Jurong East bus interchange to move

Relocated facility will be in operation from Dec 6 until integrated transport hub is completed around 2027

The new Jurong East bus interchange (at right) will be located opposite the current interchange in Jurong Gateway Road. The Land Transport Authority says most of the bus services that operate from the current interchange will continue to operate dire
The new Jurong East bus interchange (at right) will be located opposite the current interchange in Jurong Gateway Road. The Land Transport Authority says most of the bus services that operate from the current interchange will continue to operate directly from the relocated interchange, with some adjustments to routes and stops. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Jurong East bus interchange will be relocated from Dec 6 to facilitate the construction of the Jurong Region Line and the Jurong East integrated transport hub.

The new interchange will be located opposite the current interchange, in Jurong Gateway Road between the junctions of Jurong Gateway Road/Jurong East Street 12 and Jurong Gateway Road /Jurong East Central 1.

The relocated facility will be in operation until the Jurong East integrated transport hub is completed around 2027, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday.

A pedestrian overhead bridge with lifts and escalators has been built across Jurong Gateway Road. This sheltered passage between the bus interchange and train station is to "ensure that commuters can continue to transfer conveniently between their bus and rail journeys", the authority said.

There will also be a new bus stop opposite Jem mall in Jurong Gateway Road to provide commuters with an additional stopping point closer to Jurong East MRT station.

The bus stops outside Block 131 and before Jurong East MRT station in Jurong Gateway Road - which will have full-day bus lanes - have also been expanded to accommodate more commuters and buses.

The LTA said most of the bus services that operate from the current interchange will continue to operate directly from the relocated interchange. But adjustments will be made to their routes and stops to allow faster travel and minimise potential congestion in the vicinity of the interchange.

Services 97/97e and 197 will enter the interchange via Jurong East Street 12 and Jurong Gateway Road, while service 333 will enter via Boon Lay Way and Jurong Gateway Road.

The following services will start and end their operations outside the interchange:

• Service 78 will start at the bus stop outside Block 131 and end at the stop before Jurong East MRT station in the return direction, without calling at the bus interchange.

• Service 79 will not call at the bus interchange but will loop around Jurong East Town Centre via Jurong East Street 12, Jurong Gateway Road, Jurong East Central and Jurong Town Hall Road. Commuters can board this service at the bus stop outside Block 131 or outside Jurong Regional Library.

• The Cross Border 3 and Cross Border 4 services, which are currently not in operation, will let passengers board and alight at a bus pickup and drop-off point in Venture Avenue instead of the bus interchange when the services resume.

Information on these route changes will be available at the affected bus stops, existing and relocated bus interchanges, and on the online platforms of LTA, Tower Transit Singapore and SBS Transit.

The LTA said the relocated interchange will have more spacious boarding points at its seven berths and graduated kerb edges to facilitate boarding for passengers in wheelchairs.

A bus berth availability system will be installed near the bus park to let bus captains know when their berths are available. This will mitigate the risk of congestion within the smaller interchange.

There are priority queues with seats at the relocated Jurong East Bus Interchange. PHOTO: LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

In addition, high-volume low-speed fans have been installed at the concourse, and there will be more facilities for seniors, the less mobile and families with young children. There will also be 64 bicycle parking spaces.

The interchange will have upgraded facilities for transport workers as well, such as an air-conditioned staff canteen, dedicated staff toilets and a staff lounge.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 12, 2020, with the headline Jurong East bus interchange to move. Subscribe