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Singapore

MRT reliability improves; Circle Line least reliable among 5 lines: LTA report

MRT reliability improves; Circle Line least reliable among 5 lines: LTA report
Commuters at Buona Vista MRT station on the Circle Line (CCL). (Photo: Facebook/Chee Hong Tat)
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SINGAPORE: The Circle Line experienced more delays than the other four MRT lines from April 2023 to March this year, latest figures from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) showed.

The overall reliability of the MRT network has improved in that period, according to LTA's quarterly report published on Jul 11. On average, trains clocked 2.32 million train-km without service delays lasting more than five minutes.

This is an increase from the 2.08 million train-km between delays in 2023, LTA's figures on Jul 11 showed.

LTA publishes the reliability figures using a 12-month moving average of mean kilometres between failures (MKBF) – a metric that measures train reliability. 

From April 2023 to March this year, the Downtown Line recorded the highest mean distance travelled of 8.15 million train-km between delays, up from 8.12 million in 2023.

The East-West Line saw the biggest jump in mean distance travelled between delays – from 3.36 million train-km to 5.05 million train-km.

The North-South Line improved to 1.98 million train-km from 1.41 million train-km, while the North-East Line saw a slight improvement to 2.07 million train-km.

The Circle Line was the only line of the five to see a decline – from 1.21 million train-km to 1.03 million train-km.

The Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) was not included in the report as the line is not fully open. The fifth stage of the line – connecting Bayshore and Sungei Bedok – will be completed by 2026, while an extension to connect the TEL to Changi Airport will be completed in the mid-2030s, together with the opening of Terminal 5.

The Circle Line, which is run by SMRT, was the only MRT line to experience a service delay lasting more than 30 minutes in the first quarter of 2024. 

On Mar 22, a signalling fault between Promenade and Nicoll Highway MRT stations on the Circle Line caused delays for morning commuters. The disruption lasted about an hour.

In response to CNA's queries, SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said its trains operational and engineering teams had maintained the MKBF target for the Circle Line "despite the majority of service delays being related to signalling and renewal project issues".

It added that the North-South Line, the East-West Line and the Circle Line have consistenly achieved a MKBF of over 1 million train-km over the past five years, meeting the target set for SMRT in 2018.

SMRT noted that this had been achieved amid the "complex but essential works" for implementing the Circle Line 6 (CCL6) extension, which will add three stations between HarbourFront and Marina Bay MRT stations and close the loop for the line.

The CCL6 extension is on track to open in 2026, a year later than initially scheduled.

"We will continue to work closely with (train maker) Alstom and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to mitigate and prevent future incidents," Mr Lam said.

While the overall reliability of the MRT network has improved, LRT lines experienced more delays.

LRT trains averaged 375,000 car-km without service delays lasting more than five minutes over the 12 months ending in March – a decline from 546,000 car-km in 2023.

The Sengkang-Punggol LRT covered an average distance of 814,000 car-km between delays, down from 1.22 million car-km in 2023.

The Bukit Panjang LRT recorded 173,000 car-km, a decrease from 248,000 car-km in 2023.

There was also a service delay lasting more than 30 minutes on the Bukit Panjang LRT in the first quarter of 2024.

Source: CNA/cm(mi)

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