February 2013

Bringing New And Extended Rail Lines To You By 2025/2030

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By 2030, eight in 10 Singapore households will be within a 10-minute walk of a train station.

In wanting to make public transport a choice mode of travel for commuters, the LTA has announced ambitious plans to build new MRT tracks and stations around the island, which will expand the 178km length of Singapore’s rail network today to about 360km in 2030.

The LTA is going to double the rail network by 2030, by building two completely new MRT lines across the island and lengthening existing lines.

Good News: New MRT Lines Island-Wide

2 Good News: New MRT Lines Island-Wide

4 Towards An Inclusive And Liveable Community

5 Better LRT Services For Sengkang Commuters

6 Ramping Up Train Standards

8 When Is Your MRT Station The Least Crowded?

9 Bus Passengers: Move In Some More, Can?

10 LTA Veteran Wins Outstanding Project Manager Award For Woodsville Interchange Upgrading

11 MyTransport.SG (Mobile) Wins International Award

12 Fun Facts! Stop & Read!

CONTENTS

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Cross-Island Line (CRL)

The 50km Cross-Island Line will run across the span of Singapore from Changi, passing through Loyang, Pasir Ris, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Timah, Clementi, West Coast, before terminating at Jurong Industrial Estate. It will provide commuters an alternative to the current East-West Line. It will also connect to all the other major radial lines to serve as a key transfer line. The targeted completion is 2030.

Jurong Region Line (JRL)

The 20km Jurong Region Line will serve residents of Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay and future developments in the Tengah area. It will connect these areas to main activity nodes in Jurong West including NTU, the Jurong Industrial estate including Jurong Island, and the future Jurong Gateway. Commuters in the north will also be able to enter the Jurong region directly via the Jurong Region Line, without having to interchange at the heavily-used Jurong East interchange. The targeted completion is 2025.

These three lines will be lengthened to better serve commuters living or working in those areas:

1. Circle Line Stage 6 (CCL6) will ‘close the circle’ by connecting HarbourFront to Marina Bay station.

2. The North East Line will be extended northwards by one station to serve Punggol North including the new Punggol Downtown.

3. The Downtown Line, which now ends at Expo station, will be extended to the Eastern Region Line by 2025.

1 Minister for Transport Mr Lui Tuck Yew (left) on board the new Downtown Line Train.

2 Expansion of rail network by 2030.

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Better Connections

You are ready to go to work, but it’s pouring and you have to walk to the nearest MRT station.

Good news. More sheltered linkways are going to be built island-wide.

In the estimated $330 million Walk2Ride programme, the LTA will build sheltered linkways within a 400 metre radius from all existing MRT stations, compared to the current 200 metres.

Developments within a 200 metre radius of all bus interchanges, LRT stations and high usage bus shelters will also be linked up via sheltered linkways.

About 200 kilometres of linkways will be added island-wide by 2018 – more than four times the existing 46 kilometres today.

Easier Access

For those who have difficulty walking up and down stairs, the LTA is building lifts for some 40 pedestrian overhead bridges, that are located within 200m of MRT stations, bus interchanges or integrated transport hubs, within 100m of bus hubs and LRT stations and 100m of health institutions, welfare homes, and special needs school.

The retro-fitting will be in phases and the entire project is expected to complete by 2018, and will cost about $60 million.

Reducing Train Noise

To cut down on the rumbling noise that residents near tracks hear, the LTA is looking at putting up an estimated 20km of noise barriers on tracks which are particularly close to residential areas.

The location of the barriers are based on an island-wide LTA study in September 2011, along the entire length of the elevated train tracks, which identified areas which exceed an average of 67 decibels an hour (about as loud as a vacuum cleaner).

The barriers, which will cut the noise levels by 5 or 10 decibels, will cost around $300 million. Works to install the barriers will begin towards the end of 2013 and is expected to complete by 2020.

The Government is spending nearly $700 million to improve public transport accessibility and liveability.

Towards An Inclusive And Liveable Community

1–3 More sheltered linkways, pedestrian overhead bridges with lifts and noise barriers along railway viaducts amongst measures to contribute to a more inclusive and liveable community.

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Better LRT Services For Sengkang Commuters

From the start of this year, the people living in Sengkang have been enjoying better LRT services from SBS Transit, which runs the Sengkang LRT system:

• The new Cheng Lim LRT station on the Sengkang West LRT line has opened for service, bringing the LRT to the doorsteps of people living around there.

• Trains on the Sengkang West LRT run in both directions throughout the day, instead of only during the morning and evening peak hours.

• An additional 1,033 trips each week have been added to the Sengkang West LRT line. Train frequency is maintained at three to four minutes during weekday peak hours and five to six minutes at other times.

The service improvements will meet the needs of an estate, where average daily ridership on the Sengkang West LRT grew by a third to about 16,000.

1 Cheng Lim LRT station on Sengkang West LRT loop opened on 1 January 2013.

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Ramping UpTrain StandardsIn response to a report by a Committee of Inquiry after the North-South Line train service disruptions in December 2011, the LTA has strengthened the Rapid Transit System (RTS) regulatory framework as part of overall efforts to improve rail service reliability.

The LTA has implemented a formal process requiring train operators to track and report data relating to the state of their trains. Independent three-yearly reviews will be done to see if maintenance is sufficient.

On the part of the train operators, every train is inspected every three-weeks, and various equipment will undergo maintenance every three, six, and twelve-months. All trains are checked daily before they are allowed to be rolled out for service.

Worn-out parts will also be replaced before a breakdown occurs. At the SMRT, a special diagnostic system has also been installed to provide real-time detection of train wheel defects so these defects can be quickly fixed.

Maintaining Trains

PHOTO | COURTESY OF SMRT

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The SMRT has installed special sensors to detect third rail sags. Once a sag is detected, it will be fixed immediately. It is also using new methods to more efficiently ensure that the third rail is in good condition.

From the maximum $1 million which rail operators could be fined in the past for train disruptions, the LTA is raising the cap to a percentage of an operator’s annual fare revenue for the affected line.

The LTA is also making sure that in the event of a train disruption, the train operators are well-prepared to manage the situation, from the arrangement of bus bridging services to the manning of customer service hotlines.

After every 500,000km travelled, which takes about 3½ years, SMRT trains are overhauled.

As the trains are ageing, they will be upgraded. Major train systems that have reached their life-limits, or have become obsolete will be upgraded or completely replaced. Some of these systems include the trains’ propulsion system, bogie, air-conditioning system, brake system and structural re-enforcement.

Detection Sensors for Rail Sags

Stiffer Fines for Train Disruptions

Upgrading of Trains

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1 – 4 Some of the works that have been taking place in the train depot and along the rail tracks.

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Fancy a more comfortable ride?

Check out the Travel Smart page on the LTA website. Updated photos taken at 15-minute intervals show the train platforms of selected high traffic MRT stations at weekday peak hours.

So if you use the Bishan MRT station, you would know that it appears to be at its most crowded between 8am and 9am, and you could plan your trip to be either slightly before or after that hour.

This initiative is part of a national effort for people to adjust their times of peak hour travel, so that public transport can be more comfortable and smoother.

When Is Your MRT Station The Least Crowded?

Travel Smart

Go to www.lta.gov.sg, click on Travel Smart which appears in the section ‘Public Transport Commuters’

INSINC

Check out www.insinc.sg and join if you aren’t already a member.

SMRT EARLY TRAVEL DISCOUNT

For details, type in ‘early travel discount’ in the search bar of www.smrt.com.sg

GET REWARDED!

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To get passengers to move toward the rear of the bus, the LTA has introduced friendly message stickers on the bus windows, reminding them to do so.

This series of stickers can already be seen on some new buses since December 2012, and will be rolled out on another 550 buses over the next five years.

ThereareseveraltimeswhenIhavenotbeenabletoboardmybusbecausepeopledonotmovetotheback,andIendupbeinglateformymedicalappointments.Thestickersareastepintherightdirection.

Mr Joseph Lam,75Retiree

Thestickerslookcheerfulandthemessagesarefriendly.Iamsurepassengerswillrespondtothem.

Mr Justin Chew,27CivilServant

Friendly message stickers on buses to encourage bus passengers to move toward the rear.

Bus Passengers: Move In Some More, Can?

1 This series of friendly message stickers can be spotted on selected buses since December 2012.

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Which year did you join LTA?

It was in 1985 when I took on the job as a site engineer with the then Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC). It was the initial phase of the building of MRT system in Singapore and I was involved in the Bishan Depot project. Over the years, I have been given many opportunities to work for rail and road projects.

Can you tell us more about the challenges of the Woodsville Interchange upgrading?

This was the most challenging project I had ever worked on. We had to construct three new vehicular tunnels within the limited space bounded by the existing PIE, North East Line and the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System. Adjacent to the interchange were over 350 structures comprising of old shop houses, residential houses, condominiums and office buildings.

We also had to manage and ensure safe and smooth traffic

flow in the busy and heavily trafficked road interchange during the entire construction period. At least 50 traffic diversions throughout the construction period were implemented.

How did you overcome these challenges?

We engaged the community and stakeholders. Besides briefings and regular newsletter updates, we set up the “Project and Community and Control Centre” where stakeholders could view the architectural models to fully appreciate the complexity and challenges of the project as well as efforts that LTA put in to ensure that construction is carried out safely.

How has working in the LTA over the years developed your skills and professional expertise?

I am very fortunate to have been involved in both rail and road projects of various scales and complexities, which have

sharpened my skills. Working and communicating with people from different technical professions has also broadened my knowledge and made me very versatile. I am also very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with many talented people, who became my mentors.

What have been some of your most satisfying moments at LTA?

On a micro level, what I value most is when my team and I work hard and sweat together, and we successfully and safely deliver a project. Then we all share the joy of saying to each other “Yes, we have done it!”  

On a macro-scale, I am so happy to be a part of the LTA family. As we help to shape the landscape of our land transport system, there are so many exciting and challenging moments that we share and I am proud that we have achieved so much together.

1 Mr Sadikin (left) receiving an award from Acting Minister for Ministry of Manpower and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of National Development, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin.

The upgrading of the Woodsville Interchange is one of the most complicated and challenging LTA projects, as it involves building three road tunnels and one flyover in an area with heavy traffic, around the intersection of Serangoon Road, Upper Serangoon Road, MacPherson Road and Bendemeer Road.

The LTA Deputy Director behind it, Mr Sihan Sadikin, has just picked up an Outstanding Project Manager award from the Society of Project Managers Singapore. The LTA veteran with 25 years experience had also managed the successful completion of the Dover MRT station and many other projects.

Connect speaks to Mr Sadikin.

LTA Veteran Wins Outstanding Project Manager Award For Woodsville Interchange Upgrading

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If you aren’t already using MyTransport.SG (Mobile), go check it out.

LTA’s mobile information app - which provides useful real-time information for all land transport users in Singapore - has been recognised by an international organisation as one of the best demonstrations world-wide of how emerging media can be used.

MyTransport.SG (Mobile) won the Visionary Award at the international Summit Emerging Media Award (EMA) 2012, which is presided by an international panel of judges.

The Visionary Award goes to organisations which show unusually keen foresight in the field of emerging media.

This also makes LTA the first Asia-Pacific organisation to win the Visionary Award since it started in 2007.

MyTransport.SG (Mobile) Wins International Award

CHECK OUT MYTRANSPORT.SG ON YOUR MOBILE BROWSER OR DOWNLOAD THE APP TODAY.

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Connect is a bi-monthly newsletter of the Land Transport Authority. All rights reserved. © 2013Please contact Connect Editor regarding permission to reproduce any material within. ISSN:1793-4931Editor: Sharon Lok (sharon_lok@lta.gov.sg). Editorial Assistant: Lim Shi Jie (shi_jie_lim@lta.gov.sg). Corporate Communications Group

These Did-You-Know posters are displayed at MRT stations along the Circle Line.

So if you are a Circle Line commuter, do slow down, read the posters and take some time to reflect the enormity of work which went into the train line you are travelling on right now.

Imagine filling 77 Olympic-sized swimming pools with soil.

That is the amount of soil which had to be dug out in order to build the Botanic Gardens MRT station!

This is just one of many interesting work-related facts and figures which the LTA has pulled out to share with commuters, so you know what goes on behind-the-scenes.

Fun Facts! Stop & Read!