Connect with us

Singapore

Track fault on East-West Line causes delays, frustration among commuters

A track fault at Jurong East MRT station on 4 July caused significant delays on the East-West Line, adding up to 30 minutes to travel times. Despite alternative transport options, commuters expressed frustration over poor communication and timing of updates from SMRT.

Published

on

SINGAPORE: A track fault at Jurong East MRT station early this morning has caused significant delays and frustration for commuters on the East-West Line (EWL). The fault, which occurred around 5am, resulted in trains travelling at slower speeds, adding up to 30 minutes to travel times.

At 7.25am, SMRT announced the fault on their Facebook page, informing commuters of the slower speeds and the need to allow for additional travel time.

Free regular bus and bridging bus services were made available between Clementi and Boon Lay stations to mitigate the impact. Commuters were advised to use alternative lines, including the North-South Line (NSL), Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), and Downtown Line (DTL), to reach their destinations.

Despite these measures, commuters expressed their frustration and confusion over the instructions provided by SMRT. Many felt the communication was inadequate and poorly timed.

One commuter highlighted the impracticality of the advice given: “The announcement keeps emphasizing to people to take alternate lines which is not applicable for people who are stuck in trains and on platforms! Hope SMRT has some common sense & empathy. The announcement done by station staff, their tones are very fierce too. Maybe they should not even say much. How can we get into the North-South Line or Downtown Line when we first need to get to the interchange station JE! We are anxious while stuck at Lakeside MRT. Bridging bus is only at Boon Lay MRT & Clementi MRT only.”

Another commuter criticized the timing of the information release: “You have a track fault at JE from 5am, but then you don’t broadcast the info till now, when the rush hour crowds are already on the trains and on the way there? And I also don’t see any info boards displayed at the red line stations to inform commuters on it. Most of the people are clueless about the situation and could have taken alternate routes to avoid.”

Further frustration was voiced over the perceived underestimation of delays: “You sure it is just up to 30 mins? More than an hour and I am still stuck at JE. No announcement for bus service. Just announcing to take NSL to Raffles Place and City Hall. Not the first time train/track fault! With so much experience, SMRT can do better than this.”

Another commuter pointed out the lack of clear communication: “The announcement on the train towards JE from Woodlands said there is a fault but never mentioned where and how it disturbs. So nobody cares. It should be something like ‘trains from JE to Clementi are affected’. Work on your communication.”

SMRT has assured that engineers are on-site working to rectify the fault and restore normal service as soon as possible. They have apologized for the inconvenience caused and emphasized that the safety of commuters is their top priority.

As of now, commuters are encouraged to remain patient and consider alternative routes as the situation is being resolved.

Further updates will be provided by SMRT as they become available.

Due to the disruption, taxi bookings via apps have surged. For example, taking a cab from Lakeside MRT to the city costs S$52.30.

Share this post via:
Continue Reading
28 Comments
Subscribe
Notify of
28 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Just say/announce ChowCheeHong is at fault.Mamba & gang will soon put him to “pasture”

Maps for all the spam

Spam

Last edited 3 months ago by Blankslate

Spam

Last edited 3 months ago by Blankslate

It appears that the track junctions near the Clementi Depot have not been well-maintained. If you take the East-West Line. Notice how the trains remain slow between Tradehub 21 and Clementi Fire Station.

Even the buses are moving faster.

What is the excuse now, that train track infrastructure is solely under the purview of the LTA? Still not enough money?

Spam

Last edited 3 months ago by Blankslate

Should upgrade our mrt trains to mini bullet trains…..can boast to the whole world right Sgov???…richest and most expensive city

MRT old already need to change new, not only repair. MRT so noisy when traveling, tracks all so old like want to breakdown anytime. Now it is modern time, China, even Indonesia and many nations have high speed trains. But Singaporeans travel from east to west so long, surely there are new trains system now to shorten traveling time. Government should accept all my suggestions and do what government peach- listen to everyone and accept everyone suggestion. Don’t talk only, action now.

Last edited 3 months ago by Petrus Romanus

Not again please!!? Many heads at LTA and MRT must roll.This repeated lapses must stop.

ForeSEE this is how 他妈sack can earn yearly bonuses for all its board of directors when MRT breakdown and many commuters changed to take Grab even when it is at exorbitant fare rates.

Chee Hong kia will say within international standards. No issue at all.

Let’s move on.

Let’s GET it CORRECT ONCE and For ALL. Rising costs ARE from SCREWED Up maintenance, IMPROPER operations – NOT from materials or labour strictly per se – think STRONG Sing Dollar, and cheap labour with low 3rd world quality helps lower costs – DO NOT ALLOW PAP to BS all the way thru when they’re NON TRANSPARENT and NOT accountable.

DUE to INEFFICIENT Ops, so costs RISING – since besides its a Monopoly, ez to do, EZ to force commuters to PAY UP.

So, how Costs RISE? PAP has the answer.

After running MRT for nearly 40 years with both jam-packed EW and NS lines, SG is still fighting in the dark, clueless to train up-keeping.

Still need to hire expensive top foreign engineering firms to mitigate breakdowns. Who pay for these? Commuters.

And who keep the fat salaries and compensation? Top managements and it’s affiliates. Look at Cleopatra, she have a few supercars and earned untold million dollars running SMRT but causes it to constantly breakdown and she still get to keep the millions and we all have to suffer for years

The PAP has VOWED to make SG car lite. Any figures and statistics to support and prove the honesty of PAP Administration fulfil it’s promises?

When COE bidding money has filled their pockets indirectly so bulging for DONKEY of years, do they really talk cock OR breaking promises is what they SPECIALISE in?

Why don’t SG Govt Services decide to DEMOLISH 100s of empty HDB Car Pks to increase flat supply to Lower flat prices that EATS VORACIOUSLY into seniors Retirement Adequacy INSTEAD of WAITING for PAP political ORDERS when chopping down trees is preference?

Last edited 3 months ago by 80twenty

The Govt of SG services BLAME GAME is so perfect and excellent – why it has never mentioned anything wrong occurred in SG as “LOONG’S FAULTS”?

Blame it on LOONG can villify to VOTERS that this Govt Service for the People IS NOT MANIPULATED by a Political Party, PAP to serve PAP objectives.

Govt Services CAN serve MUST serve SG and its people BCZ IT’S NOT PAP pax taxes. It’s the VOTERS and PEOPLE pay taxes for the Govt Services to Function and SERVE to KEEP SG working NOT to KEEP PAP in cruel power over people.

Since Chee Hong came on board, things are not going well at all. And this chap is quick to ownself praise ownself and cover himself first rather than to be proactive and accountable.

LW should stop this No Blame Culture for his miws as some are getting tardy. At this rate, our country starts to gradually go downhill.

He should recall $8 heart KBW, Mr Fix it to do the job competently.

What do you think?

Just what is “track fault”???

If it is a design problem/constraint, then call it a design fault.
If it is poor servicing, then call it a maintenance fault.
If it is incompetent management, then call it a management fault.
If it is clueless leadership, cannot fix things once and for all, then call it a leadership fault.
If after spending big money but still having faults, then call it possible Corruption.

Of course, if cannot win strong mandate in elections, then call it a Free Riders fault. KNN, hor.

One tiny country needs so many MRT lines??
Digging and drilling all around our SG never seems to stop..
Sgov brot in too many foreigners and still more coming in like no tomorrow!
now even our transport systems are feeling the pressures to cater for the addition load of passengers ..nonstop for at least 18hrs a day, everyday 365days a year!
What wont breakdown?

On ordinary days that je mrt station is always jam packed..no matter the time of day…..trains stopping at that stn too…mostly full..
Can only imagine the situation , when such incidents happen..omg!
Im only worried for school children travelling alone to school…esp the younger ones.. how scared they must feel caught up in the crowded platforms…

Frankly, Singapore’s track record of damage control is very dismal.

One would have expected MRT, with its (unfortunately) vast experience of train breakdowns, to get the message out in clear and concise fashion.

However, from comments, obviously MRT staff are as blur as a sotong.

Where is that damn Instruction Manual on what to do during breakdowns? And is there really an SOP in the first place? And if indeed an SOP exists, throw that piece of s**t out and get an updated and improved one done.

Blame game.

Millionaire Idiots. Let’s see hear and understand what’s next in your blame game bag.

Convince voters what’s the fault now. We know and FULLY COMPREHEND humans ARE CERTAINLY NOT involved – less worry, citizens won’t blame the PAP.

We will BLAME GOVT SEVICES ONLY bcz as ALWAYS PAP takes credit, Govt Services of SG, Statutory Boards takes blames.

Trending