Looking ahead, a key enabler of our plans to enhance transport connectivity in the West are our two new MRT lines – the JRL and CRL.
The JRL will be a game-changer for the West when it opens in stages between 2027 and 2029. With 24 new stations spanning 24 kilometres, it will serve areas such as Tengah New Town and Jurong Lake District, and also connect residents across the entire Western region to growing employment centres in Jurong. With three interchange stations at Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay and Jurong East, the JRL will connect to the North-South Line and East-West Line, and enhance resilience across the system.
The JRL will shorten travel times for commuters in the West. For example, residents in Tengah Plantation Grove can reach Tanjong Pagar in 40 minutes via a rail connection to Jurong East interchange, compared to 55 minutes today. Similarly, residents in Boon Lay View will take 40 minutes to travel to Woodlands, down from 55 minutes today.
For the connection between the Jurong Town Hall station on the JRL and the Jurong Lake District station on the CRL, Mr Leong will be pleased to know that there will be good pedestrian connectivity between the two stations.
By the early 2030s, the CRL will further enhance the West's connection to the East and North-East regions. It will serve areas such as West Coast and parts of Clementi that do not currently have direct links to the rail network and connect residents to growing employment centres in Punggol and Changi. Commuters in the West will be able to use the CRL to connect to every radial line in our MRT network.
It will also shorten travel times significantly for some journeys. Currently, a journey from West Coast to Pasir Ris will take 70 minutes and a journey to Ang Mo Kio will take 60 minutes. With the CRL, these journeys will be reduced to 45 minutes to Pasir Ris and 30 minutes to Ang Mo Kio.
In the mid-2030s, the new Sungei Kadut interchange station along the North-South Line will provide commuters in the Northwest a more direct transfer to the Downtown Line. The new Brickland station between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Gombak stations will also offer residents living in Keat Hong, Bukit Batok West and Tengah faster and more convenient access to the rail network.
Beyond these projects, we are also planning for the next bound. As Minister Chee mentioned earlier, LTA has been studying a West Coast Extension in tandem with further developments in the area, which will connect the JRL to the Circle Line and further improve rail connectivity and resilience for the West.
At the same time, we recognise that buses remain integral as they enable more residents to access the rail network and other amenities. This is especially important as new housing developments are being completed at a faster pace, which means that there are new needs that have to be met. We recognise that as the planned expansion of our rail network will take some time to complete, improving bus connectivity will help meet travel demand in the immediate term.
That is why we have taken further steps through the recently announced Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme. Some measures include introducing more peak-hour express bus services for faster connection to the city as well as new "express feeder" services, which will bypass stops to take a more direct route to connect residents in farther away estates to existing transport nodes and town centres.
Mr Leong's suggestion for buses is no different from this. We will also speed up the pace of introducing new trunk and feeder bus services and improving bus frequencies to improve connectivity for the early batches of residents who move into new estates like Tengah. LTA is progressively identifying these enhancements, in consultation with stakeholders.
Beyond improving transport connectivity, we are also bringing jobs closer to residents. With the development of regional centres like the Jurong Lake District and Jurong Innovation District, residents in the West will have even more employment opportunities close to home.
Mr Speaker, while we have made substantial progress, we are not done building a more connected Singapore. Our plans to improve transport infrastructure will take time. So, I seek the patience and support of Singaporeans and our residents in the West as we press on with enhancements to our public transport network in the coming years.
With the support of this House, I am confident that we will realise our vision of a well-connected and vibrant home for all residents. [Applause.]
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