Carpark to replace bus interchange at Hougang (ST 28/10/03)
-
Carpark to replace bus interchange at Hougang
This and keeping some bus routes are meant to draw people back to shops in Street 21, but some businesses say moves won't be enough
By Tan Hui Yee and Lynn Lee
RETAILERS in Hougang Street 21 who were expecting a huge drop in business when the bus interchange there closes will get some relief when that happens.
Some bus services due to be rerouted after the closure will still ply the road, while part of the bus interchange will be converted to a carpark to help bring in business from motorists.
Hougang South Interchange, which serves those around Hougang Street 21, will move its operations to Hougang Central Interchange at a date yet to be set. Street 21 and the area around it will be served by the new Kovan MRT station instead.
But businesses said the North-East Line station, which opened in June, had not brought in as many shoppers as expected. They have been lobbying to keep the interchange open.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA), however, has said that Hougang town is not big enough for two bus interchanges so close together. They are one MRT station apart.
MP for Aljunied GRC Cynthia Phua, who helped lobby to keep the interchange, said yesterday that the idea to convert part of the interchange to more than 100 carpark lots came up after an ongoing survey of shoppers revealed a large number came by car from private estates nearby.
There was a shortage of carparks in the vicinity, and the Housing Board has agreed to one being built, she said.
Madam Phua said she was also working with the LTA and bus and train operator SBS Transit to keep some bus services going along Hougang Street 21 after the interchange is closed.
She was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an unveiling ceremony to upgrade Hougang Central, one stop from Kovan.
Located at Hougang MRT station, Hougang Central will be spruced up over the next two years to attract train commuters to stop and shop there. The $2 million project, which will start in December, includes the construction of covered linkways and a gallery for outdoor events.
The area around Hougang South Interchange will also have similar works done, from March next year till 2005. The project will cost between $1.5 million and $2 million.
But retailers told The Straits Times that neither keeping a few bus routes nor building a carpark could make up for the loss of customer traffic.
Madam Cindy Sim, 50, who runs Golden Star Optical in Block 203, beside the interchange, lamented: 'The interchange area is where all the shops are. Closing it will cause my business to drop by at least 70 per cent.'
Another shopkeeper, Mr Billy Ho, 34, who runs B H Household Products in the same block, felt that a carpark would not serve most shoppers: 'What about those housewives who don't drive? They have to take the bus here, so having a carpark here will be of no use.' -
so they have decided to remove the interchange @ hougang south... well, for me, staying in hougang, when i go there, i do drive there most of the time for food @ the hawker centre... i think if they remove the bus interchange, maybe there will indeed be a drop in the number of people going there... especially to heartland mall... so i think once the interchange is gone, the number of people going there will drop further... but do we have a choice to say in this matter anyway??? i guess not... 
-
Yah lah, they just renovated the hawker centre only... now looks like it doesn't look like a good move given that human traffic will decrease in the future....
Anyway, I dun quite agree about LTA's point that Hougang is not quite big enough for 2 bus interchanges so close together... The fact is that Hougang is the largest HDB estate in S'pore, so I suppose it doesn't quite validate LTA's point... -
Is Tampines the largest HDB estate in Singapore?Originally posted by foxtrot1985:Yah lah, they just renovated the hawker centre only... now looks like it doesn't look like a good move given that human traffic will decrease in the future....
Anyway, I dun quite agree about LTA's point that Hougang is not quite big enough for 2 bus interchanges so close together... The fact is that Hougang is the largest HDB estate in S'pore, so I suppose it doesn't quite validate LTA's point... -
at least for now, Hougang has the largest no of HDB flats as far as i can remember... as for size of the estate i'm not too sure...
-
An article a couple of years back in Berita Harian honoured Tampines as the largest Housing Estate in Singapore. This includes HDB dwelling units, landed properties and private condominiums.Originally posted by Smiley Volgren:Is Tampines the largest HDB estate in Singapore?
Bedok, which was at the top spot previously, now stands at second place with Woodlands at the third place.
Cheers and warm regards -
I think many of the feeder services based at HG South will be converted to Townlink services, all looping outside the interchange, as two new cream-and-yellow bus stops have recently been erected outside the interchange. This will be much like Woodlands services 911, 912, 913.
-
sad lah. donno what the government is trying to do... sometimes i really wonder all these changes are actually helping people or harming them??? the renovated hawker centre better be prepared, the macdonald, plus the whole heartland mall... sigh... -
yah... seriously i don't see many people going to stop at kovan station just to go to heartland mall... think they'd rather take the extra 2 stops to sengkang's compass point which has a much wider variety of shops...
-
My sentiments exactly. I remembered that Minister for Transport, Mr.Yeo in the newspaper mentioned that SBS Transit will provide a excellent feeder service to serve the Buangkok residents but nothing happened today? And yet HG South has to move to HG Central...is the Government really making things difficult for business at Kovan? Otherwise, Kovan may be Woodlands Part II (their business got worse since Tibs moved to WDL Regional Interchange)Originally posted by SBS9818A:I think many of the feeder services based at HG South will be converted to Townlink services, all looping outside the interchange, as two new cream-and-yellow bus stops have recently been erected outside the interchange. This will be much like Woodlands services 911, 912, 913. -
Yes, there is a high chance Kovan would become Old Woodlands Center Pt. II, SBST says lots of "sweet" stuff but always fail to implement them, or introduce a half-past-six version, so don't keep your hopes too high..Originally posted by Smiley Volgren:My sentiments exactly. I remembered that Minister for Transport, Mr.Yeo in the newspaper mentioned that SBS Transit will provide a excellent feeder service to serve the Buangkok residents but nothing happened today? And yet HG South has to move to HG Central...is the Government really making things difficult for business at Kovan? Otherwise, Kovan may be Woodlands Part II (their business got worse since Tibs moved to WDL Regional Interchange) -
what do u mean "half-past-six version"?Originally posted by SBS9818A:Yes, there is a high chance Kovan would become Old Woodlands Center Pt. II, SBST says lots of "sweet" stuff but always fail to implement them, or introduce a half-past-six version, so don't keep your hopes too high.. -
Well, face it, Hougang South Interchange is just like the old Woodlands interchange, the pax traffic is not very high compared to central, and that it mainly serves the feeder services. It is a fact that the closure would cause business to be lost, but according to my uncle who is based there, it is much more difficult to manoeveur into the interchange as compared to central.Originally posted by SBS9818A:Yes, there is a high chance Kovan would become Old Woodlands Center Pt. II, SBST says lots of "sweet" stuff but always fail to implement them, or introduce a half-past-six version, so don't keep your hopes too high..
Times do change, u can't expect everything to stay as a bed of roses. -
Oh your uncle, chief driver of Sv. 132 right? Yes, HG South Int is relatively space-constrained. When I was there a few weeks ago, hardly anyone boarded the bus from the interchange. The place is so quiet and desolated.Originally posted by TIB1186Z:Well, face it, Hougang South Interchange is just like the old Woodlands interchange, the pax traffic is not very high compared to central, and that it mainly serves the feeder services. It is a fact that the closure would cause business to be lost, but according to my uncle who is based there, it is much more difficult to manoeveur into the interchange as compared to central.
Times do change, u can't expect everything to stay as a bed of roses. -
whatever it is, better visit the place a few more times before it closes... wonder will it lead to the closure of the ntuc around that area? if it does happen, i think the shops around that area will be greatly affected... might as well close down once the interchange is no longer there... 
if they are moving the buses to hougang central, thats good, i hope they are not going to shift all the buses to seng kang again... hougang central needs more buses... luckily i stay near central...
-
Darryl, you still have not told me about "half-past-six versionOriginally posted by SBS9818A:Oh your uncle, chief driver of Sv. 132 right? Yes, HG South Int is relatively space-constrained. When I was there a few weeks ago, hardly anyone boarded the bus from the interchange. The place is so quiet and desolated.
-
Sorry, I meant to say slipshod version, they don't seem willing to give the full package so they throw in a lousy one with some sweeteners.Originally posted by Smiley Volgren:Darryl, you still have not told me about "half-past-six version