Series of recent train disruptions 'disappointing', says Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow
"This series of recent incidents is disappointing for all of us, and we can and will do better," says Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow.
Crowds at the Jurong East station platform wait for trains towards the city during a train service disruption along the East-West Line on Aug 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Justin Ong)
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SINGAPORE: The rail disruptions in the last few months are "disappointing", said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow on Wednesday (Aug 6).
"This series of recent incidents is disappointing for all of us, and we can and will do better," Mr Siow wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon.Â
"The One Transport family will continue to work hard to strengthen our rail system."
His comments come after MRT services on the East-West Line were disrupted for five hours on Wednesday morning, causing frustration among morning peak-hour commuters.
SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said the fault was due to a point machine fault near Jurong East station. A point machine is used to control train movements at rail junctions when trains move from one track to another.Â
On Jul 1, train services on the Thomson-East Coast Line were also disrupted for over an hour due to a signalling fault.
Twice last month, train services on the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (LRT) system were suspended due to a power fault.
Mr Siow noted that the causes of the incidents were unrelated and they occurred on different lines.
“I understand commuters’ frustration whenever there is a delay or disruption in train service, because it messes up your day and throws off your plans,” he said.
But Mr Siow said train delays cannot be eliminated entirely and will happen from time to time.
"What can improve is how we get information to commuters during a delay, and guide commuters to find alternative routes to their destinations, both onsite and online," he said.
When a delay happens, announcements are made at stations and operators will deploy additional staff to help commuters.Â
"General announcements about additional average travel time are indicative, but the overall impact on an individual’s travel time will depend on her location and destination," said Mr Siow.
Going forward, the Land Transport Authority will continue to work with train operators to conduct more regular exercises on how to support commuters in service disruption scenarios, he added.
