PETALING JAYA - MRT Corp CEO Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid has resigned over Monday night's construction site accident in Kota Damansara that claimed three lives.

"As of tomorrow, I am no longer the CEO," he told a press conference at the site here Tuesday.

Azhar said he had always been very strict over safety measures at MRT sites but such incidents had occurred over and over again.

"I have done my best, but I have evidently failed and therefore will be handing over my duties.

"I was told that some security measures were not followed by the sub-contractors and if that really is the case, I will make sure MRT Corp never works with them again," he said.

He said that despite his departure from the company, he would see the case through and ensure that the families of the deceased be given justice.

Three Bangladeshi workers were killed when a concrete span at the site collapsed at 8.30pm.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that MRT Corp's stakeholder relations and land management director Haris Fadzilah Hassan would take over until the Government appoints a new CEO.

PETALING JAYA - The Fire and Rescue Department has found two more bodies buried at an MRT construction site in Kota Damansara following the collapse of a 300-tonne concrete span on Monday night.

Selangor FRD assistant director of operations Mohd Sani Harul said the bodies of Bangladeshi construction workers - Mohamed Faruk Khan and Mohammad Alauddin Mollik - were found at 1.35pm, Tuesday.

"The two bodies were taken to the Sungai Buloh Hospital for post-mortem," he said when contacted by Bernama.

The body of another Bangladeshi construction worker, Mohammad Elahi Hossain, was found by the search and rescue team at 2.30am and was taken to the same hospital.

A section of the MRT guideway dislodged from its piers and fell to the ground below at 8.30pm, Monday.

The incident occurred while work to construct the parapet for the guideway was being carried out.

The section termed a span, made up of 14 units of segmented box girders, is 38m in length and weighs 300 tonnes.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had expressed shock over the incident in his Twitter page and called for an immediate investigation.

SINGAPORE - Work to replace sleepers on the North-South Line has hit the half-way mark. Commuters can expect travel speeds to improve by this October or November, said rail operator SMRT on Wednesday on its Facebook page.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Here is the statement by SMRT, as posted on its Facebook page on Aug 20 at 2.08pm:

Hi everyone,

We would like to address feedback from a number of you asking about speed restrictions for SMRT trains on the North South Line.

The replacement of timber sleepers is progressing well along the northern portions of the North South Line, particularly the stretches between Bishan and Woodlands. Sleepers are the beams that support the rails, providing a firm and stable support for the rail line. When new sleepers are fitted, the sleepers will need a period of time to settle on the ballast (i.e. stones) on which the tracks are laid.

For safety reasons, trains must observe a slower speed when traveling over newly-laid sleepers until the sleepers and ballast are properly settled. This explains why we have to impose speed restrictions at certain stretches of the tracks for trains travelling between Bishan and Woodlands. At these stretches, trains slow to around 40 kilometres per hour (km/h), compared to the normal speed of around 78 km/h.

Time needed for new sleepers to settle is vital and necessary. We have heard your feedback on the noticeably slower speeds along renewed stretches of track, and will do our utmost to inform and update you on why our train operations are run this way.

As resleepering work along the North South Line progresses, we are gradually lifting the associated speed restrictions, and the effect in terms of shorter journey time should be felt from October or November 2014 onwards. With the completion of resleepering work on the North South Line by early 2015, we are confident of completely removing all resleepering-related speed restrictions by the middle of next year.

Do note that when resleepering works start on the East West Line next year, commuters taking trains on certain stretches of the East West Line that have had their tracks renewed will experience similar speed restrictions.

We are committed to improving the travel experience for our commuters. In the meantime, we seek your understanding and patience. Our resleepering efforts are making good progress. Almost 50% of the sleepers on the North South Line have already been replaced, and we working with the community to minimise inconvenience while works are underway in the early morning hours.

In some of the more matured networks in cities such as London and Paris, segments of the metro lines are closed for days or weeks for track renewal works. We know this is not possible in the context of Singapore's urban rail network. As such, we strive to work within the tight engineering window of 4 hours between 1.30am to 5.30am, and we seek your understanding for the early closure of half an hour 5 days a week for selected stretches of the track. It is heartening to know that Singaporeans have been understanding and appreciative of the efforts that we are making to deliver the quality of service we have promised.

We would like to add that, resleepering works aside, there are other reasons for trains to slow down. Commuters should note that trains may slow down and even come to a stop when there is a train ahead that has yet to depart from the station platform. Several reasons could account for this delay. In most cases, the delay is due to commuters crowding the doorway and, as a result, the doors cannot close. And when doors cannot close, as part of the safety design of the train, the train cannot depart the station.

We hope that our explanation has helped update everyone on our resleepering efforts and Team SMRT's continued commitment to your safety. We will continue to engage you on the transformation efforts in SMRT.

Sincerely,

Lee Ling Wee
Managing Director, SMRT Trains

Close to half of the works to replace sleepers on the North-South Line has been completed and commuters can look forward to faster travelling speeds from October or November.

In a Facebook post yesterday, SMRT said it was gradually lifting the speed restrictions on the line, but trains will be back to normal speeds only by the middle of next year.

The public transport operator has been replacing sleepers since 2012, as part of its efforts to upgrade its systems and infrastructure.

When new sleepers, which hold the tracks in place, are fitted, they require time to settle on the ballast, or stones on which tracks are laid.

For safety reasons, trains are restricted to slower speeds, of about 40kmh instead of the normal 78kmh, over newly-laid sleepers.

Lee Ling Wee, managing director of SMRT Trains, wrote in the post that Singapore, unlike cities like London and Paris, cannot close segments of its rail systems for track renewal works.

"We strive to work within the tight engineering window of four hours, between 1.30am and 5.30am," he said.

While those travelling on the North-South Line have something to cheer about, commuters who use the East-West Line should be prepared for slower speeds soon.

Similar works to replace sleepers will start on that line next year.

jianxuan@sph.com.sg

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SINGAPORE - More commuters will soon be able to tell, as they are walking into an MRT station, exactly how crowded train platforms are and if they need to skip a train.

SMRT is installing a “traffic light” system at 10 more stations by the first half of next year. The lights, fitted at the entrance to MRT stations, resemble traffic lights placed horizontally.

A green light indicates that a commuter can board the next train; an amber light points to a possible wait of two trains; a red light shows that the platform is very crowded and a prolonged wait is expected.

A flashing red light indicates that train services to that station have been disrupted or delayed.

SMRT declined to name the 10 new stations but said the stations have a “high passenger flow”.

A trial of the lights was conducted at Ang Mo Kio station last December and at Tanjong Pagar station in January. In a survey of 1,000 commuters conducted by SMRT, 80 per cent said they were aware of the light system and said it should be introduced at more stations.

Only 60 per cent of these, however, said they usually refer to the lights before entering the station.

Commuters also gave feedback that the lights were too bright in underground conditions. SMRT will now install lights with reduced glare in underground stations to fix this problem.

The train operator will also be installing iDisplay screens at 15 more stations, adding to the current 17. These indicate if train services are operating normally across Singapore.

This article was first published on August 23, 2014.
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SINGAPORE - A new platform will be added to the Tanah Merah MRT station to serve commuters travelling to the Expo and Changi Airport stations, halving their waiting time.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Here's the statement from the Land Transport Authority:

Commuters heading towards Changi Airport can look forward to faster travel from 2024. A new platform will be added to the Tanah Merah station; as such, commuters travelling towards Expo and Changi Airport can enjoy shorter waiting times and a more comfortable journey.

Today, the middle track at Tanah Merah interchange station is used for trains travelling in both directions between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport stations.

With a third platform, there will be two tracks for the East-West Line and another two, heading to and from Changi Airport. This will allow trains to arrive and depart at the station at shorter intervals, reducing wait times and enabling faster travel to Expo and Changi Airport stations.

Together with the construction of a new platform, existing MRT tracks will also be extended to connect to the new four-in-one depot at Changi, which will house trains from the East-West Line, Downtown Line and Thomson-East Coast Line, as well as a bus depot.

This will be the second MRT station in Singapore to have tracks added to its original configuration. Adding a platform and constructing tracks on an operational line is challenging as working hours and work space are limited for construction activities. Nevertheless, the safety of MRT operations and site security will remain of paramount importance. Enhancement works will commence in 2016, and are expected to be completed in 2024.

During the construction phase, LTA will work with the contractors to implement dust and noise control measures on site. These include the installation of noise barriers and privacy screens along the new viaduct to mitigate the impact on residents living close to the station. We will also work closely with all stakeholders to minimise disruptions and inconvenience.

PETALING JAYA - Just a week after a 690-tonne overhead concrete span collapsed at an Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction site in a township in Petaling Jaya, killing three Bangladeshi workers, a second incident has MRT Corp scrambling to do some damage control.

This time, several precast concrete segments fell off a trailer onto a road, causing traffic congestion near the Billion roundabout flyover along Jalan Cheras, Kuala Lumpur at 11am on Sunday. The segments were being transported to the Pudu launch shaft located near Jalan Bukit Bintang.

The driver of the trailer, carrying 16 segments destined for an MRT tunnel, had to make an abrupt stop to avoid hitting a vehicle in front. As the trailer swerved to avoid a collision, 12 pieces of concrete tunnel lining segments fell.

Although no one was hurt in the incident, it caused a traffic congestion that lasted more than three hours as workers cleared the road.

Initial information available showed that the driver had 23 years of lorry driving experience and had already attended the induction course for transporting segments, carried out by the tunnelling contractor for all lorry drivers.

MRT Corp said the concrete segments were removed by 3.30pm.

It was understood that 10 of the segments weighed around 2.3 tonnes each, while the other two weighed nearly a tonne each.

These precast segments are joined inside a tunnel boring machine to form rings that line the entire length of the MRT tunnel.

In last Monday's incident, three Bangladeshi workers were killed, which led to the prompt resignation of MRT Corp chief executive Azhar Abdul Hamid.

The next-of-kin of the three Bangladeshi workers will receive RM25,000 (S$9,877) compensation each, said Human Resources Minister Richard Riot.

He said on Monday that the government is in contact with the Bangladesh Embassy here and awaiting their verification of the beneficiaries, "We do not want the money to fall in the wrong hands.

"We will release the money as soon as the embassy completes its verification," he told reporters.

The objective of the "traffic lights" in MRT stations is not clear ("'Traffic lights' at 10 more MRT stations", last Saturday).

The lights indicate only how crowded the train platform is but not the actual waiting time.

A green light does not mean the commuter will be able to board the train as it may be crowded. Neither does an amber light give commuters any assurance of boarding the second train.

In any case, commuters would still prefer to enter the station to see for themselves the actual situation on the platform, regardless of the lights.

What is more useful is the arrival time of the next train, which would help commuters decide whether to board the train or wait for the next one.

Besides the "traffic lights", more display panels on train arrival intervals should be installed at the platforms.

Currently, there is only one such panel at each platform, which is not easily seen by commuters at either end.

Lim Chong Leong

This article was published on Aug 26 in The Straits Times.

Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

The objective of the "traffic lights" in MRT stations is not clear ("'Traffic lights' at 10 more MRT stations", last Saturday).

The lights indicate only how crowded the train platform is but not the actual waiting time.

A green light does not mean the commuter will be able to board the train as it may be crowded. Neither does an amber light give commuters any assurance of boarding the second train.

In any case, commuters would still prefer to enter the station to see for themselves the actual situation on the platform, regardless of the lights.

What is more useful is the arrival time of the next train, which would help commuters decide whether to board the train or wait for the next one.

Besides the "traffic lights", more display panels on train arrival intervals should be installed at the platforms.

Currently, there is only one such panel at each platform, which is not easily seen by commuters at either end.

Lim Chong Leong

This article was published on Aug 26 in The Straits Times.

Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

A new platform is being planned for Tanah Merah MRT station which will eventually allow new tracks and more trains to be added - speeding up the journey to and from Changi Airport.

However, the bad news for commuters heading there from the city is that it will take 10 years before it is up and running.

Currently they must change trains at Tanah Merah, where the East-West Line divides for either Pasir Ris or the Expo and the airport. As only one track is available for the latter two destinations, trains going to and from them must wait for the train at the station to depart before entering.

The new platform will allow for two new middle tracks to cater for these services and leave the two outer tracks free for trains travelling between Joo Koon and Pasir Ris.

Although passengers will still have to change trains, their waiting times - which now range between seven and 13 minutes - will be cut, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday. It added that the new train frequencies will be revealed "at a later date".

Announcing the development, it said a tender will be called in 2016. However, the job will not be completed until 2024.

MRT tracks will also be extended to link Tanah Merah station to an upcoming "four-in-one" bus and rail depot, also due in 2024.

Tanah Merah is the second MRT station to have tracks added after Jurong East, which added a platform and a 2.5km-long track under an $800 million project in 2011.

The LTA said it had received feedback from workers at Changi Business Park and the public that waiting times at Tanah Merah are too long.

It said: "With the new platform and additional trains injected into the system, trains can run at shorter intervals."

Commuter traffic in the area is expected to swell, with upcoming residential projects in the area such as Urban Vista and Glades, as well as the completion of the Downtown and Thomson-East Coast MRT lines by 2024.

Some 66 million passengers a year currently pass through Changi Airport but this will rise to around 135 million passengers when its planned Terminal 5 starts operating in the middle of the next decade.

However, the eight-year-long construction work at Tanah Merah is expected to cause a headache for residents. A roughly 1.5km-long stretch of road along New Upper Changi Road will have to be re-aligned to make way for the platform.

The LTA said it will work with contractors to minimise noise and dust, and erect noise barriers and privacy screens to reduce the impact on residents nearby.

Account manager and Tanah Merah resident Russell Tan, 24, fears the traffic will get worse: "It can get quite bad here because some of the roads are narrow."

Technical leader Smeeta Das, 34, who commutes to work at Changi Business Park, hopes the changes will help to cut down waiting time at Tanah Merah.

She said: "Eight years is a long time - I don't know if I'll be working in Singapore still by then!"

jianxuan@sph.com.sg

This article was published on Aug 26 in The Straits Times.

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All trains lead to the National Stadium - at least for 3,000 students and staff of Anglo- Chinese School (Independent).

To mark today's historic Schools National C Division rugby championship clash at the new Singapore Sports Hub, the first school final to be held there, the school has chartered five MRT trains to transport supporters to Kallang.

The match pitting ACS(I) against defending champions St Andrew's Secondary (SAS) is expected to attract more than 5,000 spectators at the 55,000-capacity stadium. And the large turnout is the reason that ACS(I) has taken the unusual approach of getting MRT trains to shuttle their students.

ACS(I) principal Winston Hodge said students, parents and alumni had expressed interest in attending the "special game", which starts at 4pm.

He said: "As we would have needed at least 80 buses to transport our students and staff, the trains are a cost-efficient way of taking them from school to the Sports Hub safely and with ease." ACS(I) and SMRT declined to reveal the cost, but The Straits Times understands that it would be about $2 a head.

Students will be dismissed progressively from 11am for lunch, before being escorted by teachers to one-north station near the school's Dover Road campus for the 40-minute ride. They will travel directly to Stadium station on the Circle Line.

SMRT has previously worked with schools to charter trains transporting students for large- scale events such as the National Day Parade rehearsals.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, SMRT's vice- president for corporate information and communication Patrick Nathan said requests for chartered trains are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure there is no interference with regular services, and the services are carried out during off-peak hours.

"SMRT believes in supporting local education and national initiatives and will continue this support without compromising our core service delivery in ensuring reliable, safe journeys for all passengers," Mr Nathan added.

Match tickets are free, but offered only to family members, friends and alumni of the two schools. SAS' teacher-in-charge of rugby Daniel Thiam said the school will send around 400 supporters to the stadium.

In last year's final, SAS beat the same opponents 14-13 to lift the Goh Keng Swee Shield for the first time since 1990.

ACS(I) rugby coach Adrian Chong said: "I cannot remember other school rugby sides ever getting a chance to feature in such an iconic setting."

nsanjay@sph.com.sg

This article was published on Aug 26 in The Straits Times.

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SINGAPORE - SMRT has also explained to LTA why they went ahead without getting prior approval, an LTA spokesman said on Wednesday.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

ACS(I) charters MRT trains for rugby final

Sanjay Nair | Thursday, Aug 26, 2014

All trains lead to the National Stadium - at least for 3,000 students and staff of Anglo- Chinese School (Independent).

To mark today's historic Schools National C Division rugby championship clash at the new Singapore Sports Hub, the first school final to be held there, the school has chartered five MRT trains to transport supporters to Kallang.

The match pitting ACS(I) against defending champions St Andrew's Secondary (SAS) is expected to attract more than 5,000 spectators at the 55,000-capacity stadium. And the large turnout is the reason that ACS(I) has taken the unusual approach of getting MRT trains to shuttle their students.

ACS(I) principal Winston Hodge said students, parents and alumni had expressed interest in attending the "special game", which starts at 4pm.

He said: "As we would have needed at least 80 buses to transport our students and staff, the trains are a cost-efficient way of taking them from school to the Sports Hub safely and with ease." ACS(I) and SMRT declined to reveal the cost, but The Straits Times understands that it would be about $2 a head.

Students will be dismissed progressively from 11am for lunch, before being escorted by teachers to one-north station near the school's Dover Road campus for the 40-minute ride. They will travel directly to Stadium station on the Circle Line.

SMRT has previously worked with schools to charter trains transporting students for large- scale events such as the National Day Parade rehearsals.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, SMRT's vice- president for corporate information and communication Patrick Nathan said requests for chartered trains are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure there is no interference with regular services, and the services are carried out during off-peak hours.

"SMRT believes in supporting local education and national initiatives and will continue this support without compromising our core service delivery in ensuring reliable, safe journeys for all passengers," Mr Nathan added.

Match tickets are free, but offered only to family members, friends and alumni of the two schools. SAS' teacher-in-charge of rugby Daniel Thiam said the school will send around 400 supporters to the stadium.

In last year's final, SAS beat the same opponents 14-13 to lift the Goh Keng Swee Shield for the first time since 1990.

ACS(I) rugby coach Adrian Chong said: "I cannot remember other school rugby sides ever getting a chance to feature in such an iconic setting."

This article was first published on August 26, 2014.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

In response to media queries, a Land Transport Authority (LTA) spokesman said:

Under the Circle Line licence, SMRT has to seek LTA's prior approval for the provision of train services that are not open to the general commuting public. In this case, SMRT did not seek our approval before agreeing to provide the service. We are looking into the appropriate action to take. We have also reminded SMRT that its primary focus must be to ensure good service delivery to the commuting public at large.

SINGAPORE - Despite facing a backlash online and a possible penalty from the Land Transport Authority (LTA), SMRT is encouraging more schools to charter trains during off-peak hours if they need to transport a significant number of students.

"All things considered, we feel the effort was genuine and worthwhile, as it transported a large number of students efficiently and safely," said SMRT's managing director of trains, Lee Ling Wee, on the company's Facebook page.

He was referring to SMRT's decision to allow Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) to charter five trains to transport 3,000 students to the Schools National C Division rugby final at the new National Stadium on Tuesday.

That night, the LTA said it would take "appropriate action" against the public transport operator for not seeking its approval before providing the charter.

While SMRT acknowledged its failure to inform the authority and added that it would do so in the future, it said this was not the first time it had provided such services without informing the LTA.

"The charters are not without precedent. Tens of thousands of students from many schools have experienced similar charters done in support of National Education shows in recent years - all moved efficiently and safely, and without fuss. No permission was sought from LTA in these charters," said Mr Lee.

As to comments by commuters on why SMRT was able to pump in extra trains for this purpose, but not when they complain of crowded trains, Mr Lee explained that the trains used were withdrawn during off-peak hours due to low passenger loadings.

"While the current train fleet is insufficient to meet commuter demand during the peak periods, there is excess capacity during off-peak (hours) to cater for private charters," he said.

In the past two days, SMRT has drawn flak from netizens.

Most people whom The Straits Times spoke to felt SMRT should have sought approval from the authorities before it entered into the private arrangement.

Others were not too bothered, as long as their commute was not affected.

Said James Fong, 49, a trainer: "As long as it doesn't affect the daily train services, I am not bothered. Imagine if 3,000 students had gone on the normal train services - it would have been chaotic and caused more inconvenience for the commuters."

Mr Lee emphasised that all stations along the Circle Line remained open to other commuters and trains ran at their usual frequency.

He said that he was "grateful that the school informed us beforehand", as this gave SMRT time to make operational scheduling decisions and minimise the impact on other commuters.

"The story may have been different had 3,000 students descended on the Circle Line with no prior notice at the same time, without crowd control measures in place, catching commuters and our station staff by surprise," he said.

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SINGAPORE - Like most, they did not know SMRT trains could be chartered until Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) did it.

But MPs The New Paper spoke to yesterday gave their thumbs-up - on condition that such charters are not at the expense of other commuters.

On Tuesday, ACS (I) students and staff travelled on five chartered trains to watch their C Division rugby team play against St Andrew's Secondary School.

ACS (I) principal Winston Hodge had said trains were a more "cost-efficient" mode of transport.

Whether trains should be privately hired hinges on two factors, said Mr Gerard Ee, former chairman of the Public Transport Council. First, he said, it depends on whether it is cheaper than buses.

While SMRT and ACS (I) declined to reveal how much the one-way charter cost, The Straits Times reported that the price for each passenger was about $2.

This would add up to $6,000 for 3,000 students and staff. ACS (I)'s parent support group sponsored the cost.

The same number of people, ferried on buses, would set the school back by about $10,500, according to Mr Lim Yun Long, a private bus operator.

The second factor, Mr Ee pointed out, is whether other commuters would be affected.

MP Gan Thiam Poh, who sits on the Government Parliamentary Committee for transport, agreed.

The Pasir Ris-Punggol MP said: "I like the idea. It is a seamless way of ferrying people to their destination. The only catch is to avoid the peak hours."

PRIORITY

Mr Lim Biow Chuan, who sits on the same committee, added that priority should be given to commuters.

"If (the train chartering) is done at the expense of service delivery, then it is not acceptable," he said.

Both MPs felt that SMRT should not be penalised if the trains were not chartered at commuters' expense.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA)had said on Tuesday that it is looking into taking action against SMRT for failing to seek the necessary approval.

A spokesman said the operator needed approval as "LTA is responsible for ensuring that train services to the public are provided as scheduled, and that any additional trips in the network do not adversely affect such services".

SMRT has since acknowledged this.

Before the ACS (I) charter, SMRT had worked with other schools to use its trains for events such as National Day Parade rehearsals, said Mr Patrick Nathan, SMRT's vice-president for corporate information and communications.

SBS Transit, the other train operator, does not offer train chartering services, said Miss Tammy Tan, its senior vice-president of corporate communications. She added that bus charters are restricted to national events such as the Youth Olympic Games.

Of the possible penalty on SMRT, Mr Lim, who is MP for Mountbatten GRC, said: "As long as (the train chartering) doesn't affect service delivery, I don't see why we need to say this is an absolute no-no. There is scope for innovation, there is scope to allow the transport operators to think out of the box."

Adding that he saw pictures of the ACS (I) students in the chartered trains, affectionately termed the ACExpresS, Mr Lim said: "They looked like they were having a time of bonding and camaraderie. I can see why the school wanted to (charter trains) for them."

This article was first published on August 28, 2014.
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SINGAPORE - It was a well-thought out and well-executed plan to get the 3,000-strong student and staff body to come together as one school to support its rugby team.

After all, this is the first inter-school rugby finals being held at the new National Stadium and the team from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) was up against defending champions St Andrew's Secondary.

What better way for the whole school to arrive in one spirit?

Principal Winston Hodge was, after all, thinking out of the box.

Chartering five MRT trains to take the school from One North station directly to the Sports Hub also freed the roads of having to accommodate 85 buses, if they had decided to take the latter route.

It was a great idea because it cuts down the school's carbon footprint - or so I thought.

Yet, ACS (I) was bashed online for their move.

They were called snobs, show-offs for "travelling to the game in style".

I would not call getting cramped in a car, with many students standing and equally as many sitting on the floor, travelling in style.

Photographs in the media showed how packed the trains were.

'COST EFFICIENT'

Was this, then, a waste of resources?

Mr Hodge had said that, after considering "competitive pricing, convenience and safety", going to the game by train stood out in terms of cost efficiency.

If the school had chosen to go by the conventional way, they would have needed at least 80 buses.

Over 80 buses picking up the students, travelling in a convoy to the Sports Hub and alighting all 3,000 people would have meant a lot more resources and traffic disruption.

Do the maths.

In the past, SMRT worked with schools to charter trains and transport students for large-scale events such as National Day Parade rehearsals, with the most recent on July 12. This was also reported in the media.

So how different was that from the ACExpresS?

When the then-Raffles Junior College was moving to its new premises in 2004, it, too, had chartered SMRT trains to ferry the students to Bishan, its current home.

I am sure about 850 old boys and girls, who were then first-year RJC students, would remember fondly the ride on the non-stop "Mass Rafflesian Transit" train from Buona Vista to Bishan station.

That was celebrated. Then, too, it made the news.

Was there a backlash?

No.

Did SMRT get rapped on the fingers then?

No.

Then why is the train operator being threatened with punishment this time round?

SMRT said passengers were assured that train intervals were maintained at normal service levels at all times.

There were no reports of disruptions during the time when ACS(I) students were boarding the specially chartered carriages.

It was most unfortunate that when pictures of the trip were posted on social media, some netizens slammed and continue to slam the decision to allow public transport to be used for private purposes.

Now, would there have been no public backlash if this had been any school other than ACS (I)?

Singaporeans, especially the young, are often encouraged to think out of the box.

Looking at the backlash over a school that decided to approach a transportation challenge differently, if would be sad if it signals that Singaporeans would rather retreat into the box, once again fearing change.

This article was first published on August 28, 2014.
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SINGAPORE - Train operator SMRT has acknowledged that it should have obtained the authorities' approval before allowing Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) to charter five trains to take students to a rugby union match.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) told The Straits Times yesterday that SMRT has explained to the regulator why it allowed Tuesday's charter and admitted that prior approval should have been sought. LTA did not reveal the reason.

The LTA spokesman said: "As a regulator, LTA is responsible for ensuring that train services to the public are provided as scheduled, and that any additional trips in the network do not adversely affect such services."

SMRT did not answer questions from The Straits Times.

ACS(I) had chartered trains from One-north station to take at least 3,000 staff and students to the Singapore Sports Hub at Stadium MRT station for its match with St Andrew's Secondary.

The LTA issued a statement later on Tuesday saying it would take "appropriate action" against SMRT. The authority has not said what penalty it could mete out, if any.

The episode has sparked controversy among the public, especially on social media.

Most people that The Straits Times spoke to felt SMRT should have sought approval from the authorities before it entered into the private arrangement.

Auditor Joshua Goh, 26, said: "Trains are a public service so while I understand that they were trying to support educational and sporting causes, they should do it in the right way."

Others said they were not too bothered, as long as their commute was not affected.

Education manager Michel Veltman, 49, who used to live in Holland, said: "This happens sometimes in the Netherlands, and no one really cares."

While some felt the episode was simply an issue between the LTA and SMRT, others questioned whether the school did the right thing in chartering the trains in the first place.

Some felt the school was being considerate in chartering separate trains so that other commuters would not be affected by students packing the regular trains.

Facebook user Marie Lim said: "Thanks for being considerate and not crowding the public trains, and for cutting down traffic by not having 20-30 extra chartered buses on the roads."

Chairman of the ACS board of governors Richard Seow, who spoke in his personal capacity, said: "This is a national school event involving two government-aided schools at the National Stadium, not a private party."

Mr Seow added that train schedules were not disrupted. "The scheduled trains still ran and the chartered trains ran in between the regular trains."

ACS(I) student Dominick Wee, 15, who took the chartered train that day, played down suggestions that a group of privileged students had been travelling in luxury. "We were super squashed and some of my friends had to sit on the floor," he said.

However, Mr Kleve Tan, writing on The Straits Times Facebook page, said the incident showed that train services could be improved.

"If they can allocate five extra trains on top of (the) regular (scheduled ones), why can't they keep the five trains running daily to ease congestion?"

Additional reporting by Tjoa Shze Hui

This article was first published on August 28, 2014.
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SINGAPORE - I refer to the article, "The ez way to help senior citizens beat seat hoggers" (My Paper, Sept 2), about the Tap 'N' Sit chair developed by a group of students from Nanyang Technological University.

While the idea is good, it is impractical and will result in underutilisation of the seats.

This is because the reserved seats in MRT trains are meant for more than just the elderly.

In fact, the project's details posted online mention that "in the current Mass Rapid Transit, the priority seats are mainly for four categories of people: the handicapped, pregnant women, the elderly and passengers with children".

If the seat can be activated only through the use of a senior citizen's ez-link card, the people in the other three categories would be unable to use it.

Giving special ez-link cards to the other three categories of people would create other problems, such as getting pregnant women to return the cards after they have given birth.

Besides these four categories of people, there are some who may be fit most of the time, but, at some point, may require the seats more than those in the four categories, such as a person who has fractured his leg, has a giddy spell or is simply just too tired.

Furthermore, not all elderly people are incapable of standing or maintaining their balance in the trains, whether they are holding onto the straps or poles.

Based on the cost projection mentioned in the project's details, it is uneconomical for SMRT, SBS Transit, and, in the future, the Land Transport Authority to purchase this type of seat, which is not only unable to solve the problem, but also introduces others.

Steven Lee

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Construction work has officially begun on two more MRT stations on the $24 billion Thomson-East Coast Line, which will connect residents living in the northern parts of Singapore directly to the city centre and the east.

It will bring schools, offices and amenities closer to their homes, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday, when he officiated at the ground-breaking ceremonies of Lentor and Mayflower stations. They are adjacent stops on the line and are located in Ang Mo Kio GRC, which Mr Lee represents in Parliament.

The 43km line will be opened in stages, with the last batch of stations slated to open in 2024. Both Lentor and Mayflower stations are expected to be ready in 2020. Work on Woodlands South and Springleaf stations has already started.

The sixth MRT line will "make public transport more convenient and attractive", Mr Lee said yesterday morning.

By 2030, the rail network will double and eight in 10 households will be within a 10-minute walk from a train station, he said.

And with the Bus Service Enhancement Programme, 1,000 more buses will be plying the streets by 2016.

"I hope you can go out, leave your car at home... Leave your car at home a few more times, then you may decide you don't need to have a car and you don't need to have a COE after all," he said to laughter at the Lentor event, which was also attended by Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Seng Han Thong.

Lentor station is located at Lentor Drive, near Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4.

With plans to develop the area around the station towards Teacher's Estate, Lentor will be a vibrant place to live in by the time the station opens, said Mr Lee. "It demonstrates our determination to make Singapore a good home."

The design of Mayflower station, which is in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, is inspired by Kebun Baru's active bird-singing club. The estate is home to a field that has room for more than 1,000 bird cages, where large crowds gather on Sundays. The station architecture, therefore, will be bird-themed, with images of songbirds and a lattice design inspired by bird cages.

MP Inderjit Singh, who oversees Kebun Baru, said residents are excited as the new station will significantly improve their ability to connect to the rail network.

It will also have seven exits. The ward, explained Mr Singh, "runs very long", along swathes of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Avenue 4, among others. And with 35 per cent of the estate's residents being elderly, he hopes to provide exits closer to their homes.

asyiqins@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on September 07, 2014.
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SINGAPORE - SMRT said on its Facebook page at 1.53pm that this was due to a "train fault" at Redhill MRT station. A second update at 2.16pm said that normal services had been restored.

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SMRT said this on its Facebook page at 1.53pm:

Please note that due to a train fault at Redhill Station, train services will be delayed by about 20 minutes. Free bus services are available between Outram Park and Queenstown stations. We apologise for the inconvenience.

At 2.16pm, it said:

Please note that normal train services have now resumed. Free bus services are still available. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

SINGAPORE - Apart from easing crowding along what are also Singapore's most heavily-utilised lines, the bigger train fleet will also allow more trains to undergo maintenance and upgrading works, the Land Transport Authority said.

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Here is the statement from the Land Transport Authority:

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operator SMRT Corporation (SMRT) will be adding another 29 new trains to further boost the capacity of the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL) and to meet higher ridership demand.

Together with the procurement of 41 trains earlier announced by the LTA and SMRT in March 2013, these 29 new trains will bring the NSEWL fleet to 198, or a 40 per cent increase from the current fleet, by 2019.

These new trains are expected to arrive progressively between 2016 and 2019. Apart from easing crowding along the more heavily-utilised stretches of the NSEWL, the bigger train fleet will also allow more trains to undergo critical maintenance works and older trains to be upgraded as part of the ongoing programme to upgrade the NSEWL's signalling system.

The additional 70 trains in total will also meet the higher ridership needs of an expanded MRT network, when the Tuas West Extension on the East-West Line and the Canberra station on the North-South Line open.