchange, which is next to the Woodlands ITH.
Designated bus services for the land vaccinated travel lane between Singapore and Johor Baru are also being run by Transtar Travel from the temporary interchange.
Mr Chong Swee Fatt, 52, who has lived in Woodlands for more than 18 years, prefers the ITH as it is more spacious and orderly.
Buses also face fewer bottlenecks as the ITH has multiple entrances, while the temporary interchange has only one. This means shorter wait times and a smoother commuting experience, the technician said.
"The environment (at the ITH) is better," he added.
For Madam Najihah Shahrom, 35, the air-conditioning is a major plus point.
Her husband is a wheelchair user and her two-year-old daughter requires a stroller so the inclusive facilities at the ITH, such as barrier-free boarding and alighting areas, graduated kerb edges, barrier-free toilets and priority queue zones, have also made commuting easier for the housewife and her family.
For businesses at Woodlands MRT station, the ITH has brought more foot traffic and customers amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
With the temporary bus interchange, commuters had to take the long way around to get to H I Salon, which opened its outlet at Woodlands MRT station 10 years ago, said owner Raymond Tan, 52.
With the ITH, more people walk by the salon now and business has picked up.
"Before Covid-19, the area was even livelier," Mr Tan said in Mandarin.
