Any move to set aside some MRT cabins for women only would likely be hard to enforce and may not be the best use of train capacity, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said yesterday.

Responding to Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied GRC) and Dr Lily Neo (Tanjong Pagar GRC), he said the idea had been studied before.

"There are practical difficulties and challenges, such as how to and also how strictly to enforce the rule," he said. And it may lead to overcrowding in other cabins.

"From the experience that we had garnered from other systems, the women-only cabins are often utilised less, meaning that more commuters will have to crowd into the remaining cabins or they will simply have to wait for the next train."

Mr Low said cost inefficiency and under-utilisation of capacity should not dissuade the Government from pursuing the idea.

"How does that inefficiency cost compare to protecting women from being molested? Is the minister not concerned with the uptrend of molestations on public transport?" he asked.

"That comes to a fundamental question: What is the trade-off between maximising economic efficiency and commuter comfort and safety?"

But Mr Lui disagreed with how Mr Low framed the question. Commuters, especially at peak hours, want to board the first train they can, he said, adding: "It is not about maximising cost efficiency. It is about maximising the use of the capacity and space on board the trains. If we under-utilise the capacity, especially during the peak hours, then you will exacerbate the crowding problem."

He said surveys showed commuters ranked safety of the MRT system higher than any other attribute: "The situation in Singapore is very, very different from a number of other countries that may have no choice but to institute such a measure, even at the expense of inefficiency."

This article was first published on Mar 12, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operators have been working hard in reducing downtime and malfunctions of train services, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday.

In a Facebook post, he said that maintaining and building the public transport system is a tough and high-pressure job.

"Every night after trains stop running, the maintenance and repair crews have only a few hours to maintain the tracks and trains, to get them ready for another day of service," the Prime Minister wrote.

Mr Lee also assured that steady progress was being made, despite the recent slew of incidents and disruptions.

His comments came after Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew told Parliament on Wednesday that the recent disruptions go against improvements in train services.

Before the recent spate of train service disruptions, the 2014 Public Transport Customer Satisfaction Survey (PTCSS) conducted by SIM University (UniSIM) revealed that commuters' satisfaction with train services had improved for the first time in four years, rising nearly four per cent from 88.9 per cent in 2013 to 92.8 per cent in 2014.

Mr Lee also highlighted Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew's speech in Parliament, in which he said that more trains would be added and the upgrading of the signalling system on the North-South Line would be completed in the next 12 to 15 months.

"With the new train lines we are building, by 2030 our rail network will be nearly as dense as New York and London," Mr Lee wrote.

"It may take a while, but commuters will benefit from all these efforts."

seanyap@sph.com.sg

Good things must share! This Uniquely Singaporean saying is especially true when money is involved. Yet the biggest kept secret is Travel Smart Rewards. It's a rewards scheme that actually GIVES YOU MONEY for adjusting your commuting schedule and reducing the crowds on the train during morning peak hours. Assuming the train lines don't break down. TWICE. In a day.

Even I'm finding it hard to believe as I type it, but there really doesn't seem to be any catch to this. We're not getting paid a cent to promote Travel Smart Rewards. The only reason I'm writing about it is because it's a great rewards scheme that not enough Singaporeans are aware of.

Basically, if you use an EZ-Link card, NETS Flashpay card, Senior Citizen concession card, or University, Polytechnic or ITE concession card and you travel by train during the week then you'll DEFINITELY want to read on.

1. You get points for every trip you make

Travel Smart Rewards allows you to earn rewards points every time you take the train.

You earn 1 point for every kilometre you travel on the train during the week, from Monday to Friday. This means that the further you travel, the more points you earn. For once, there's an advantage to having a long commute to work or school!

This also means that all train trips taken during the week, regardless of when you board, will help you earn points. So, at the very least, you don't need to adjust your morning routine at all in order to start earning points.

2. You get MORE points if your trip is during "decongesting hours"

However, if you want to earn MORE points, then make this crucial adjustment to your commute. If your tap your EZ-Link card between the hours of 6.15am to 7.15am or 8.45am to 9.45am, you stand to earn up to 6 times the number of points you normally earn.

Say your trip is 20 km long. If you begin your trip at 8am, you will earn 20 points. However, if you begin your trip at 9am, you can earn up to 120 points! Just one ride during a "decongesting hour" is the equivalent of up to 6 rides during peak or off-peak hours.

3. You can redeem your points for money or try your luck at winning random prizes

Now, we come to the most important question. What do those points earn you? The simple answer? MONEY.

Well, if you're not a gambling person, you can choose to exchange every 1000 points for $1. This, of course, is a terrible idea. I travel over 20km to work per trip, and even then I don't earn more than 750 points a week. If I were to just exchange the points I've earned at that pathetic rate, I would only make $3 in a month, which barely covers a day's travel.

What you'll want to do is use the points to play their Spin to Win game. It's basically a Snakes and Ladders game that allow you to win random prizes, from 50 points to $200! The best part is you don't even have to manually play the Spin to Win game. You can allow the system to play automatically for you once a week, and then you'll receive an email telling you how much you've won for that week. How great is that? You're able to earn rewards without any extra effort on your part.

4. The more trips you make during "decongesting hours", the better the rewards you earn

What makes Travel Smart Rewards so fascinating is that your rewards actually improve if you're consistent. If your train journey constantly starts during the "decongesting hours" of 6.15am to 7.15am or 8.45am to 9.45am, then you'll stand to gain higher points and cash rewards.

For example, I travel to work at 9am every morning. This means I make at least 4 "decongesting trips" each week. This puts me in the highest tier for rewards, where I can win up to $200.

But if you're not consistent, you can drop to a lower rewards tier. During the Chinese New Year holidays, I didn't take the train at all. As a result I didn't meet the 4 "decongesting trips" requirement and fell to a lower rewards tier, where the maximum I could win was $50. That's still not too shabby, I must admit.

Each "decongesting trip" also earns you an entry into a monthly lucky draw, where you can win up to $1500. So the more such trips you take, the higher your chances of winning.

5. Okay… enough with the rules already! How much have YOU won?

I only found out about Travel Smart Rewards in late January. In February, I won a total of $20. That's 25 per cent of my travel expenditure for that month! That's really not bad. I know I won't be as lucky all the time, but it definitely made me realise that this was something that needed to be shared.

If, like me, you're already travelling to work via train during the "decongesting hours", then you should definitely sign up for Travel Smart Rewards and start winning. If not, you should still sign up with Travel Smart Rewards and then check with your employer to see if you can adjust your work timings to take advantage of the "decongesting hours".

6. Corporate Travel Smart Rewards

In fact, why not help your whole company enjoy the benefits? There's a Corporate Travel Smart Rewards scheme which gives even MORE rewards for "decongesting trip" you take. Convince your HR department to join up and maybe you can even pool your rewards together to pay for a company lunch each month.

Several companies have already signed up with this scheme, so don't be left out.

7. Credit Card EZ-Link cashback

Since we're on the topic of earning money while travelling, we have to mention that you can already earn cash back rebates if you use the right credit card. The OCBC FRANK card gives 6 per cent cash back rebates on all NETS FlashPay transactions (up to $6 a month). However, do note that there is a $500 minimum spending requirement each month.

There is also the POSB Everyday Card and the Citibank SMRT Platinum Visa Card. Both give 2 per cent cash back rebates if you apply for EZ-Reload auto top up. The POSB Everyday Card has no minimum spending requirement. If you charge less than $600 a month on the Citibank SMRT Card, your cash back rebate will only be 1.7 per cent.

Combine the cash back rebates of these credit cards with Travel Smart Rewards and you'll be subsidising your travel expenses by a significant amount. Assuming the train lines don't break down. TWICE. In a day.

This article first appeared in MoneySmart at http://blog.moneysmart.sg/saving/travel-smart-rewards-how-you-could-actu...

MoneySmart.sg is Singapore’s leading personal finance portal, and aims to help people maximise their money with powerful tools and engaging content.

SINGAPORE - Commuters using the North-South MRT Line between the Jurong East and Admiralty stations will once again be able to enjoy train services later in the night.

In a statement today, transport operator SMRT said the early closure arrangements for train services at those stations will be lifted on April 1, as the sleeper replacement project located at each station is near completion.

The affected stations are Admiralty, Woodlands, Marsiling, Kranji, Yew Tee, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Gombak and Bukit Batok and Jurong East.

With the early closure arrangements lifted, the last south bound train service from Jurong East will leave the station at 12.17am, as opposed to 11.58pm since last November.

Meanwhile, the last north bound train towards Jurong East will leave Admiralty station at 12.33am.

SMRT thanked commuters for their understanding over the past five months, as the transport operator worked towards improving rail services and reliability.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

TAIPEI, Taiwan - A rapid transit system linking Taipei with Taiwan's main airport ran its first test ride open to the public yesterday afternoon.

The Taoyuan International Airport MRT is nearing completion and is on track to become operational by year's end, said Transportation Minister Chen Chien-yu.

Once operational, the trains will run every 10 minutes during rush hour and take passengers from Taipei Main Station to the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in 35 minutes.

Members of the public, national press, village wardens, state officials and lawmakers from the Legislature's Transportation Committee previewed the service yesterday afternoon.

Government officials boarded the train at New Taipei Industrial Park and disembarked at Airport Terminal 2 during a 29-minute inspection tour.

Public passengers embarked at the other end of the line in Greater Taoyuan for a 10-minute trip overlooking farmland, a developing outlet mall and the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium.

'80 Points'

Lawmakers said they were satisfied with the trial run. Democratic Progressive Party Yeh Yi-jin said the train offered a smooth ride while traveling at 90 kilometers per hour.

Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Yang Li-huan said the train was "somewhat unstable" while headed uphill, but that the trip was stable overall.

The system does have design errors, such as a too-wide platform gap, insufficient wheelchair seating and a computer interface that has not been switched from simplified Chinese to traditional characters.

"But in general, I give it 80 points," she said.

Several lawmakers said the system's luggage capacity is insufficient.

At full capacity, each train can carry 855 passengers and 5,200 kilograms of luggage, or roughly 260 large pieces, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

The transportation minister, who boarded the 29-minute test ride, said the system needs to be perfected but is on track to begin operations on time in December.

As of March, the system is 95.75 per cent complete, according to the Transportation Ministry.

Chao Le-chun, director of Mass Rapid Transit Engineering Office at the Bureau of High Speed Rail, said the line's signaling system and electrical systems still need to undergo testing before opening day.

Features

Once completed, the Taoyuan International Airport MRT will offer two types of service - express and local - at the same fare.

Trains will be equipped with individual reading lights for passengers and displays of real-time flight data.

In addition, a terminus at Taipei Main Station will allow passengers to check in and pick up their boarding passes before embarking toward the airport.

With new underground rail lines being built below existing buildings and infrastructure, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is finding new ways to assess soil conditions before construction starts.

These geophysics methods - which make use of ground vibrations or electric currents - are used when more direct means of surveying, such as drilling boreholes cannot be done.

This was encountered at six locations along the northern section of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), where construction moved into full swing yesterday following a ground-breaking ceremony.

Giving two examples, an LTA spokesman said geophysics methods were used in 2009 to survey the soil conditions at St Joseph's Institution (SJI) International and Innova Junior College.

At SJI International, which is near Caldecott Station, the TEL tunnel passes under the school's canteen and buildings, while at Innova JC in Woodlands, the rail alignment runs under a running track and other buildings.

Being unable to drill boreholes there, the survey team relied on two techniques - seismic reflection and electrical resistivity - to do the job. The former, used at SJI International, employs probes called geophones placed on the ground. These probes pick up reflections and refractions from energy sent through the ground.

Different types of ground have different densities, which produce different rebound velocities, so that is used to identify the nature of the soil, LTA said.

At Innova, the team put electrodes into the ground to send a weak electric current. Probes are then used to determine the ground resistance.

If the rock below is dense, there is more resistance and the current will travel slower, the LTA explained.

The authority said soil investigation works are conducted for between three and five years before the tender for a rail project is called.

In the final phases, boreholes are drilled at intervals as close as 20m around the construction site, and rock and soil samples taken from as deep as 70m.

Despite its best efforts, no assessment can provide a complete picture of the ground, LTA said.

In 2012, houses in Watten Estate in Bukit Timah were damaged due to underground soil movements from the Downtown Line construction. Recharge wells had to be used to pump water back into the underlying soil to replace seepage caused by construction.

For the TEL, LTA said it will closely monitor the impact of construction, especially at Housing Board flats near Woodlands South station, shophouses near Springleaf station, and terrace houses near Upper Thomson station.

Geotechnical instruments, including ground-settlement markers and water standpipes - to measure fluctuations in the ground water levels - will be used.

Yesterday, a ground-breaking ceremony was held at Kreta Ayer Square to mark the start of construction of five TEL stations: Maxwell, Shenton Way, Marina Bay, Marina South and Gardens by the Bay.

With this, the construction of the 22-station northern stretch of the TEL between Woodlands North and Gardens by the Bay will move into full swing.

The TEL, which also has nine stations along the East Coast, will open in stages from 2019.

adrianl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 27, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Commuters will have faster rides on the North-South Line when rail works are completed by the end of this month.

By then, all 96,000 timber sleepers - used to hold tracks in place - will be replaced with concrete ones, and speed restrictions which have been imposed for safety reasons will be lifted.

Trains will run at 80kmh, instead of between 40kmh and 60kmh at some stretches of track, cutting travel times by around 10 to 15 per cent.

A trip between Jurong East and Marina Bay, for example, will take about 67 minutes instead of 77 minutes.

Since 2012, rail operator SMRT has been installing concrete sleepers, which last twice as long as the wooden ones.

Mr Chua Chong Kheng, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) deputy chief executive for infrastructure and development, said that with the works on the line coming to an end, the speed of the trains will be returning to normal.

The LTA and SMRT said on Saturday that sleeper replacement works for the East-West Line will start from the middle of next month.

This will involve changing more than 92,000 sleepers between Boon Lay and Tiong Bahru stations, as well as between Lavender and Pasir Ris.

Temporary speed restrictions have already been imposed along certain track sections, slowing travel times by about 10 minutes.

Train services at certain stations may also end earlier to facilitate the works, which are expected to be completed by the end of next year.

Both the North-South and East-West lines received an additional 13 new trains last year.

With higher operating standards in place, the number of weekly train trips on the network has increased by 10 per cent.

During peak periods, average waiting times have come down by 12 seconds, to 2 minutes 18 seconds.

The off-peak wait has been reduced to between four and five minutes, compared with five and seven minutes previously.

This article was first published on April 27, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

New trains that will be progressively put into service on the North-East Line (NEL) and Circle Line (CCL) from the second half of this year will be fitted with gap fillers, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

These rubber strips, which help to narrow the gap between the train floor and platform edge, were incorporated into the design of the 42 new trains when they were ordered in 2012. SBS Transit, which operates the NEL, and SMRT, which runs the CCL, will also retrofit older trains with these gap fillers when they are due for their mid-life refurbishment.

The gap between the platform and trains came into the spotlight again this week when on Thursday morning, a woman found her leg stuck in the gap at Boon Keng MRT station after she was pushed and lost her balance.

She suffered abrasions and swelling on her right knee, and had to be taken to hospital. Services on the NEL were disrupted for about half an hour.

A similar incident involving a student happened in March at Hougang MRT station.

The LTA said the gap is 3.6cm on the Downtown Line, where new trains have gap fillers.

For the North-South Line and East-West Line, underground stations have a gap of 11cm and due to the design of the platform screen doors, strips cannot be installed. Since 1997 however, gap fillers have been installed on the platform edges at all above- ground stations for these lines, cutting the gap to 7.5cm, said LTA.

The LTA added that there are various safety measures in place, including in-train announcements and signs on platform screen doors to remind commuters to mind the platform gap. Staff are also deployed at the platforms to manage commuter flow.

Commuter Madeline Teh, 22, an undergraduate, said: "Making the gap smaller is one thing, but when the train is crowded and people push you, it's easy to lose your footing.

"It happened to me once, but luckily I only dropped my wallet," she said.

This article was first published on May 16, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - Transport operator SMRT has assured residents living near the East-West Line (EWL) that noise mitigation measures will be in place when sleeper replacement works commence.

In a Facebook post today, SMRT said the works would begin in end-May 2015 between Boon Lay and Tiong Bahru stations, as well as between Lavander and Pasir Ris stations.

More than 92,000 timber sleepers will be replaced with concrete sleepers, and the works are expected to be completed by the end of next year.

"Noise mitigation measures, such as portable acoustic screens, will be installed at work sites to reduce inconvenience to residents," SMRT said.

In a poster accompanying the post, SMRT added that work would only be done after operating hours, and that speed restrictions would have to be imposed on certain segments of the track.

It also cautioned that some stations along the line would close earlier than usual to speed up the works.

The sleeper replacement programme is part of a multi-year effort to improve commuter experience on the North-South Line (NSL) and EWL.

Sleeper replacement works for the NSL, in which 96,000 timber sleepers were replaced with concrete ones, were completed in Apr 2015.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

Commuters who are early risers will enjoy free or discounted MRT travel for another year.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday that the free pre-peak travel scheme that has been running for two years since June 2013 will be extended to June 30 next year.

The extension could cost taxpayers another $10 million, on top of the $10 million spent in the first year of the scheme, and $7 million in the first nine months of the second year to March this year. The amounts exclude the $5 million that train operator SMRT Corp contributes each year.

The scheme was meant to decant some of the peak load that the rail network experiences between 8am and 9am on weekdays. On certain stretches, commuters sometimes need to wait for three trains to pass before they can board during peak hours.

Under the scheme, commuters who end their journey before 7.45am at 18 designated MRT stations in the city will get a fare waiver. Those who exit at these stations between 7.45am and 8am get a discount of up to 50 cents.

Since the introduction of the scheme two years ago, the LTA said there has been "a sustained reduction of 7 to 8 per cent in the number of train commuters during the morning peak period".

The ratio of morning peak (8am to 9am) to pre-peak (7am to 8am) travel (based on commuters exiting from the designated stations) has also fallen, resulting in a more evenly distributed morning rail ridership, said the LTA yesterday.

But some commuters said this has not translated to an appreciable difference on the ground.

Stockbroker Cole Cheong, 48, said "there is no difference" to the level of crowding during the peak. Asked why he does not commute earlier, he said: "It's a lifestyle thing. Besides, if I reach my office before 8am, I will have to wait more than an hour before the market opens."

Civil servant Ethan Guo, who is in his 30s, said he is usually early enough to enjoy discounted fares, but would not change his travel pattern to get a full waiver.

"It would mean waking up earlier and not being able to stay up later the night before," he said. "But I do know of people who have shifted their schedules to enjoy this."

Mr Cheong said the scheme may not be a long-term solution. "You need to put in more trains, and be more aggressive in expanding the rail network," he said.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said: "The scheme is an important foundation which we can build on for our other travel demand management efforts... we hope that more people who are able and willing to shift their travelling times will benefit."

Meanwhile, companies that are part of Travel Smart, a grant-supported initiative that encourages firms to allow flexible hours so that employees can travel during off-peak periods, are still supportive.

Rajah & Tann partner Rebecca Chew said: "We saw some positive outcomes for our employees... it encouraged them to order their work life to fit their home life."

"In all likelihood, even after three years, we will continue to support this initiative," she added.

Mr Alvin Tan, director of accounting firm EY, said Travel Smart complements the firm's own flexi-time scheme.

"I get on the first train that pulls into the station and start work earlier at 7am in a better state of mind," he said. "This saves me considerable waiting time."

christan@sph.com.sg

Additional reporting by Ong Kai Xuan

NOT WORTH SACRIFICING SLEEP

It would mean waking up earlier and not being able to stay up later the night before.

- Civil servant Ethan Guo, in his 30s. He is often early enough to enjoy the discounted fares, but will not change his travel pattern to get a full waiver

WORKERS HAVE BENEFITED

We saw some positive outcomes for our employees... it encouraged them to order their work life to fit their home life.

- Rajah & Tann partner Rebecca Chew, on Travel Smart, an initiative that encourages firms to allow flexible hours so employees can travel during off-peak periods

This article was first published on May 27, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - Transport operator SMRT will be extending train and selected bus service hours for the opening of SEA Games on June 5.

For North-South and East-West Lines, the last trains toward Jurong East, Marina Bay, Pasir Ris and Joo Koon MRT stations will depart City Hall MRT station at 12.30am.

The last train towards Marina South Pier MRT station departs City Hall station at 12.14am.

For the Circle Line, the last train towards HarbourFront MRT station will depart Dhoby Ghuat MRT station at 11.55pm. The last train towards Dhoby Ghaut MRT station will depart HarbourFront station at 11.30pm.

For Bukit Panjang LRT, passengers on the last northbound train should note that the last Bukit Panjang LRT train will depart Choa Chu Kang station at 1.31am.

Passengers on last trains can connect to the following bus services on June 6 at the timings below:

- Bukit Batok bus interchange: 173A, 189A, 941, 945, 947. Last bus at 1.40am

- Choa Chu Kang bus interchange: 300, 301, 302, 307. Last bus at 1.30am

- Sembawang bus interchange: 859A. Last bus at 1.35am

- Woodlands bus interchange: 901, 911, 912, 913. Last bus at 1.30am

- Yishun bus interchange: 804, 812. Last bus at 1.45am

klim@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - From today, commuters taking the Circle Line can expect shorter waits and less crowded rides with the addition of four new trains.

They boost the Circle Line's capacity by 10 per cent and come with additional straphangers and gapfillers.

20 more such trains will gradually join the fleet by mid-2016, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a statement today.

Seven of them are currently undergoing testing at the Kim Chuan Depot and will be deployed later this year.

More trains are also expected on the North-East Line. Six of 18 have arrived and are undergoing testing, the LTA said. The first batch will be put into service in August.

The LTA added that it will continue to monitor the ridership along the various rail lines and work with the operators to augment the capacity to meet the long-term projected demand.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Intermittent tripping of the rail power system at multiple locations caused the massive rail service disruption on the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL) that occurred on July 7.

The tripping was due to lower electrical resistance pathway at a third rail insulator, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and transport operator SMRT in a joint news release on Wednesday.

The weak resistance of an insulator can allow electricity to flow through the insulator to the ground, resulting in a higher than normal voltage difference between the running rail and the ground.

This higher than normal voltage difference, which was exacerbated by the movement of the trains, resulted in the activation of safety mechanisms at multiple locations that tripped the power system.

Water was also found to be dripping onto the third rail cover near an insulator in the stretch of tunnel between Tanjong Pagar and Raffles Places MRT stations.

Mineral deposits with high chloride content were detected from sample residue from the third rail cover and on water collected from the tunnel leak.

The presence of chloride on the insulator, coupled with a wet environment, would have significantly reduced the effectiveness of the insulator, said LTA and SMRT.

SMRT said it has "combed through the NSEWL tunnels to ensure that there are no other leaks with water dripping onto trackside installation".

It also said it has started replacing all third rail insulators, starting with the ones which have shown signs of eletrical resistance weakness. Remaining insulators will be changed by first quarter 2017.

In order to monitor the condition of the insulators, SMRT said it will be installing data loggers at all 47 traction power substations on the NSEWL within the next two months.

The voltage settings for safety mechanisms will also be raised so that the network will be less susceptible to such power trips.

SMRT assured that the the new setting is in line with international standards and commuter safety is not compromised.

klim@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Commuters will be able to board public buses and trains without having to tap in and out with their fare cards on August 9, following announcements by both public transport operators that they will be offering free travel to mark National Day.

SBS Transit said in a statement today that the free travel will start from the first bus or train and end with the last, and will also apply to the non-basic Parks, Chinatown Direct, and Night Owl bus services.

Operating hours of SBS Transit's LRT and MRT train and selected bus services will also be extended on August 6, 8, and 9.

On the North-East MRT Line, the last train towards HarbourFront will depart Punggol station at 12.02am, Serangoon station at 12.13am, Dhoby Ghaut station at 12.25am, Chinatown station at 12.29am, and Outram Park station at 12.31am. The last train towards Punggol will leave HarbourFront station at 12.30am, Outram Park station at 12.33am, Chinatown station at 12.35am, Dhoby Ghaut station at 12.39am, and Serangoon station at 12.51am.

To complement these later timings, the last LRT trains will depart the Sengkang Town Centre and Punggol Town Centre stations at 1.05am and 1.07am respectively.

On the Downtown MRT Line, the last train towards Bugis will depart Chinatown station at 12.14am, Bayfront station at 12.19am, and Promenade station at 12.21am. The last train towards Chinatown will leave Bugis station at 12.16am, Promenade Station at 12.18am, and Bayfront station at 12.20am.

Earlier on Saturday, SMRT had announced that commuters would be able to board its trains and buses, including NightRider, for free.

SMRT operates rail services on the North-South, East-West, and Circle Lines as well as on the Bukit Panjang LRT.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded a $136.8 million contract to Kawasaki Heavy Industries consortium to supply 12 new six-car trains for the North-south, East-west lines (NSEWL).

The 12 trains are the final batch of the 57 new trains that will be put into service from 2016 to 2019, according to a statement from the LTA.

The first of these 12 trains will arrive in Singapore in early-2018, and will undergo testing at the NSEWL depots before they are put into service around the middle of 2019.

These trains will be the first to feature tip-up seats that will provide additional flexibility in seat configuration onboard.

They will also have three rows of straphangers and triplicated grab-poles for standing passengers, and feature a dynamic route map display at the top of each door.

From the start of this year to 2019, 99 more trains will be added to the NSEWL, North East Line (NEL) and Circle Line (CCL) - 57 new trains for the NSEWL and 42 new trains for the CCL and NEL, increasing the overall train fleet size by close to 50 per cent. 

For the CCL, 12 new trains would have joined the CCL's existing fleet of 40 trains by the end of 2015; while four new trains would also have been added to the NEL's fleet of 25 trains.

All the 42 new trains for the CCL and NEL would be fully deployed by the end of 2016.

Kawasaki has been supplying trains in the Japanese domestic market and handled overseas projects in New York and Washington. In Singapore, Kawasaki has supplied most of the trains on the NSEWL. The consortium is currently in progress of delivering 91 trains for the Thomson-East Coast Line.

candicec@sph.com.sg

From now until the end of the month, the public can vote for the names of 10 MRT stations to be built in the eastern part of Singapore.

These are stations on the East Coast stretch of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) and Downtown Line 3 Extension, which will open by 2023 and 2024.

Voters can choose from two names for each station, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a press statement yesterday. They can vote at its website: www.lta.gov.sg

Among the names up for polling are Bayshore, Bedok Jetty, Amber, Tanjong Katong, Xilin and Changi South.

The names were shortlisted from over 1,000 suggestions gathered from a station-naming exercise conducted in April and May this year.

The LTA said that the names were picked based on how readily they identify the location, whether it reflects the surroundings' history and if it shows the multiracial, multicultural character of Singapore.

The 13km East Coast stretch of the TEL will connect commuters living in the eastern parts of Singapore, and who are not directly served by the rail network now - such as those in Tanjong Rhu, Siglap, Marine Parade, Upper East Coast and Bedok South - to the city.

The East Coast stretch will also connect commuters to the Thomson stretch of the TEL, which serves the north-south corridor.

LTA said a resident travelling from the East Coast to Orchard will have his journey time cut from 75 minutes to 45 minutes. A Republic Polytechnic student living in Marine Parade will be able to get home from Woodlands in an hour - 20 minutes faster than the 80-minute bus ride now.

The East Coast stretch of the TEL will be completed in two stages. The first seven stations, from Tanjong Rhu to Bayshore, will be ready in 2023, while the remaining two stations, and the extension to the Downtown Line, will be completed a year later.

This article was first published on October 2, 2015.
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Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan has directed the Land Transport Authority to conduct a collaborative exercise with rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit this month, in order to test the enhanced contingency plans put in place following the crippling July 7 breakdown.

He will be present to observe the exercise.

In his latest blog entry titled "If and when it happens...", Mr Khaw wrote that it was important to recover service speedily and minimise inconvenience to commuters in the event of another major train disruption.

"There must therefore be comprehensive contingency plans for breakdowns. More importantly, there must be actual and regular walk-throughs and 'live rehearsals'," he said.

"This will ensure smoother execution of such plans when disruptions happen."

Mr Khaw, stressing the need for both operators to walk through each contingency plan related to every MRT station, also spoke of how the top management should be present at such exercises.

"Otherwise, the staff may carry them out half-heartedly, just to put a tick in the checkboxes," he added.

He also repeated his previous assertion that "low crime does not mean no crime", pointing out that even "the best in class" - the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway - experiences an average of one major disruption per month.

This article by The Straits Times was published in MyPaper, a free, bilingual newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

ALL bus rides will be free in the event of a network-wide rail disruption like the one on July 7.

These free rides will include those on private buses, which will be roped in to help in such large-scale breakdowns.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is also looking at ways to make train fare refunds in the aftermath of such disruptions more painless. Today, commuters queue in stations for refunds, adding to the crowd and confusion of a breakdown.

At the same time, the authority is working on a phone app to channel information to commuters as quickly and as clearly as possible. The app - which will include information such as which lines are affected, alternative routes available and which bus stops to go to - could be ready by end of the year.

LTA revealed these at a joint exercise with SMRT and SBS Transit yesterday to test an enhanced incident management plan.

LTA chief executive Chew Men Leong said: "When service is disrupted, even for a short time, our job is to get information to commuters quickly and help to provide alternative transport."

The exercise is the fourth since the two massive breakdowns in December 2011.

Since then, there have been at least 35 and 22 major disruptions on the MRT and LRT networks respectively.

New elements were introduced at yesterday's preparedness exercise. These include having flashing beacons at bus stops to inform commuters where free boarding is available.

Bus drivers will cover the fare readers when they see that flashing light, too. These beacons are being tested at Tiong Bahru and Serangoon stations, before they are rolled out to others.

This applies when one line, or a stretch of a line, is affected. When two or more lines are down, all buses at all bus stops will be free.

Another new initiative is activating special bus services - on top of current bus-bridging services - to ferry stranded passengers to key interchange stations or to major town centres.

These special bus services will be provided by public bus operators as well as private bus companies, such as Woodlands Transport, too.

These new steps were introduced following the July 7 incident, which crippled both the North-South and East-West lines during the evening peak period.

The unprecedented rail failure affected more than 400,000 passengers, many of whom got home after midnight - some by walking.

Operator SMRT was fined a record $5.4 million for the incident, which arose because of inadequate maintenance.

LTA is studying ways to prevent a repeat of a network-wide disruption, including physically separating the North-South and East-West lines so that an electrical fault does not spread across both lines.

However, should such an incident happen again, preparedness exercises such as yesterday's - which was enacted at the Tiong Bahru-Buona Vista stretch of the East-West Line - are supposed to help.

christan@sph.com.sg

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All bus rides will be free in the event of a network-wide rail disruption like the one on July 7.

These free rides will include those on private buses, which will be roped in to help in such large-scale breakdowns.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is also looking at ways to make fare refunds in the aftermath of such disruptions more painless.

Now, commuters queue up at stations for refunds, adding to the crowd and confusion of a breakdown.

At the same time, the LTA is working on a mobile phone app to channel information to commuters as quickly and as clearly as possible. The app - which will include information such as which lines are affected, alternative routes available and which bus stops to go to - could be ready by year end.

The LTA revealed these at a joint exercise with SMRT and SBS Transit yesterday to test an enhanced incident management plan.

LTA chief executive Chew Men Leong said: "When service is disrupted, even for a short time, our job is to get information to commuters quickly and help to provide alternative transport."

The exercise is the fourth since two massive breakdowns in December 2011. Since then, there have been at least 35 and 22 major disruptions on the MRT and LRT networks, respectively.

New elements were introduced at yesterday's preparedness exercise, including flashing beacons at bus stops to inform commuters where free boarding is available.

Also, bus drivers will cover the fare readers when they see that flashing light. These beacons are being tested at Tiong Bahru and Serangoon stations, before they are rolled out to other stations.

This applies when one line, or a stretch of a line, is affected. When two or more lines are down, all bus services at all bus stops will be free.

Another new initiative is activating special bus services - on top of current bus-bridging services - to ferry stranded passengers to key interchange stations or to major town centres. These special bus services will be provided by public bus operators as well as private bus companies such as Woodlands Transport.

These new steps were introduced following the July 7 incident, which crippled both the North-South and East-West lines during the evening peak period.

The unprecedented rail failure affected more than 400,000 passengers, many of whom got home after midnight - some by walking.

Operator SMRT was fined a record $5.4 million for the incident, which arose because of inadequate maintenance.

The LTA is studying ways to prevent a repeat of a network-wide disruption, including physically separating the North-South and East-West lines so that an electrical fault does not spread across both lines.

However, should such an incident happen again, exercises such as yesterday's - which was held at the Tiong Bahru-Buona Vista stretch of the East-West Line - are supposed to help.

christan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on October 15, 2015.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

To avoid a repeat of the network- wide rail disruption on July 7, the electrical connections between the North-South and East-West lines will be "delinked" when the need arises.

This means that the electrical supply between the two major rail lines can be disconnected if one line is down, allowing the other to continue functioning as normal.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operator SMRT will be installing electrical breaks at two MRT interchange stations - Jurong East and Raffles Place, wrote Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan in a blog post yesterday.

The MRT network was hit by its worst disruption on July 7, when a breakdown crippled both train lines during the evening peak period. SMRT was fined a record $5.4 million for the disruption caused by electrical power trips at multiple locations in the network. Mr Khaw noted that the disruption was a "disaster because of its scale".

In a reply to questions from The Straits Times, the LTA said delinking the two rail lines involves cutting the running rail and putting in bonded insulated rail joints at the point of disconnection.

"When a rail incident occurs and there is a need to delink the two rail lines, SMRT staff can disconnect the cables and operate each line separately," the authority added.

Mr Khaw said: "Under normal operations, these (electrical) breaks will not be activated as we want to continue to have the flexibility between the North-South and East- West lines."

According to LTA, the lines were electrically linked to allow trains to move between both rail lines.

"The link was, and still is, essential as Bishan Depot on the North- South Line is the only depot across the two lines with heavy maintenance and overhaul capability," Mr Khaw added.

"Other than for maintenance, allowing cross-overs gives operational flexibility. Unfortunately, this also means that a power fault on one line could affect the other."

In the early 1980s, a decision was made to set up one such depot to minimise costs and land use. Mr Khaw, however, noted that the Tuas West Depot on the East-West Line will be ready when the Tuas West Extension is completed next year.

The installation of the electrical breaks will be completed by the end of next month.

Assistant Professor Raymond Ong Ghim Ping, from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore, said the move limits the impact of a breakdown.

"Users can hence expect a shorter delay when the efforts to delink the system are completed," he added. "Such delinking efforts will incur cost, but it is a worthwhile investment where system resiliency can be significantly improved."

calyang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on October 16, 2015.
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