LTA needs to be more transparent on details about rail maintenance: WP
The Workers' Party called for more transparency on information on asset maintenance. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — Even as Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan has said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is stepping up its supervision over rail operators’ maintenance performance, the Workers’ Party (WP) today (Dec 13) called for more transparency on information on asset maintenance.
Speaking to the media at a Christmas celebration organised for Serangoon residents at Chartwell Drive Park, the opposition party’s Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP)-elect Dennis Tan said a rail-asset renewal schedule should be put in place under the new rail-financing framework.
“The MRT breakdowns have not abated since the massive MRT breakdown on July 7 this year. We are concerned, the frequency of MRT breakdowns cannot become a normal way of life in Singapore, this is totally unacceptable,” said Mr Tan.
Mr Tan, who was accompanied by former NCMP Gerald Giam, also said key performance indicators on the progress of the maintenance and renewal of rail assets should be introduced.
Information on the age of existing assets and their lifespan, and the number of engineers needed for works are among data that should be published, Mr Giam added, so that it would help in pre-empting problems.
The new rail-financing framework was introduced in 2010 and applies to new MRT lines, but SMRT has been in talks with the Government for some time on extending this to existing lines. Under this system, the Government will pay for and own rail assets, such as the trains and signalling systems, which will be leased to operators. Discussions are understood to be ongoing.
But earlier this month, Mr Khaw, who is also Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure, said the LTA must stand ready to take over rail operations and maintenance should the need arise. This came after he said last month that the LTA is drafting a “stringent set” of maintenance performance standards for the rail operators as part of steps to improve rail reliability.
Asked about the timing of their comments, Mr Giam said they have raised public transportation issues in their party manifestoes and in parliamentary debates.
“It’s something that we want the Government to look seriously into. We want to make sure that as they are looking into the restructuring of the relationship between the public-transport operators and the LTA, and looking at how we can better ensure that there are fewer breakdowns, I think we need to look at different factors that are involved, including things like renewal of assets,” he added.
