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."
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