SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded four civil contracts, T201, T203, T209 and T210 with a total value of around $1.04 billion for three Thomson Line stations and adjacent tunnels, as well as Thomson Line's Mandai Depot.

Scope of Contracts T203, T209 and T210

Contract T203 for the construction of Woodlands station and its associated cut-and-cover tunnels has been awarded to GS Engineering & Construction Corp at a contract sum of $292 million.

Established in 1969, GS Engineering & Construction Corp is one of South Korea's leading construction and civil engineering firm. They are currently involved in the construction for Downtown Line's Hillview, Cashew, River Valley and Tampines East stations.

When completed, Woodlands station will serve as the interchange between Thomson Line and North-South Line.

The design and construction of Lentor station and its associated tunnels (Contract T209) has been awarded to China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Co., Ltd (Singapore Branch) at a contract sum of $247 million.

China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Co., Ltd was founded in 1950 and is one of the wholly-owned subsidiary company of China Railway Group Limited. The company has participated in the construction of national trunk railways, highways, urban rail and public works across China. China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Co., Ltd's recent projects include participation in the construction of Beijing Metro Line 10 and Changsha Metro Line 1.

Contract T210 for the design and construction of Mayflower station has been awarded to Gammon Construction Limited Singapore Branch (GPL) at a contract sum of $174 million.

Established since 1980, GPL has made a significant contribution to Singapore's infrastructure. GPL was involved in other LTA projects such as the Boon Lay Extension Trackwork, upgrading of Woodsville Interchange and currently involved in the construction of Downtown Line's Chinatown station.

When completed, these Thomson Line stations will connect the northern and central parts of Singapore through Woodlands and Caldecott stations to connect with the North-South and the Circle Line respectively, bringing further convenience and connectivity to commuters working and residing in Woodlands, Lentor, Thomson and Ang Mo Kio. In addition, these three stations will serve as Civil Defence shelters along the Thomson Line.

Scope of Contract T201

Other than the civil contracts for the various Thomson Line stations, LTA also awarded Contract T201 for the construction of Thomson Line's Mandai Depot to Jurong Primewide Pte Ltd for $329 million.

Jurong Primewide Pte Ltd (JPW) is the design and build arm of JURONG International with a wide spectrum of projects in Singapore and internationally. They are currently involved in constructing the depot for Tuas West Extension.

Construction works for the above civil contracts are expected to start by the first quarter of 2014. The Woodlands interchange station and Mandai depot are scheduled to be completed in the year 2019 while Lentor and Mayflower stations are scheduled to be completed in 2020.

The 30-km long Thomson Line will enhance rail connectivity in the north-south corridors to the Central Business District (CBD) and developments in the Marina Bay area. Fully underground, Thomson Line comprises 22 stations, including six interchange stations: Woodlands, Caldecott, Stevens, Orchard, Outram Park and Marina Bay. These interchange stations will link to the North-South-East-West Line (NSEWL), Downtown Line (DTL), North-East Line (NEL) and Circle Line (CCL), providing greater accessibility and significantly improve travel time for commuters.

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded four civil contracts, T201, T203, T209 and T210 with a total value of around $1.04 billion for three Thomson Line stations and adjacent tunnels, as well as Thomson Line's Mandai Depot.

Scope of Contracts T203, T209 and T210

Contract T203 for the construction of Woodlands station and its associated cut-and-cover tunnels has been awarded to GS Engineering & Construction Corp at a contract sum of $292 million.

If it seems like it takes longer than usual to get to work by train on the North-South-East-West Line, that is because it is.

Travelling times have been extended by about 10 minutes, a delay that could persist all the way to 2016.

This is because ongoing works to replace ageing wooden sleepers on rail tracks will be completed only by then. In the meantime, trains have to slow down as a precaution.

An SMRT spokesman told My Paper on Thursday that speed restrictions have led to total journey times between the line's terminals to increase by an average of 10 minutes.

"When the sleeper replacement is done, as well as other critical track works completed in two to three years, and safety has been assessed and confirmed, the travel time will be restored to the normal range," she said.

It was announced in May that SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are accelerating their replacement programme for sleepers, which are pieces of timber that support the rails upon which the train wheels sit.

Some 188,000 sleepers are due to be changed, as they are designed to last between 15 and 25 years. The initial stages of the North-South and East-West lines were first opened in 1987.

About 11,000 of the sleepers have been replaced since November last year, according to reports in May.

The delay caused by the sleeper replacement was flagged on the government feedback portal Reach in August, when a netizen complained about slower travelling times on the East-West Line.

Citing a rail-regulation spokesman, Reach replied that SMRT had started works to replace the worn sleepers between Bukit Batok and Jurong East stations "in the past few weeks".

An LTA spokesman told My Paper that there are speed restrictions on sections of the track where sleepers have been replaced recently. These are monitored for a few weeks "as a precautionary measure" before the speed restrictions are lifted.

Commuters have noticed the longer travelling times.

Trader Yap Eng Khuan, 47, realised that his train trips from Pasir Ris Station to Raffles Place Station were taking longer than usual, due to slower-moving trains and "infrequent waiting times".

"I've switched to taking buses instead," he said.

But passengers can look forward to a "reliable and smooth" ride when the replacement programme is completed, said the LTA spokesman.

soonws@sph.com.sg

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Wheelchair user Vinayagan Mohan spends about $70 a month on bus and train fares, mainly to commute from his home in Serangoon to his office near Tai Seng MRT station.

The 25-year-old, who promotes training programmes to companies, is on job probation and earns about $700 a month.

As he spends a considerable amount on fares relative to his salary, the fare review committee's proposal to allow the physically disabled to enjoy concessionary bus and train fares was welcome news for Mr Vinayagan.

"With the concessions, we can use the savings for other things, such as medical bills, or save more money for our families," he said.

Mr Vinayagan left previous jobs in Paya Lebar and Orchard as he needed to take taxis because of the distance between his home and workplace.

He was spending up to $400 a month on taxi fares then.

Associations that cater to the disabled also welcomed the recommendation.

Handicaps Welfare Association president Edmund Wan said: "The subsidies would give the disabled more savings, and encourage them to move around more, integrating with the rest of the community."

Ms Judy Wee, vice-president of the Disabled People's Association and a wheelchair user, said: "It could encourage the disabled to come out (of their homes), and join the workforce."

But she questioned how "disability" would be defined under the proposal, and whether concessions would be extended to those with learning or mental disabilities.

Currently, the physically disabled have to pay full adult fares. Members of the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped may have their bus fares waived at the discretion of bus drivers.

goyshiyi@sph.com.sg

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So far, four of the so-called Road-Rail Vehicles have arrived. They will mechanise the replacement of sleepers (thick timber planks on which rail tracks rest), a process that has been largely manual till now.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Here is the press release from SMRT:

SMRT Accelerates Track Renewal with Specialised Engineering Vehicles

SMRT is pleased to announce that the company is making steady progress in its sleeper replacement programme. Specialized machinery, known as "Road-Rail Vehicles" (RRVs), have been mobilised to accelerate the programme. Originally scheduled for completion by 2019, the pace of replacement along both North-South and East-West Lines are expected to accelerate as more RRVs are deployed and utilized over the next few months, so that the work can be completed by 2016.

Sleeper replacement is a key component in SMRT's efforts to upgrade and renew the network. Upon completion of the replacement, passengers will be able to enjoy enhanced system reliability and smoother rides. Since the commencement of the Sleeper Replacement Programme in November 2012, about 10 per cent of a total of 188,000 sleepers along the North-South-East-West Lines have been replaced.

These 10 per cent include the interim timber-to-timber replacement of high priority deteriorated sleepers throughout the NSEWL network. In addition to concrete sleeper replacement programme, SMRT has taken the initiative to conduct "hotspot" sleeper replacements-these involve timber sleepers that are deemed to be in more severe condition, requiring timely replacement. Speed restrictions are also imposed on certain stretches of the track as part of our safety measures.

The recent commencement of concrete sleeper replacement programme along the Marsiling and Sembawang track sector saw the introduction of RRVs to increase productivity. Concrete sleepers are used to replace timber ones as they are sturdier and have twice the lifespan. The use of RRVs helps to accelerate the sleeper replacement schedule.

SMRT Trains Executive Vice President Lee Ling Wee said: "The key challenge in this undertaking is the limited non-service maintenance window of only three to four hours each day. As such, we seek the understanding and patience of commuters and general public as we do our very best to complete the programme with minimal impact to our train services."

Sleeper replacement works are currently taking place along the stretches between Yew Tee and Yishun MRT stations, Bukit Batok and Jurong East MRT stations, Clementi and Jurong East MRT stations, Queenstown and Redhill MRT stations, Eunos and Aljunied MRT stations, as well as Tanah Merah and Simei MRT stations. During these times, trains may be travelling at a slower speed over the affected areas.

The sleeper replacement schedule is updated regularly.

Here is a posting on SMRT's Facebook:

We have just crossed the one-year mark on a nationwide sleeper replacement project across the NSEW Line! A ground-breaking effort involving the use of machinery to replace timber sleepers with more resilient concrete sleepers, is underway. The entire project is now due to complete by 2016, instead of 2019. We strive to minimise inconvenience to the community during our course of work, but your understanding and cooperation would go a long way in helping us to keep you on track.

About $757 million dollars' worth of contracts has been awarded by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to two companies, for the construction of two stations for the upcoming Thomson MRT Line.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Read the full statement from LTA here:

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded two civil contracts, T208 and T212 with a total value of around S$757 million.

Scope of Contracts

The construction of Springleaf station and its associated tunnels (T208) has been awarded to Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited (Singapore Branch) - John Holland Pty Ltd Joint Venture (JV) at a contract sum of S$383 million. Leighton Contractors offer a full suite of engineering, construction and mining services across Asia and John Holland delivers contracting, engineering and services solutions to various sectors. The JV is currently working on the construction of Downtown Line 3's Jalan Besar station.

Contract T212 for the construction of Upper Thomson station and its associated tunnels has been awarded to Sato Kogyo (S) Pte. Ltd at a contract sum of S$374 million. Sato Kogyo (S) Pte. Ltd is experienced in a broad spectrum of construction projects, ranging from industrial facilities, commercial buildings and institutional landmarks to roads, viaducts, bridges, rail infrastructures and tunnels. It is currently working on a number of Downtown Line projects, including the construction of Downtown Line 3's Mattar, Bencoolen and Bedok North stations.

Construction works for Contract T208 and T212 are expected to start by the first quarter of 2014. These two Thomson Line stations are scheduled to complete in 2020.

When completed, both stations will connect the northern and central parts of Singapore through North-South Line's Woodlands interchange, Circle Line's Caldecott interchange and Downtown Line's Stevens interchange to bring commuters to the rest of the rail network, bringing further convenience and connectivity to those working and residing in Woodlands and Thomson areas.

With the award of contracts T208 and T212, a total of nine civil contracts have been awarded for the construction of Thomson Line at the total sum of S$2.65 billion.

The 30-km long Thomson Line will enhance rail connectivity in the north-south corridors to the Central Business District (CBD) and developments in the Marina Bay area.

Fully underground, Thomson Line comprises 22 stations, including six interchange stations: Woodlands, Caldecott, Stevens, Orchard, Outram Park and Marina Bay. These interchange stations will link to the North-South-East-West Line (NSEWL), Downtown Line (DTL), North- East Line (NEL) and Circle Line (CCL), providing greater accessibility and significantly improve travel time for commuters.

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded two civil contracts, T202 and T217, with a total value of around $526 million.

Scope of contracts

Contract T202 for the construction of Woodlands North station and its associated tunnels has been awarded to Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd at a contract sum of $337 million.

Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd is an established contractor in Japan who had completed several infrastructure and building projects in Japan and overseas, including Singapore.

They were previously involved in the construction of Northeast Line's HarbourFront station, East-West Line's Expo station and North-South Line's Yew Tee and Kranji stations.

Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd is currently involved in the construction of Downtown Line 3's Bendemeer station.

Contract T217 for the construction of Napier station and its associated tunnels has been awarded to Sinohydro Corporation Ltd. (Singapore Branch) at a contract sum of $189 million.

Sinohydro Corporation is a construction and hydropower engineering company. It engages in international infrastructure projects such as hydroelectric dams, power plants, road and rail including the construction of Guangzhou Subway (Line 2) and Tianjin Subway (Line 2).

Construction works for contracts T202 and T217 are expected to start by the first quarter of 2014. Woodlands North and Napier stations are scheduled to complete in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

When completed, both stations will connect the northern and central parts of Singapore through North-South Line's Woodlands interchange, Circle Line's Caldecott interchange and Downtown Line's Stevens interchange to bring commuters to the rest of the rail network, bringing further convenience and connectivity to those working and residing in Woodlands, Thomson and Orchard areas.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded two civil contracts, T202 and T217, with a total value of around $526 million.

Scope of contracts

Contract T202 for the construction of Woodlands North station and its associated tunnels has been awarded to Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd at a contract sum of $337 million.

The 4.3km-long DTL1 will open on Dec 22 with six stations - Chinatown, Telok Ayer, Downtown, Bayfront, Promenade and Bugis. During the open house, visitors can take unlimited free rides along the line to view artworks at each station, and enjoy other activities and entertainment planned at four stations - Chinatown, Telok Ayer, Downtown, and Bugis.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Here is the news release from LTA:

Celebrate "Music Through The Years" at Downtown Line 1 Open House on 7 December 2013

Music and fun games await at four Downtown Line stations - Bugis, Downtown, Telok Ayer and Chinatown stations from 10am to 6pm

Want to reminisce golden melodies from the 60s at Chinatown, take part in the disco fever at Telok Ayer, revel in the era of music videos from the 80s and 90s at Downtown and dance to K-Pop music at Bugis? The Land Transport Authority (LTA) invites the public to visit the new Downtown Line 1 (DTL1) stations on Saturday 7 December! In addition to celebrating "Music Through The Years", the Open House event will give the public the opportunity to have a sneak preview of the completed stations before passenger service commences on Sunday 22 December.

From 10am to 6pm, the public can look forward to an entertaining and fun-filled day with music and activities from the eras of 1960s to 2000 and beyond at four DTL stations - Bugis, Downtown, Telok Ayer and Chinatown. Unlimited free rides along the DTL1 stations will be provided throughout the duration of the Open House for the public to explore and view the different architectural details such as the Art-in-Transit artworks in the new stations.

DTL1 features six MRT stations, Bugis, Promenade, Bayfront, Downtown, Telok Ayer and Chinatown. It is connected to the existing East-West, Circle and North East Lines with four interchange stations. To get to the Open House, the public can enter DTL1 via any of the stations except Bayfront station. Bayfront station is not included as part of the programme as it shares the same platform as the Circle Line's Bayfront station that is currently in operation.

For the latest updates on the DTL1 Open House, "like" LTA's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WeKeepYourWorldMoving or follow @LTAsg at www.twitter.com/LTAsg.

Trials of a new signalling system that will help trains run at a higher frequency will begin on a section of the East-West MRT Line from next April.

Thales Solution Asia, the firm handling the resignalling project for the North-South and East-West lines, is installing equipment for proof-of-concept tests between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport stations.

It expects to complete installation by April next year and conduct system tests on the line after service hours till next December.

Thales is upgrading the signalling system on the North-South and East-West lines for $195 million so trains can arrive every 100 seconds instead of every 120 seconds.

Mr Ian Woodroofe, Thales vice-president for security and transportation, said the new system will be fully installed and tested on the North-South Line by October 2015 and the East-West Line by May 2017.

Thereafter, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will do its own tests. The upgraded system is slated to be ready on the North-South Line in 2016 and on the East-West Line in 2018.

On Wednesday, the French technology giant officially opened a $10 million regional integration centre in Changi. This will focus on the research and development of integrated rail signalling systems.

Thales will be able to test and commission its systems in Singapore and provide services such as troubleshooting and training for local and regional operators.

Thales chief executive Jean-Noel Stock said his firm will tap the centre's technology and expertise for upcoming rail projects.

The company intends to submit a bid to provide signalling systems for the upcoming Thomson Line.

It was earlier awarded a contract worth more than $40 million to provide signalling for the Tuas West Extension.

Thales has supplied other transportation systems for rail lines here as well as defence systems for the Singapore Armed Forces and air traffic management systems for the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

Speaking at the centre's opening, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew noted the resignalling project is a "critical and major" capacity enhancement that will allow six trains to arrive at a station platform every 10 minutes, compared to five trains now.

He urged Thales to work with LTA and SMRT to make sure there are no delays.

He said: "I hope that the work of the centre will be able to further improve the performance of our rail systems."

roysim@sph.com.sg

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Four people were injured at an escalator in Orchard MRT station on Monday evening.

A Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said that two girls, aged 13 and 11, suffered lacerations and abrasions on their legs, and were taken by ambulance to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, The Straits Times Online reported.

A woman, in her 60s, suffered from back pain, while another in her 40s had lacerations on both legs and on her right eyebrow.

Both were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

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SINGAPORE - SMRT spokesman Alina Boey said the defective third rail between Ang Mo Kio and Bishan MRT stations was detected Thursday morning by a Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) placed on a train. The LVDT is a surveillance instrument that monitors track conditions and any anomalies on the third rail, which supplies power to the trains.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Here is the media statement from SMRT on their Facebook page:

Our Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT), a surveillance instrument put in place to monitor track conditions and to pick up on anomalies on the conductor rails, alerted our engineers of a defective third rail between Ang Mo Kio and Bishan MRT stations earlier this morning. SMRT engineers were quickly deployed on site to assess and rectify the fault. Power was shut down at Ang Mo Kio station between 12.05pm and 12.25pm, as SMRT staff went on track to carry out repair works.

Service announcements were made in trains and within the stations to inform commuters to provision for an additional five minutes of travel time between the two stations. Normal service resumed at 12.25pm.

We wish to thank our commuters for their cooperation while we conducted repair works.

SINGAPORE - There were adequate measures in place at the Ang Mo Kio MRT station to keep passengers reasonably safe, and the risk of passengers falling onto the train tracks was "minuscule".

This was why the bid of Thai teenager Nitcharee Peneakchanasak to claim $3.4 million in damages from train operator SMRT was dismissed, Justice Vinodh Coomaraswamy said in a written judgment released yesterday.

Nitcharee lost her legs after she fell onto the tracks in the station in April 2011 and was struck by a train pulling in.

Between 2004 and 2011, the injury rate from incidents in which the commuter was on the tracks at the same time as an oncoming train was one per 119.9 million passenger trips, the judge said, citing statistics from SMRT.

Given the minuscule risk of such an incident occurring, the existing safety features at the Ang Mo Kio MRT station was sufficient - even without half-height platform screen doors installed.

"Of course, in an abstract sense, even one death or catastrophic injury... can be said to be one too many. But we live in the real world," he said, adding that potential precautions are infinite, but resources are finite.

He said SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) owed Nitcharee a duty of care to ensure she was reasonably safe.

As to whether the defendants had breached the standard of care, the judge looked at the risk of a passenger getting hit by a train after falling onto the tracks and the practicability of the steps to eliminate or reduce that risk.

The teenager, who came here to study English, was at the station to take a train to meet her friends in town on the morning of April 3, a Sunday, in 2011.

CCTV footage showed her falling forward stiffly, with her arms by her side, as a train was approaching.

Initially, she said in her lawsuit that she was pushed. She later dropped the allegation and said she lost her balance - but maintained that she did not faint.

In his judgment, Justice Coomaraswamy said that based on his viewing of the footage and taking in expert evidence, it was clear she fell because she suffered a sudden loss of consciousness.

He noted that ordinarily, a person falling would try to regain his balance or try to break his fall by extending his arms - but Nitcharee did none of these things.

Lawyer K. Anparasan, who acted for SMRT and LTA, said his clients are pleased with the judgment.

"However, we must not forget that this is a tragic case involving a young girl, and our thoughts are with her and her family."

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The number of train delays last year has gone down compared to 2012, based on latest figures from the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Across the MRT network, the number of incidents causing delays of more than five minutes for every 100,000km travelled went down by 20 per cent, from 1.49 in 2012 to 1.18 last year.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

According to a statement from the LTA, commuters can expect shorter waiting times in 2014, especially during off peak periods.

It added that "since January 1, operators have increased the number of weekly train trips to improve train service.

"For the NEL, more than 400 or close to 13 per cent more weekly train trips were added and off-peak headways now range from three to five minutes.

"For the North-South and East-West lines, over 400 or 5 per cent more weekly train trips will be progressively added so that their off-peak headways will be less than 5 minutes by September 2014."

Here is the full statement from the LTA:

Train service reliability has improved in 2013 since the implementation of several targeted measures by the LTA-SMRT and LTA-SBS Transit (SBST) Joint Teams. SMRT and SBST are also enhancing service levels by increasing the number of train trips across their MRT lines.

Across the MRT network, the number of incidents causing delays of more than 5 minutes for every 100,000 kilometres travelled has declined by 20% in 2013 compared to 2012. The Joint Teams are working towards further reliability improvements with the introduction of new condition monitoring technology and the upgrading of rail assets.

North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL)

The number of incidents resulting in delays of more than 5 minutes for every 100,000 kilometres travelled on the NSEWL has decreased by about 15% from 2012 to 2013 . This is due to SMRT implementing measures to address the underlying causes of train faults. Further measures to improve train reliability such as the upgrading and replacement of major train subsystems will also be carried out.

In the past year, SMRT has enhanced its efforts in preventive maintenance through the adoption of new technologies, such as the Automated Current Collector Devices (CCD) Detection System, the Wheel Impact Load Detection (WILD) System and the Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) System to allow early detection of faults so that engineers can identify and rectify them quickly to avoid causing inconvenience to passengers. Please refer to Annex for details of these new technologies.

The NSEWL's infrastructure will also be upgraded and replaced for enhanced service reliability. Two key projects LTA and SMRT embarked on in 2013 are the replacement of timber sleepers with concrete sleepers and upgrading of the signalling system. This year, LTA together with SMRT will also look at system wide renewal of the third rail. When completed, commuters can expect a smoother MRT journey.

North East Line (NEL)

For NEL, the incident rate for delays of more than 5 minutes for every 100,000 kilometres travelled has increased slightly, however improvements have been seen in reducing the delays caused by train/system faults for 2013. SBST has implemented targeted measures to address the underlying causes that affect reliability. This includes fleet wide replacement of train propulsion and air-conditioning components.

The LTA-SBST Joint team has also completed the evaluation of alternative materials for U-bolts and Balanced Weight Anchor (BWA) wires, which are components on the Overhead Catenary System (OCS). This is to mitigate the occurrence of similar incidents resulting from stress corrosion cracking of these OCS components. Replacement works have started and are expected to be completed by end-2014 for the BWA wires and end-2015 for the U-bolts. SBST has also enhanced its maintenance regime of the OCS, by stepping up on inspection frequency and conducting condition analysis of OCS components via yearly sampling. SBST will also be investing in technology to allow for more regular OCS condition monitoring.

SBST has also taken steps to improve their recovery time during occurrence of service disruptions. To improve recovery time relating to OCS faults, SBST has set up more recovery bases at strategic locations along the NEL equipped with essential tools and spares.

Circle Line (CCL)

Service reliability on the CCL has significantly improved with close to 50% reduction in incidents resulting in delays of more than 5 minutes . SMRT is also completing its final stretch of the power cable replacement exercise at all CCL stations to improve reliability. The project is expected to complete by the end of this month.

More Train Trips to Reduce Waiting Times

Commuters can expect shorter waiting times in 2014, especially during off peak periods. Since 1 January, operators have increased the number of weekly train trips to improve train service. For the NEL, more than 400 or close to 13% more weekly train trips were added and off-peak headways now range from three to five minutes.

For the NSEWL, over 400 or 5% more weekly train trips will be progressively added so that their off-peak headways will be less than 5 minutes by September 2014. Peak period headways will also improve once new trains are delivered and the re-signalling project on the NSEWL are completed by 2016 and 2018 respectively. For the CCL, about 200 or 4% more weekly train trips were added since 1 January 2014, and about another 150 or 3% weekly train trips will be added in February 2014.

SINGAPORE - In just half a year, free wireless Internet could be on tap at an MRT station near you.

Yesterday, the Land Transport Authority released more details of its plan to give commuters Wi-Fi access, including a list of stations where it will first be available.

Commuters will be able to connect to the Wireless@SG network at station platforms all along the North East Line (NEL), as well as 12 other major stops with plenty of commuter traffic.

They are: City Hall, Raffles Place, Orchard, Bishan, Choa Chu Kang, Jurong East, Paya Lebar, Serangoon, Buona Vista, Outram Park,Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront.

The last three are also on the NEL.

The LTA said it is currently calling for tenders to implement the wireless network at station platforms. Wi-Fi access will be progressively available at the selected station platforms starting from the middle of this year.

The trial will be monitored for two years before the LTA decides if the service could be extended to other MRT stations.

The move was first announced in LTA's Land Transport Master Plan last October. Other plans include, for instance, improving its smartphone app by adding real-time updates on congestion.

Commuters said the move to offer free Wi-Fi would take Singapore a notch closer to wired cities like Taipei and Hong Kong.

Mr Clement Lim, 23, who often travels to the city to visit relatives, said: "At some stations in Singapore the 3G connection is often bad, especially underground. Whereas in Taipei, there's better connectivity and free Wi-Fi hot spots are more common."

Tech blogger Alfred Siew said it would be better if the Wi-Fi network could be expanded to include MRT tunnels as well.

"As a commuter, you spend most of your time in the train rather than in the station, so it would be very good if there's a way to provide access in the train," he said, while acknowledging it is "not an easy thing to do because the train is moving".

Wireless@SG was rolled out in 2006 by the Infocomm Development Authority to accelerate the deployment of high-speed broadband.

The Straits Times reported last October that the number of hot spots had fallen after one provider pulled out of the programme.

However, IDA said it expects the number of hot spots to increase as new operators take over.

Forrester telco analyst Clement Teo said having Wi-Fi access at MRT station platforms would "help take pressure off the phone network", as many people now access the Internet through their mobile data plans.

"The demand for a quality connection is on the rise, not just in Singapore but in developed countries like Japan and Australia," he said.

"People are already used to their 3G and 4G networks, with high speeds and adequate amounts of bandwidth."

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SINGAPORE - The number of train delays last year has gone down compared with 2012, based on latest figures from the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

Across the MRT network, the number of incidents causing delays of more than five minutes for every 100,000km travelled went down by 20 per cent, from 1.49 in 2012 to 1.18 last year.

The LTA attributed the improved reliability to the implementation of several targeted measures by joint teams it formed with rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit.

The number of rail disruptions had spiked in 2011.

For instance, since the middle of last year SMRT has adopted new technologies on the North-South and East-West lines to pick out flaws on current collector shoes, which draw power from the third rail so the trains can run.

It will also complete a project to replace all power cables on the Circle Line by the end of this month.

ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL

On the North East Line (NEL), SBS Transit and the LTA have found an alternative material for components of its overhead power system.

Faulty components such as U-bolts had previously led to several major disruptions on the line.

The LTA said commuters can expect shorter waiting times this year especially during off-peak periods, as the operators have bumped up the number of weekly train trips.

For the NEL, more than 400 weekly train trips - a 13 per cent increase - have been added since Jan 1 so trains arrive every three to five minutes during the off-peak, down from every four to six minutes.

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SINGAPORE - Rail commuters can expect trains to arrive more frequently - especially during off-peak periods, even as the number of delays across the network has come down.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) yesterday said operators SMRT and SBS Transit will increase the number of train trips per week by more than 1,000.

On the North-East Line, SBS Transit has added more than 400 train trips a week so trains arrive every three to five minutes off- peak instead of four to seven minutes.

On the North-South and East- West lines, SMRT will add more than 400 trips a week to reduce off-peak waiting times to less than five minutes by September.

Trains are already arriving every five minutes or less at certain off-peak periods.

As for the Circle Line, SMRT will launch another 150 trips a week next month on top of the 200 train trips a week that have been added since Jan 1.

Trains now arrive every seven minutes during off-peak periods.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said last year that commuters will eventually wait no longer than five minutes for trains during most off-peak periods.

Meanwhile, figures from the LTA showed that the number of train delays had decreased last year.

There were 309 incidents that led to delays of more than five minutes across the MRT network last year, down from 396 in 2012.

The figures exclude the newly opened Downtown Line stage 1.

The number of delays lasting more than 10 minutes also dropped from 51 in 2012 to 36 last year. However, there were eight disruptions lasting more than 30 minutes last year, the same as in 2012.

The LTA attributed the improvements to "targeted measures" introduced by joint teams it formed with SMRT and SBS Transit after a spate of severe breakdowns in 2011 and 2012 across the various MRT lines.

For the North-East Line, SBS Transit and the LTA have found a more sturdy material to replace the existing stainless steel U-shaped bolts and counterweight wires that form part of its overhead power supply.

The joint teams found corroded bolts and wires had led to three major disruptions on the line. SBS Transit expects to replace all the cables by this year, and all U-shaped bolts by next year.

The operator will also invest in technology that allows it to monitor the overhead power system more regularly. It has set up "recovery bases" at strategic stations along the line to fix faults more quickly.

Circle Line operator SMRT expects to finish replacing all power cables by the end of this month. SMRT has also adopted new technology that allows it to detect faults sooner on the North-South and East-West lines.

Its vice-president for operations maintenance Low Chin Hun said an automated detection system has been set up at Outram Park, Toa Payoh and Lavender stations to pick out flaws on a train's current collector shoes, which draw power from the third rail.

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Stage 1 of the new Downtown Line opened last month, connecting Chinatown MRT station to Bugis MRT station, with four other stations in between: Telok Ayer, Downtown, Bayfront and Promenade.

The current line spans 4.6km and will be the longest automated underground line in Singapore when stages 2 and 3 are completed in 2017.

Over the years, MRT stations have taken on a sleeker, more artful look and the current Downtown Line - a work in progress - is no exception. Each station on the line integrates artwork and architecture to create a distinct identity.

Those who take public transport on a daily basis and get caught in the crush of human traffic rarely get to see the quieter moments and enjoy their surroundings.

BUGIS

The station is about 26m below ground level, and is linked to the existing East-West Line and connected by subway links between North Bridge Road and Victoria Street. Diamond-shaped patterns are a main feature of the station. They are evident on the walls, ceilings and glass panels, reflecting the diamond motif found in Bugis culture.

PROMENADE

The vibrant artwork by artist Ana Prvacki, titled Earthcake, situated near a travelator. It is a colourful collection of local kueh, or cakes, and rocky soil presented in thin layers, and is part of the Land Transport Authority's Art In Transit programme, which was launched in 1997. Part of the evening crowd walking under a giant wave-like ceiling, which is unique to this station.

BAYFRONT

The station, consisting of three levels, is an integral point of transit for tourists visiting Marina Bay Sands and Gardens By The Bay. It also houses part of the Circle Line, which passengers can easily access on opposite sides of the Downtown Line platforms. In the gallery, a man's silhouette is reflected in a glass panel as he walks down a staircase.

CHINATOWN

Shophouses in Upper Cross Street form a colourful backdrop to the station. Its new exit, shaped like an ellipse, mirrors the adjacent Hong Lim Complex, which has an elliptical facade.

TELOK AYER

One of three pillars at the station resembling giant tree trunks. The pillars are part of artist Lim Shing Yee's artwork, titled Charm Of Bay. It was inspired by the name Telok Ayer, which means "bay water" in Malay.

DOWNTOWN

New-generation 70m-long trains that save energy - about 8,000kWh a year - ply the Downtown Line. Artist Jason Lim's mosaic piece, titled Leaves, depicts supple bamboo leaves. The artist uses the plant's structure as a visual metaphor for the network of businesses and financial services found in the Central Boulevard area, where the station is located.

Stage 1 of the new Downtown Line opened last month, connecting Chinatown MRT station to Bugis MRT station, with four other stations in between: Telok Ayer, Downtown, Bayfront and Promenade.

The current line spans 4.6km and will be the longest automated underground line in Singapore when stages 2 and 3 are completed in 2017.