Singapore HeritageFest 2023: A Brief History of Transport Networks in Singapore’s Urban Landscape

On the evening of Friday 12 May, as part of this year’s Singapore HeritageFest, I gave a talk on 200 years of Singapore transport and urban history.

Like previous talks, it drew on material from my book Jalan Singapura: 700 Years of Movement in Singapore. This time, however, I included findings from ongoing research for my next book.

I also introduced audience engagement, inviting them to answer two questions on their mobile phones:

1. What is one enduring memory you have of Singapore land transport, which no longer exists?

Some answers:

- Riding Bendy Buses in eastern Singapore

The Bendy Bus used to run in Tampines as part of Bus Service 67. Credit: Shankar S.

- The “ding dong” speed limit warning in the old Crown / Cedric taxis

- The train from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands and beyond

Photo credit: EquatorialSky2.

- The first railway track! In one of the walking tours, I was brought to this underpass near the pinnacle hdb, I was told this was part of the first railway track. That was what led me to do my own reading up on it, and Eisen’s book shed useful insight in this area

- The old non-air-conditioned SBS buses with the sliding windows. If you didn’t close them on time or couldn’t close them when it rained, the rain will fall and collect on the tracks of the sliding windows and dribble onto the seat and onto the floor which I remember was the industrial aluminium flooring with the anti-slip pattern

2. What is your biggest wish for Singapore transport / urban development?

Some answers:

- Can eat (on public transport)

- To not further disrupt the nature for more roads and mrt networks

- 24 hour public transport

- magnetic levitation

- Bike path connecting each district

- More diverse rail transit modes like bringing back trams, use of monorails beyond Sentosa, etc…

- A wider variety of bus models please

- Abolishment of “Jaywalking” for more pedestrian friendly streets

- ...I would love to see a museum of transport in Singapore with life size vintage vehicles

I wish Tanjong Pagar Railway Station was converted into Singapore's very own museum of transport. Credit: Alicereneztay.

Hear, hear!

A brief history of Singapore’s easternmost road

What is the easternmost road on Singapore Island?

Over 200 years of modern Singapore’s history, the answer has changed a number of times, because of waves of land reclamation, and infrastructural development at the eastern end of the island.

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The British founded modern Singapore in 1819. From the 1840s, country roads began to be built from the Town - occupying an area roughly three miles by one mile in the southeastern corner of the island, around the Singapore River - to various corners of the island. One such road snaked from the eastern end of the Town, crossing the Sungei Kallang, across the eastern part of the island, to Sungei Changi at the eastern end, 15 miles away.

As the road passed the Sungei Changi, itself named after the chengal tree, the road was named Changi Road. It was completed sometime between 1843 and 1845, and became Singapore’s easternmost road.

A Chengal tree in Malaysia. “Chengal tree, Peninsula Malaysia, 2005” by Christoph Swoboda is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Below is an 1846 map showing Changi Road ending around the Sungei Changi in the east of the island.

Credit: Urban Redevelopment Authority.

A Changi Bus Company bus on the 13½ Milestone of Changi Road, about a mile from the Sungei Changi, 1953. Credit: F W York Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

With the road came settlers to the area around Sungei Changi, although it is also possible that settlers arrived by sea. By the start of the 20th century, two villages arose along the coast off the 13th and 14th Milestones - Kampong Telok Paku and Kampong Beting Kusah. Telok Paku is Malay for “Bay of Nails”, while Beting Kusah is Malay for “Troubled Shoal” - possibly hinting at the dangerous waters off the coast.

The beach at Telok Paku, 1954. Credit: Donald Moore Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

The beach at Telok Paku, 1955. Credit: Donald Moore Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Below is a 1923 map showing two tracks connecting the kampungs to Changi Road - Telok Paku Road and Beting Kusah Road. A footpath ran north from Telok Paku Road, hugging the coastline, making Telok Paku Road Singapore’s easternmost road.

Credit: The National Archives, United Kingdom.

During the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese forced Allied prisoners-of-war to start work on an airfield in the area, building two landing strips intersecting in a cross. After the Japanese surrendered in 1945, they were made to complete the airfield, and it opened as Changi Airfield the following year.

The airfield was laid down over parts of Telok Paku Road and Beting Kusah Road, and the shorter, horizontal landing strip forced the realignment of Beting Kusah Road to the east, closer to the coast. However, it still fell short of Telok Paku Road, which remained Singapore’s easternmost road.

Below is a 1945 map showing Telok Paku Road in blue, and Beting Kusah Road in yellow.

Credit: Survey Department, Singapore.

Telok Paku Road, 1942. Credit: The National Archives, United Kingdom.

Telok Paku Road, 1956. Credit: F W York Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Telok Paku Road finally relinquished its title close to a decade later in 1955, when Nicoll Drive was completed as the new road hugging the Changi coast, running from the mouth of Sungei Changi to Tanah Merah Besar Road.

For years, there had been calls for such a road to serve the bungalows lining the coast. Nicoll Drive was built over parts of Telok Paku Road and Beting Kusah Road, and it was named after Singapore Governor Sir John Nicoll (below). He also gave his name to Nicoll Highway, many miles away in the City.

Credit: Lok Wan Tho Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Below is a 1955 street directory map showing the realigned Telok Paku Road in blue, and Nicoll Drive in green.

The seawall next to Nicoll Drive to the far left, 1956. Credit: Public Works Department Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

Nicoll Drive was Singapore’s easternmost road until the late 1970s, when major land reclamation pushed the island’s eastern coast eastward for the construction of Changi Airport. The new coastal road serving the reclaimed land was Changi Coast Road, which officially opened in 1981.

Below is a 1981 street directory map showing the realigned Telok Paku Road in blue, what was left of Nicoll Drive in green, and Changi Coast Road in yellow. The kampungs of Telok Paku and Beting Kusah, and the seaside bungalows along the idyllic beach served by Nicoll Drive, became distant memories.

One drove along Changi Coast Road to get a good glimpse of Changi Airport and its control tower (below, in 1990).

Credit: Singapore Tourist Promotion Board Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

From the 1990s into the 2000s, more reclamation took place in phases to the east of Changi Coast Road, creating a massive, 1,545-hectare block of land called Changi East. By 1995, Changi Coast Road became a misnomer - the coast had retreated far from it.

By 2001, Changi Naval Base was completed at the southeastern corner of the reclaimed land. The road serving it, accessible from Changi Coast Road, was Tanah Merah Coast Road - which then became Singapore’s easternmost road.

Between 2009 and 2017, Aviation Park Road became Singapore’s easternmost road instead, as it was built in the northern part of Changi East to serve Changi Exhibition Centre.

Below is a 2009 street directory map showing Changi Coast Road in yellow, Tanah Merah Coast Road in blue, and Aviation Park Road in green.

By 2017, Tanah Merah Coast Road was extended from south to north to meet Aviation Park Road, covering the eastern coast of Changi East, consequently becoming Singapore’s easternmost road again.

With the completion of the extension of Tanah Merah Coast Road, most of Changi Coast Road - save for a short stretch between Nicoll Drive and Aviation Park Road - was closed and expunged for the building of Changi Airport Terminal 5 (below).

Credit: Land Transport Authority.

Today, Tanah Merah Coast Road remains Singapore’s easternmost road. It is also the only public road in Singapore with a dedicated on-road bicycle lane (below).

Credit: Google Maps.

The current coastline at Changi East is miles away from the original coastline of the 19th century. And, it is set to move further east in coming years, away from Tanah Merah Coast Road.

It has been announced that reclamation of around 900 hectares of land will start by the end of this year, to the east of Changi East (below). The project will take at least 10 years to complete.

Credit: SPH Media Trust.

It remains to be seen what the land will be used for. Likewise, it remains to be seen whether Tanah Merah Coast Road will be realigned to hug the new coastline, or a new coastal road will take its place as Singapore’s easternmost road.

Telok Paku Road today, at the junction of Changi Village Road (formerly part of Changi Road). Credit: Google Maps.

Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal

In Singapore, there are three types of public transport facilities that serve as the start and end points of bus routes: Integrated Transport Hubs (ITHs), bus interchanges, and bus terminals.

Integrated Transport Hubs, as the name suggests, integrate bus interchanges, MRT stations, and commercial and residential facilities. All are fully air-conditioned and connected seamlessly to one another. There are 11 ITHs in Singapore, the newest being Yishun (opened 2019) and Woodlands (opened 2021).

Bus interchanges are relatively large facilities handling many bus routes, usually located near or next to MRT stations, allowing for convenient bus-rail transfers. Excluding ITHs, there are 17 bus interchanges in Singapore.

Bus terminals are relatively smaller facilities with fewer bus routes. While some are near MRT stations, others are not, and may serve just a small area of the island. In terms of infrastructure, they are more spartan and basic than bus interchanges. There are 18 bus terminals in Singapore, of which 16 are on the main island, while two are in Sentosa.

The historical trend is for bus terminals to be closed and replaced by bus interchanges, and bus interchanges to be upgraded to ITHs. Over time, I expect the number of bus terminals to drop, and the number of ITHs to grow.

I recently checked out the Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal, an example of a bus terminal which could be closed and replaced by a nearby bus interchange in the future.

Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal occupies the rough quadrilateral bounded by Lorong 1 Geylang, Sims Avenue, the Kallang River, and Geylang Road (below).

Credit: Singapore Land Authority.

The bus terminal is next to a historic bridge over the Kallang River, which was first completed in 1842. The bridge enabled a country road to be extended eastward from the Town of Singapore, across the river, to the eastern end of the island.

The country road was named Kallang Road and Geylang Road on either side of the bridge, and ended as Changi Road at Changi Village 13 miles away.

The bridge was later named Sir Arthur’s Bridge after Sir Arthur Young, Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1911 to 1920 (below).

Sir Arthur’s Bridge in 1987. Credit: Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore,

In the early 1970s, Sims Avenue was extended westward to Geylang Road, to ease congestion on the busy Kallang-Geylang artery connecting the City to the eastern suburbs. This formed the plot of land on which Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal currently sits. At the end of the decade, Sims Avenue was further realigned westward to join Kallang Road via a bridge over the Kallang River.

The area in 1975. The extension of Sims Avenue is in green; Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal was eventually built on the blue area.

The year 1975 was notable for the launch of two major transport schemes in Singapore.

The Park and Ride scheme was introduced to encourage motorists to park their cars at the fringe of the Central Business District (CBD), and finish their journeys into the CBD by bus. Meanwhile, the Area Licensing Scheme (ALS) was also rolled out, charging motorists for driving into the CBD. The authorities hoped these two schemes would reduce peak-hour road congestion in and around the CBD.

An ALS gantry over Bencoolen Street. Credit: Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

For the Park and Ride scheme, car parks were needed ringing the fringe of the CBD. The quadrilateral plot by the Kallang River was chosen for one such car park, named the Geylang Fringe Car Park, or Fringe Car Park A, which opened in 1975.

Next to the car park, shuttle buses took motorists to Shenton Way, Bras Basah Road, and Orchard Road. These buses were part of the City Shuttle Service (CSS), operated by Singapore Shuttle Bus Pte. Ltd (SSB). SSB was acquired by Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS) in 1987, itself acquired by SMRT in 2001.

The bus station for the CSS in Geylang Fringe Car Park, in 1975. In the background, to the right, was Block 6 Upper Boon Keng Road, which was demolished in 2009. Credit: SPH Media Trust.

A CSS bus in 1975. Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.

In 1977, the Singapore Bus Service (SBS) moved from the nearby Lorong 5 Geylang Bus Terminal into the Geylang Fringe Car Park. The latter was henceforth known as the Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal. SBS was eventually rebranded as SBS Transit in 2001.

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) was rolled out from 1987. Kallang MRT Station opened across Sims Avenue from the bus terminal on 4 November 1989, allowing a bus-rail connection.

Park and Ride, and the City Shuttle Service, never really took off. The latter was withdrawn in 2007, and the facilities abandoned. Sadly, they were demolished between 2011 and 2014 for the widening of Sims Avenue from four to six lanes.

In 2011, the CSS bus station was still at the junction of Lorong 1 Geylang and Sims Avenue. Credit: Google Maps.

The bus station disappeared by 2014. Credit: Google Maps.

After the Bus Contracting Model was introduced in 2014, Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal was placed under the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package, as several of its bus services started in Woodlands and Yishun.

SMRT managed the bus terminal from 2016 to 2021, thereafter handing it over to Tower Transit Singapore, after it won the tender to operate the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package to 2026.

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Like other bus terminals, Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal has simple facilities. There are two container offices, one for SBS Transit, one for Tower Transit, both painted in the respective companies’ liveries.

Kallang MRT Station can be seen in the background.

There is one bus stop which serves as the start point for nine bus services.

SMRT Bus 961M picking up passengers at the bus stop. It ends at Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange.

Buses parked at the terminal.

Tucked away next to the Tower Transit office is the bus terminal shrine. I wonder how long it has been there.

The shrine has a Tua Pek Kong, curiously shielded - has someone tried to steal him before?

Tua Pek Kong may not be here forever - he may have to move with the bus terminal, perhaps in a few years, when a BTO project next to Kallang MRT Station is completed. Kallang Horizon is estimated to be completed in 2028, and it will come with a bus interchange, which should take the place of the bus terminal.

Until then, Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal lives on as a stop for transport history.