THE name ‘Circle Line’ is a bit of a misnomer.

Even when all 29 stations along its 33km route are in use by some time next year, it will not be a full circle: A gap of about 4km long will still separate the HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations.

The Ministry of Transport has not ruled out closing this ‘missing link’, but is now taking a ‘wait and see’ approach. It said: ‘We have to assess whether there’s sufficient ridership to justify such a direct linkage, as there are already alternatives now through the current rail network.’

It will continue monitoring the situation, it added.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, said he believes closing the loop would ‘make sense’ and is glad the Government is not dismissing the option.

‘Commuters will then be able to travel clockwise or anti-clockwise, and trains don’t have to make a U-turn to go the other way,’ he pointed out.

Circle Line operator SMRT Corp agrees.

SMRT president Saw Phaik Hwa, noting also that a loop service will mean a quicker turnaround for the trains, said: ‘We welcome rail extensions that bring greater accessibility to commuters.’

Making the Circle Line go full circle will particularly benefit commuters now in the south-west. Those living in West Coast, Pasir Panjang and Telok Blangah will be able to get to the Marina downtown area in one train ride, as opposed to transferring to the North-East Line at HarbourFront, heading north to Dhoby Ghaut and then south again to Marina.

Closing the loop will also get these commuters more quickly to and from Suntec City, Beach Road, the National Stadium and the Old Airport Road hawker centre without needing to switch lines.

Telok Blangah resident Hwang Jeng Ming, 30, has realised this.

The maritime executive said that closing the loop will give people like him a direct route to Marina and farther east without having to change to another train.

If the extension is built, it will not be the first. In 2005, the Government announced that the Circle Line would be extended to the Marina downtown, where the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort and other commercial and leisure developments are sited.

Transport researcher Lee Der Horng of the National University of Singapore (NUS) has asked his students to assess the merits of closing the loop.

Their conclusion? It should be done, in view of the proposed redevelopment of Tanjong Pagar port into a new downtown area the size of Marina Bay, which sits where the gap in the line now is.

The provision of a rapid transit system is crucial to the redevelopment of the area, said Dr Lee. He added: ‘My view is that we should adopt a ‘transit-oriented development’ approach.’ The term refers to building an urban development around a highly efficient transit system that is within walking distance for those who live, work or play in it.

But Associate Professor Anthony Chin, who specialises in transport economics at NUS, warned that bridging the Circle Line’s ‘missing link’ should be weighed against other considerations.

Closing the loop will have several benefits to a group of commuters, he agreed, but pointed out: ‘Like all transport infrastructure projects, the central issue is economic and financial viability. So until the port moves out and enough density is created, one will have a hard time justifying it.’ The Government must weigh very carefully between addressing more pressing needs versus spending on closing the loop, he added.

The new downtown area proposed for the site where the port now sits was suggested by the Economic Strategies Committee. It suggested that when the port’s current lease expires in 2027, it could be re-sited in, say, Tuas.

Construction industry sources estimate that the link – if it is to have four stops – will cost between $1.5 billion and $2 billion at today’s cost.

Observers note that the Land Transport Masterplan has indicated that new lines can be built if they do not compromise the viability of the network. So, given that the viability of every individual new line is not a must now, the link could be built sooner rather than later.

The Straits Times understands that the Government has studied another option to closing the loop – by linking HarbourFront to the East-West line’s Tanjong Pagar station, and then joining it to Marina Bay.

Source: Straits Times, 23 Apr 2010

The National Library Board (NLB) announced on Wednesday that the new Serangoon Public Library will be located at “nex”.

“nex” is a mega eco-friendly mall linked to the new 16-bay Serangoon Bus Interchange and the stations of the new Circle line and existing North East line.

The Serangoon Public Library will cater to some 122,000 residents in Serangoon.

It will cover an area of about 17,000 square feet, and start with a collection of about 150,000 books, magazines and audio-visual material.

Source: Channel News Asia, 3 Feb 2010

THE former sleepy fishing village of Punggol is to undergo a green makeover that will transform it into Singapore’s first ‘eco-town’.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said on Wednesday that the northern coastal town is to serve as a testbed for innovative green technologies.

Testing such technologies at Punggol will allow the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to lower the implementation cost of these solutions and to replicate them across other towns, he added.
The HDB sees Punggol, one of Singapore’s younger towns, as being ideally placed to undergo the planned transformation.

It is already home to HDB’s first green housing project, Treelodge@Punggol, which features solar panels and rainwater recycling.

A waterway is being built at Punggol that will feature green landscapes and bring nature closer to residents.
The town has small, intimate estates featuring common green areas, accessible amenities and a well-integrated public transport network.

The HDB hopes the town’s green living environment will raise awareness of environmental sustainability.
To bring about Punggol’s revamp, it will be working with government agencies and private sector firms in the areas of energy, waste and water management.

The HDB is adopting a three-pronged approach to the development of the eco-town.
This will involve implementing effective urban planning designs that encourage residents to adopt greener lifestyles, using green technologies and educating residents through grassroots events.
Speaking to a 500-strong audience yesterday at an HDB-hosted housing conference at Suntec City, chief executive Tay Kim Poh said the HDB viewed such investment as being in line with its goal of providing a higher quality of life for residents.

‘As the largest developer in Singapore, we have the responsibility to promote environmental sustainability,’ he said.

He added that in recent years the HDB had been driving a number of initiatives to combat climate change.
It is introducing solar systems at four precincts – Tampines, Bukit Panjang, Tanjong Pagar and Marine Parade – with a combined capacity of 600 kilowatt-peak that will be used to offset the energy consumption of the towns.

Mr Tay underlined the importance of constantly rejuvenating ageing towns, and said HDB intends to extend to all towns its Remaking Our Heartland urban rejuvenation programme for public housing estates.

Over the next 20 to 30 years, this massive programme will revitalise older towns and estates, he said.

Source, Straits Times 29 January 2010

Property agents said the opening of the 11 new stations along the Circle Line is likely to push property prices up.

Agents MediaCorp spoke to estimate home prices will increase by 10 per cent while office rents will go up by 20 per cent.

They said estates like Serangoon, Bishan and Paya Lebar have a lot of market potential while units in industrial estates are also expected to be in high demand.

Eddy Ng, division director, ERA Real Estate, said: “Most of the workers are taking public transport, it can be very accessible for them, if there’s an MRT line that leads them back home after work.”

Source: Channel News Asia, 28 Jan 2010

With this new opening, about half the Circle Line or about 16 stations will connect commuters to places like the new Sports Hub through Stadium Station, to Suntec via Promenade Station and the museums via Bras Basah Station.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim said: “This is a significant thing for us because now you have these direct connections. So if you are on the eastern side, north-eastern side, you have a direct line that connects you instead of having to go to the city centre.”

So a commuter going from, say, interchange station Paya Lebar to Bishan can shave off about 18 minutes or half his travelling time, said the Land Transport Authority. Commuters can bypass the busy City Hall and Raffles Place stations.

Building the Paya Lebar Station was not easy. One of the challenges that engineers faced in building this interchange station was that they had to connect an underground line to an existing above ground station.

For commuters who also had to endure congestion during road diversions, the opening has been welcomed.

Said one man in the street: “The transportation was very bad and there used to have jams all over and time taken from one place to another was very bad. Now of course, there are a lot of changes.”

“It saves time, like when we are rushing to meet friends and family, it will be much more better,” said another commuter.

Transport authorities now expect the Circle Line ridership to spike to about 200,000 daily.

Also operating will be the station that caused a delay to the opening of the Circle Line when the site at Nicoll Highway collapsed.

Sim Wee Meng, group director, Rail, Land Transport Authority, said: “Nicoll Highway, we have built at the new site which is 100 metres away from existing site. It’s now completed and will open as part of Circle Line 1 & 2.”

As for the possibility of bus rationalisation, Mr Lim said: “The LTA will have to work with the operators to see whether they need to streamline any of the services in order to feed into the Circle Line.”

The final phase of the Circle Line, which will link up the western parts of Singapore to the line with stops in places like Botanic Gardens and Holland Village, is expected to be ready next year.

Source: Channel News Asia, 26 Jan 2010

HAVING just completed renovations to his three-room flat in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, Mr Jackson Wee was reluctant to take up a Housing Board offer to make changes to his interior.

But he had a change of heart after seeing the work done in flats in other precincts.

‘I was so surprised – it was done so nicely, the quality was so good. So I changed my mind,’ he said.

That was back in 2003.

Yesterday, the 63-year-old technical engineer was among 600 residents at a dinner to celebrate the completion of the Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) for 10 blocks in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10: Blocks 411 to 419 and 421.

Celebrating with them was Mr Lee Hsien Loong, MP for Teck Ghee ward in Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Pointing to the improvements made, he said it reflects a system that works in Singapore.

‘People support the Government, the Government works for the people. We work together to have (Budget) surpluses, and from the surpluses we give back something to Singaporeans.’

Mr Lee made the promise that more would be done for housing estates in Singapore.

‘We will have new plans to improve our estates, to build up Singapore,’ he said, without elaborating.

‘This is a continuous process because we never finish saying how we can make Singapore a better place to live,’ he added.

The upgrading of Mr Wee’s precinct and the 10 blocks in it cost $55 million. The Government paid the bulk of the bill.

It gave the precinct landscaped seating areas, a shady pedestrian boulevard, and covered linkways, among other amenities. The street soccer court was also upgraded.

Mr Wee said that the new amenities downstairs have changed the entire feel of the estate: ‘In the evenings now, you can see a lot of old residents going downstairs, taking walks.

‘Before, nobody went down.’

Within their homes, owners got new windows and new decorative timber doors. Toilets were upgraded, and many residents also opted to add an extra utility room to their flat.

Mr Wee, a Christian, turned the additional space into his prayer room, which he also uses occasionally as a guest room for relatives and friends.

Earlier in the evening, at a nearby estate, Mr Lee launched the polling and exhibition of a proposed Lift Upgrading Programme for 13 blocks in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.

The project would upgrade lifts in Blocks 464 to 476. Residents will have to decide whether to go ahead with the project by Monday.

The Lift Upgrading Programme will go ahead if at least 75 per cent of them vote for it.

Up to 85 per cent of the cost will be covered by the Government, and residents have the option to pay their share via monthly instalments over five or 10 years.

Housewife Kamisah Amat was so keen she cast her ‘yes’ vote almost immediately after the polling started yesterday evening.

The 50-year-old, who has lived in Block 471 since 2004, said she ‘has been waiting for the lift upgrading for very long’.

Source, Straits Times 22 January 2010

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the underground link will be constructed by the developer of the site, as part of the site tender requirements under the Government Land Sales Programme.

From the Capitol Theatre site, pedestrians will be able to use the existing network of covered walkways to reach the other buildings in the area.

Along North Bridge Road, the Land Transport Authority is also building a covered linkway to provide a sheltered connection from City Hall MRT Station to the two bus stops along North Bridge Road adjacent to St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

Mr Mah said the Urban Redevelopment Authority will look into ways to expand the network of underground pedestrian links in the locality to connect more buildings seamlessly to the City Hall MRT Station.

He said Singapore has been planned as a pedestrian-friendly city, with an extensive network of covered and underground walkways.

The Minister was replying to a parliamentary question from Nominated MP Teo Siong Seng.

Source: Channel News Asia, 13 Jan 2010

This is to serve upcoming developments such as the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort and the Marina Bay Financial Centre.

Motorists travelling to the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort can soon use a new bridge and road.

The Bay Bridge connects directly across the Marina Centre to Marina Bay.

Motorists can then continue along Bayfront Avenue towards the Marina Bay Financial Centre.

With the opening of the 1.4 kilometre bridge and road, a new ERP gantry will also be installed.

Yam Ah Mee, chief executive, Land Transport Authority, said: “Together with the Bayfront Avenue road, there’s a need to adjust the CBD cordon and having a new ERP gantry at that location. So that the overall, CBD cordon comprising of the Orchard cordon, the Shenton-Chinatown cordon and the Marina City cordon remains intact.

“And that’s the reason why we are closing the CBD cordon and adjusting it with this new ERP gantry.”

The Bayfront Avenue ERP gantry will be up by end-March.

To further adjust the CBD cordon, three more ERP gantries will be erected and will be operational in the third quarter of this year.

The existing gantry along Central Boulevard will be replaced by a new one at Marina Way.
Two other gantries will be on the other side of Bayfront Avenue and Marina Station Road.

In other developments, motorists can look forward to the opening of the Bartley viaduct on Sunday.

The 1.9 kilometre long viaduct marks the completion of the Bartley extension project.

Mr Yam said: “With the opening of the Bartley viaduct, motorists can expect travelling along Tampines Avenue 10 to Bartley to have a time saving of about 10 to 15 minutes and also alternatives to PIE. We expect that up to about five to 10 per cent of motorists, may consider alternatives of travelling on the Bartley viaduct instead of going through PIE.”

The Bartley Road extension project, which started in 2000, costs S$208 million.

Source: Channel News Asia, 14 Jan 2010

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the underground link will be constructed by the developer of the site, as part of the site tender requirements under the Government Land Sales Programme.

From the Capitol Theatre site, pedestrians will be able to use the existing network of covered walkways to reach the other buildings in the area.

Along North Bridge Road, the Land Transport Authority is also building a covered linkway to provide a sheltered connection from City Hall MRT Station to the two bus stops along North Bridge Road adjacent to St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

Mr Mah said the Urban Redevelopment Authority will look into ways to expand the network of underground pedestrian links in the locality to connect more buildings seamlessly to the City Hall MRT Station.

He said Singapore has been planned as a pedestrian-friendly city, with an extensive network of covered and underground walkways.

The Minister was replying to a parliamentary question from Nominated MP Teo Siong Seng.

Source: Channel News Asia, 13 Jan 2010