Stay Informed and Enjoy a Hassle-Free Christmas on Orchard Road with Real-Time Crowd Map
During this festive season, Orchard Road tends to be a hot spot for last-minute gift shoppers or those seeking the enchanting Christmas lights and decorations.
Perhaps, you’re even considering joining the Christmas Eve Street Party at Orchard Road.
If you’re planning to explore Orchard on Christmas, you’ll be pleased to know that you can now check the crowd levels in advance using a digital map.
Digital Map Displays Closed Areas and Crowd Levels in Orchard
In a media release on 19 December, the Singapore Police Force (SPF), unveiled “Crowd@OrchardRoad”, a digital map that allows users to monitor real time crowd levels and closed areas before heading to Orchard Road. This tool enables users to steer clear of congested areas, ensuring a more enjoyable experience.
The map will be accessible at 6pm on 24 December. You can access the map through this link or the QR code below.
Orchard Road Festivities on Christmas Eve
The crowd control measures aligns with the Christmas Eve Street Party, which celebrates 40th anniversary of Orchard Road lighting and the 25th anniversary of the Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA).
This year’s theme promises to transport visitors into a child’s dream world, featuring Christmas trees, teddy bears, reindeer, and candy canes. Moreover, LED lights in white, yellow, pink, and turquoise, resembling “clouds,” will adorn the sky.
The party is scheduled for 24 December, from 8pm to 12:30am, and will feature exciting dance performances, Christmas carols, food trucks and not one, but four DJs providing live music for all to enjoy.
Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?
Traffic Arrangements for the Festivities
If you plan to drive down, please note that from 6pm on 24 December, to 2am on 25 December, certain roads will be closed too.
Affected roads include Orchard Road between Scotts Road and Bideford Road, the slip road leading from Scotts Road into Orchard Road and the section between Nutmeg Road and Orchard Road.
Due to road closures, some bus services will be affected from 6pm until the end of bus operations on 24 December. Bus services 7, 14, 16, 65, 111, 123, 124, 174, 175 and 502, will skip three bus stops along Orchard Road and Paterson Road.
Additionally, the public is advised to use Somerset MRT Station to reduce waiting time or explore alternative public transport options, as some entrances and exits will be closed at Orchard MRT Station.
To ensure a safe and orderly crowd flow, police officers, auxiliary police officers and security officers will be managing the crowds in Orchard Road. Crowd control barricades and directional signs will be strategically placed.
The police also kindly request the public to be considerate towards one another and refrain from using party novelty items such as aerosol foam sprays, which can disrupt others. The police will act against anyone who causes public nuisance or breaks the law.
Moreover, the police encourages everyone to look after their belongings, avoid carrying large amounts of cash or excessive jewellery, and ensure that their bags are securely fastened and worn in front at crowded places.