SBS Bus 14’s New Route Sparks Petition As It Skips School Stops At Dover

Over 2,000 People Want Original Bus 14 Route Back

An online petition on Change.org is gathering steam.

No, it has nothing to do with taking down SgInstaBabes’ Patreon page or championing any inspirational causes this time.

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Over 2,000 people simply want their original SBS Bus 14 route back.

7 bus stops skipped

SBS Transit announced on 23 Aug that Bus 14 would pass over 7 bus stops, in a bid to “enhance commuters’ connectivity to Buona Vista MRT station”.

The changed route is set to be implemented on 9 Sep.

S’pore Poly, ACS(I) & Fairfield Methodist Primary affected

Problem is, students and parents alike are concerned about the schools that the bus will now skip.

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Namely, these bus stops* that service schools in Dover,

• Opp ACS Independent (19071)
• Opp ACS Boarding Sch (19081)
• Fairfield Meth Pr Sch (18111)
• Opp Fairfield Meth Pr Sch (18119)
• ACS Independent (19089)
• S’pore Poly (19091)
• Opp S’pore Poly (19099)

*Bus Stop numbers listed in brackets.

Backers of the petition added that they felt the route changes ceased to benefit Buona Vista MRT commuters, and brought “great inconvenience” to residents and students of Dover Avenue.

Affected commuters will also no longer have a direct bus service to East Coast Road and Tanah Merah MRT.

Bus 14 now passes by ACJC

To replace these 7 bus stops, Bus 14 will now service 8 new bus stops* along the way.

• Buona Vista Stn Exit C (11361)
• Buona Vista Stn Exit D (11369)
• Opp Anglo-Chinese JC (18149)
• Aft Anglo-Chinese JC (18141)
• C’wealth Ave West Blk 19A CP (19011)
• Opp Blk 19A CP (19019)
• Blk 15 (11199)
• Buona Vista Stn (11191)

*Bus Stop numbers listed in brackets.

We think that’s probably good news to ACJC students, but what other problems do Dover residents foresee?

Traffic jams due to private cars

Some have pointed out that the new route changes may result in more parents fetching their children to school.

Private transport like cars and taxis, may worsen the “already atrocious jam” along Dover Road in mornings and afternoons.

New stops already covered by existing buses

Plus, petitioners claim that many of the new stops covered are already served by other buses which also pass Buona Vista MRT station.

Going from Commonwealth Ave West Opp Blk 19A CP (19019) to Buona Vista MRT station, is currently served by two routes:

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• 10-min walk to Buona Vista MRT
• Or a 19-min journey via Bus Service 147

LTA says route benefits new HDB estates

The planned changes are supposed to “primarily benefit residents of new HDB developments”, such as Ghim Moh Edge and Ghim Moh Valley.

Currently, these estates don’t have a direct link to Buona Vista MRT station, said LTA.

They’ve also based their decision on “ticketing data”, to conclude that only a “small” number of commuters will be affected.

SBS Transit added that alternatives like bus service 33, 74, 166 or 196 are available, if residents wish to connect to Service 14 after the new route begins.

The first bus from Clementi Interchange will also depart 5 min earlier, at 5.40am daily.

Bread, butter & jam issues

We think it’s unlikely that SBS Transit will amend the new route to cater to petitioners, since “alternatives are already available”.

Affected students and residents will probably just have to brace themselves for the mad morning rushes to come.

Hopefully, current residents’ feedback will be useful for SBS Transit and LTA in planning new bus routes in the future.

If you wish to join the Bus 14 petition, you may sign up here.

Featured image from Google Maps and Change.org.