SMRT Bus Service 972M

SMRT Bus Service 972M is a route variant of Service 972, operating from Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange and looping at Orchard Road, passing through Bukit Panjang Estate and Newton MRT. Following the Controversy over Bus 700 withdrawal and Bus 171 & 972 amendment, Service 972M was introduced as a mitigation measure to retain connectivity along Dunearn Road and Scotts Road. The route was originally intended to be the amended route of Service 972 itself.

Service 972M commences service on Sunday, 30 August 2020.

45009 Bukit Panjang Int DT1-BP6 Petir Rd

44641 Blk 602 BP13 Bt Panjang Ring Rd

44791 West View Pr Sch Senja Rd

44801 Opp Blk 628 Senja Rd

44861 BLK 636A Senja Rd

44811 West Spring Sec Sch Senja Rd

44821 Blk 651 Senja Link

44661 Blk 532 Jelapang Rd

44611 Blk 516 Jelapang Rd

44701 Blk 548B Segar Rd

44691 BLK 485 Segar Rd

44771 Fajar Stn BP10 Fajar Rd

44349 Bet Blks 443A/443B Fajar Rd

44339 Blk 442D Fajar Rd

44329 Bangkit Stn BP9 Bt Panjang Ring Rd

44261 Blk 270 Bt Panjang Rd

40239 Aft Tanglin CC Whitley Rd

40089 Opp Stevens Stn DT10 Dunearn Rd

40079 Bef Swiss Cottage Est Dunearn Rd

40119 Bef Goldhill Ave Dunearn Rd

40069 Anglo-Chinese Sch Dunearn Rd

40059 Chancery Ct Dunearn Rd

40049 Opp Newton Stn Exit C NS21-DT11 Dunearn Rd

40189 Newton Stn Exit B NS21-DT11 Scotts Rd

40179 Env Bldg Scotts Rd

09219 Far East Plaza Scotts Rd

09047 Orchard Stn/Tang Plaza NS22 Orchard Rd

09037 Opp Mandarin Orchard NS22 Orchard Rd

08138 Concorde Hotel S'pore Orchard Rd

08057 Dhoby Ghaut Stn NS24NE6CC1 Orchard Rd

08041 YMCA Orchard Rd

08031 Dhoby Ghaut Stn Exit B NS24NE6CC1 Penang Rd

08111 Winsland Hse Penang Rd

08121 Somerset Stn NS23 Somerset Rd

09011 Opp Ngee Ann City Orchard Turn

09023 Opp Orchard Stn/ION NS22 Orchard Turn

09212 Royal Plaza On Scotts Scotts Rd

40171 Opp Env Bldg Scotts Rd

40181 Newton Stn Exit A NS21-DT11 Scotts Rd

40041 Newton Stn Exit C NS21-DT11 Bt Timah Rd

40051 Balmoral Plaza Bt Timah Rd

40111 City Twrs Bt Timah Rd

40071 Leng Kwang Baptist Ch Bt Timah Rd

40081 Stevens Stn DT10 Bt Timah Rd

40231 Raffles Town Club Whitley Rd

44269 Blk 223 Bt Panjang Rd

44321 Opp Bangkit Stn BP9 Bt Panjang Ring Rd

44331 Blk 239 Fajar Rd

44341 Blk 401A CP Fajar Rd

44779 Opp Fajar Stn BP10 Fajar Rd

44699 BLK 457 Segar Rd

44709 Blk 547C Segar Rd

44619 Blk 506 Jelapang Rd

44669 Opp Blk 532 Jelapang Rd

44829 Opp Blk 650 Senja Link

44819 Opp West Spring Sec Sch Senja Rd

44869 Bef Blk 629A Cp Senja Rd

44809 Blk 628 Senja Rd

44799 Blk 610 Senja Rd

44649 Blk 541A CP BP13 Bt Panjang Ring Rd

44639 Bt Panjang Plaza DT1-BP6 Jelebu Rd

45009 Bukit Panjang Int DT1-BP6 Petir Rd

Route Overview
Route	Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange ↺ Orchard Road (Loop)
Passes Through	Senja Rd, Jelapang Rd, Segar Rd, Fajar Rd, BKE/PIE, Dunearn Rd / Bukit Timah Rd, Scotts Rd, Orchard, Dhoby Ghaut
Route Length	TBA
Travelling Time	135 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package	Choa Chu Kang–Bukit Panjang Bus Package
Current Operator	SMRT Buses Ltd
Current Depot	Kranji Bus Depot (KJDEP) Majority of buses park at: Ulu Pandan Bus Depot (UPDEP)
Current Fleet	12-metre Double Deck Bus: – Alexander Dennis Enviro500 – Volvo B9TL
Operating Hours
Departure Times from Bt Panjang	Daily
	05:45 – 22:50
Operating Frequency
	6:30am–8.30am			8.31am–4.59pm			5.00pm–7.00pm			After 7.00pm
Loop Service	11 – 12 mins			15 – 20 mins			11 – 12 mins			20 – 25 mins
Fare Information
Fare	Charges regular distance fares

Service 972M was introduced to retain connectivity for commuters along Dunearn Road and Scotts Road, following the withdrawal of Services 700 & 700A in August 2020.

The routing for Service 972M was originally presented as a route amendment for Service 972 that took effect from 16 August 2020. However, these plans were met with strong negative feedback from Bukit Panjang residents who relied heavily on Service 972 as a direct bus service to the city via the Expressway, citing higher fares (due to the longer distance travelled via Newton MRT), and resulting in longer travelling time, partly contributed by known congestion issues around Dunearn Rd / Bukit Timah Rd and Newton Circus. (Main article: Controversy over Bus 700 withdrawal and Bus 171 & 972 amendment)

Following discussions with the Members of Parliament for Bukit Panjang, the Land Transport Authority as well as the Ministry of Transport, Service 972M was introduced as a mitigation measure, while the route of Service 972 remains unchanged.

MRT / LRT Stations Served:

• DT1–BP6 Bukit Panjang
• BP13 Senja
• BP10 Fajar
• BP9 Bangkit
• DT10 Stevens
• NS21–DT11 Newton
• NS22 Orchard
• NS23 Somerset
• NS24NE6CC1 Dhoby Ghaut

Special Departures:

• Whitley Rd (Aft Tanglin CC) → Bukit Panjang Int via Orchard Road
  Weekdays Morning Peak Hours
• Penang Rd (Dhoby Ghaut Stn Exit B) → Bukit Panjang Int
  Weekdays Evening Peak Hours

Route Variant:

• Service 972: Bukit Panjang Int ↺ Orchard Road (Loop)
  Daily

Poster Gallery:

Operator History:

• 30 Aug 2020 onward: SMRT Buses Ltd

The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2023 under the Choa Chu Kang – Bukit Panjang Bus Package.

History:

• 2020 (30 Aug): Introduced from Bukit Panjang to Orchard Road (Loop) via Newton MRT as part of the mitigation measures in response to planned bus roite changes along the Downtown Line 2 Corridor. Wheelchair-accessible at launch.

Past Routings

Reference

• Chee Hong Tat 徐芳达 – Facebook

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