September 10, 2019, 12:35 PM
The new Yishun Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) has been facing congestion problems since it opened over the weekend and has persisted into its second day of operations on Monday, Sept. 9.
Congestion causing delays of up to 30 minutes
According to The Straits Times, 14 bus services from SBS Transit were delayed due to heavy traffic during the morning rush hour.
The ITH had just opened a day prior, on Sept. 8.
Please be informed that Services 39, 103, 800, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807/807A, 811, 812, 851, 851e, 852 and 860 are being delayed along Yishun Ave 2 (towards Yishun Interchange) due to heavy traffic.
— SBS Transit (@SBSTransit_Ltd) September 8, 2019
The heavy traffic formed a long line of buses at the traffic light junction before the interchange at around 8am.
They were unable to turn right into the interchange, even though the traffic light had turned green.
This caused some commuters to alight from their buses to walk to the interchange, which is connected to Northpoint City shopping mall.
Buses tried to switch lanes to turn into the new interchange, but became stuck in a zig-zag fashion while doing so.
Commuters faced delays to their journeys, some up to 30 minutes.
Some took to social media to document the morning chaos:
Opening of the new Yishun Bus Interchange causes jam. pic.twitter.com/prX61MmiS7
— shark (@syakirsbna) September 8, 2019
how do you plan to reopen a whole ass bus interchange and not account for morning traffic ???? All the buses coming in are huge double deckers and your entrance is like the door way in the Hobbit movies I don’t get what kind of logic is that
— jas 🦋 (@_narryheartsxx) September 9, 2019
New yishun bus interchange no proper arrangement. Bus queuing to dock end up road jams, commuters frustrated and i had a slow morning stroll to mrt stn. What a way to start Monday. God Bless
— Norlin (@Ratulin79) September 8, 2019
The Yishun Integrated Transport Hub may not have sufficient space to house the buses for alighting purpose. This lead to the long queue of bus waiting for their turn to enter the interchange to unload the passengers.
— Richard Jang (@richardjang) September 9, 2019
https://twitter.com/asriahasadi/status/1170881466894413830
class='fb-post' data-href='https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10217592807365990&id=1652268550'>
A similar delay in bus services occurred on the same day during the evening rush hour, around 5pm.
Please be informed that Services 39, 103, 800, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807/807A, 811, 812, 851, 851e, 852 and 860, are being delayed along Yishun Ave 2 (towards Yishun Interchange) due to heavy traffic.
— SBS Transit (@SBSTransit_Ltd) September 9, 2019
In response to ST's queries, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it was "monitoring the situation" and "working with the bus companies to fine-tune operations".
LTA added that they seek the commuters' understanding that bus operators needed time to familiarise themselves with the new interchange.
Extra staff members will also be deployed to improve bus movements in and out of the ITH.
Situation improved the next day
ST also reported on Sept. 10 that the situation has since improved, with the timing of the traffic light at the junction tweaked, and with 10 traffic marshals at the two entrances of the interchange.
Some were also stationed inside the interchange to manage the traffic flow of buses.
Video on ITH's design
But there could be another reason for the congestion, other than the traffic light.
Facebook page Singapore Buses, a passion project documenting Singaporean buses and other public transport matters, recently uploaded a video onto their YouTube page.
It featured the congestion leading up to the ITH on the morning of Sept. 9.
&feature=youtu.be
They pointed out that the new bus interchange had two entrances but only one exit, as compared to the previous temporary interchange, which had two entrances and two exits.
Screenshot via Singapore Buses' Youtube video
Screenshot via Singapore Buses' Youtube video
Singapore Buses also noted that the new bus interchange was relatively smaller, compared to the temporary interchange, and that there were too many bus services ending at the ITH.
These issues were something that an SBS Transit driver had also reflected when interviewed by ST.
He noted that there may still be more jams in the future even as congestion woes had eased considerably by Sept. 10.
This driver, who was unnamed in the ST report, also remarked that the interchange was smaller than "other interchanges".
Top image via Singapore Buses's YouTube video