I am a resident living near Bishan Park, and for many years, bus service 162M has been my preferred mode of off-peak and weekend transportation to and from town. It provides a direct link from the city back to my home. The recent changes have disrupted this, causing inconvenience not only to me but also to many neighbours who rely on this service.

LTA is justifying the rationalisation of route 162/162M due to it mirroring multiple TEL stops from Bright Hill to Shenton Way. While we understand the decision to rationalise routes that duplicate the TEL, 162M’s route only duplicates the TEL for a few stops and does not justify the truncation. Bus 162M's service route does not reach Shenton Way but loops at Suntec City. 

This specific route provides a crucial direct link from the shopping malls in town to the heartlands at night and on weekends, for people residing at the fringes of MRT stations like Bishan/AMK/Sin Ming. The time taken to change from the TEL and walk to a connecting bus home would eventually be the same as if we had a direct bus, leading to effectively no time savings. 

In addition, 162M runs till late, and provides services on weeknights and weekends even after the last TEL and NSL trains depart. The train services end at 1145pm, but the last 162M leaving Suntec is at 12:35am. The bus provides a late night alternative to those who miss the train, those who are returning home late after a late shift, or would not have a connecting bus available from the mrt station.

One suggestion would be to retain only 162M and run it only at its current hours of 6pm on weekdays and full day on weekends, while 162 can run on the new truncated route to serve the Sin Ming residents in parallel. 

We urge the relevant authorities to reconsider their decision to truncate 162M and retain the original route & operating hours for bus service 162M. Doing so will ensure that residents in the heartlands can continue enjoying efficient transport services.