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Commuters in Singapore are unhappy with the design of two bus stops located outside Punggol MRT station.
According to them, the position of the pillars make it difficult for them to see if there are any approaching buses when seated at the bus stop, which has caused them to miss their bus.
A reporter from Shin Min Daily News checked out the said bus stops, noting that the pillars obstruct the view of oncoming traffic regardless if one is seated or standing.
Had to wait 20 minutes for next bus after missing the first
They also spoke to commuters at the bus stop, one of which was Wu Lixuan (all names in hanyu pinyin), 20.
She explained that the bus stop design makes it difficult for her to see if there is more than one vehicle at the bus stop.
Wu only realised that the bus she was supposed to take had stopped behind the first one after the driver had closed the doors once other passengers boarded.
As a result, she missed the bus.
"I can only take this particular bus, and missing it means that I have to wait 20 minutes for the next one," she explained.
"Rather illogical" design
Dyana, 15, agreed, as she told Shin Min about how she usually sits while waiting for the bus as she is "very tired" after school.
However, she has to stand up and walk towards the road to check if her bus is approaching. The student estimated that she did so about five or six times, and shared that she finds the bus stop design "rather illogical".
Dyana pointed out that having to constantly check the roads by standing up would be inconvenient for older folk.
She suggested moving the seats back so that those sitting down will be able to see the road from between the pillars.
A 73-year-old commuter, only identified by his surname Peng, noted that he has seen very few bus stops which have such a cramped design, and that the best way to check which buses are approaching is to pop one's head beyond the bus stop.
That being said, doing so is dangerous for children, he added.
LTA: Bus captains reminded to slow down when approaching these bus stops
In response to Shin Min's queries, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) confirmed that they have received feedback from the public with regards to the two bus stops.
They explained that they are narrower than other bus stops because they were converted from passenger pick up points. The pillars' location is due to existing drainage pipes located at the back of the bus stops.
LTA shared that they will explore how to improve the design of the bus stops during their regular reviews of public transport infrastructure, and will make improvements to the bus stop where feasible.
At the same time, they have reminded bus captains to slow down when approaching these bus stops in order for passengers to have a better view of approaching buses.
Top photos from Google Maps & Shin Min Daily News