58,000 commuters affected by NEL train disruption

[Useless]

58,000 commuters affected by NEL train disruption
By Sara Grosse | Posted: 10 January 2013 2045 hrs

Shuttle services were activated at designated bus stops to provide free bus rides for affected commuters. (Photo: Dylan Loh)

SINGAPORE: Some 58,000 commuters were affected on Thursday when train services between HarbourFront and Dhoby Ghaut stations on the North East Line (NEL) were disrupted for six-and-a-half hours.

Rail operator SBS Transit said the disruption was traced to three broken U-shaped bolts between the HarbourFront and Outram Park stations, resulting in a power trip.

The fault is similar to one that had occurred in last August in the same tunnel section.

The stainless steel U-bolts in question were checked following the August incident and found to be in good working condition.

SBS Transit has decided to replace all U-bolts in the tunnel, starting with the section between HarbourFront and Outram Park stations.

This initial section contains about 1,900 U-bolts and is expected to take about three months for the replacement to be completed.

SBS Transit said it is working with the Land Transport Authority to review and examine all possible causes and contributory factors to the recent incidents.

Commuters were first alerted to the train disruption at about 10am on Thursday.

In addition to signboards, SBS staff wearing "Goodwill Ambassador" were also on the ground to advise and direct commuters on where to go.

Shuttle services were activated at designated bus stops at around 10.30am to provide free bus rides.

Commuters were informed at around 12.30pm that train services would resume in the late afternoon.

And shortly after 4.30pm, the full NEL service was up and running.

This is not the first time the NEL has been disrupted.

On December 20 last year, some 26,000 commuters were affected by a train fault.

- CNA/fa

 

[spotter542]

Erm , who did they vote for ?

 

[mojito]

No response? It is clear. It no longer matters.

 

[Useless]

Stiffer fines for train disruptions
By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 10 January 2013 1409 hrs

File photo of passengers alighting from the train at Raffles Place station.

SINGAPORE: Transport operators will face stiffer penalties for train disruptions.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) plans to peg the maximum penalty to a percentage of the operator's annual fare revenue from the affected MRT line to hold them more accountable.

It aims to complete the required legislative changes later this year. The LTA said this will help to ensure that the maximum penalty is sufficiently commensurate with the emphasis on ensuring a safe and reliable rail network.

The Transport Minister visited SMRT's Bishan Depot on Thursday morning to get an update on the operator's measures to improve the rail network's reliability.

One of the measures is a sensor fitted on trains to detect a sagging power rail on the North-South and East West Lines.

Mr Lui said: "S$1 million will not be the maximum if it was a very severe disruption and that is the intent of the amendment.

"The message to the operators has always been that you really have to step up to improve the reliability and the safety. While they exceed the KPIs that we set for them, my feel is that there is much work that can be done."

The current maximum penalty that can imposed on operators is S$1 million. The penalties for breaching operating performance standards and codes of practices will also be adjusted - to make them more effective as deterrents.

Operators can also be penalised if there are too many train delays lasting more than five minutes.

The Rail Transit Systems Act will be amended to reflect the changes.

For the two train disruptions on the North-South Line in December 2011, SMRT was fined the maximum penalty of S$1 million for each incident.

SMRT's annual fare revenue for all MRT lines for the financial year ending 31 March 2012, reached S$569.9 million.

The LTA is also exploring ways to reduce waiting time for commuters during non-peak periods.

It is aiming to bring down the waiting time to five minutes, except for periods when ridership is extremely low.

Efforts to achieve this for the North-South and East-West lines are underway.

The improvements for the North East and Circle lines can be expected when new trains arrive in 2015.

In light of the stiffer penalties that are to come, SMRT's CEO Desmond Kuek said his company will focus on improving reliability of the network. "Our focus is really not on the quantum of the penalties. Our focus is rightly on improving service quality service standards to make sure there are no train disruptions in the first place, then there will be no penalties that will be relevant to us."

- CNA/ck/xq

 

[songsongjurong]

if military general cannot resolve these problem, perhaps a demi-god or two from the PAP need to be brought in....

 

[laksaboy]

What's the point of fining? Left pocket transfer money to right pocket, in the end still feeding the worthless scums in the govt.

If the signalling system is fucked up, rip it out and replace it. Do it in phases to minimize disruption.

 

[Logisex]

Combat engineers can build a bridge within minutes so what took them 6.5 hours to fix 3 broken bolts?

 

[Dinosaur]

if military general cannot resolve these problem, perhaps a demi-god or two from the PAP need to be brought in....

So what does it say about Desperado Desmond bringing in more army generals to help him?

 

[songsongjurong]

during MRT works/maintenance, they don't appease the unseen ? perhaps burning some joss stick, incense papers, offering etc 初 一,十五 got 拜拜 boh ? ..it might just work....

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Lets hope many of those commuters that kena affected today are PE voters

 

[Travellor]

was there any response frm the newly minted overpaid ecx army boys in the LTA?

so whose fault is it now?

 

[Bigfuck]

Lets hope many of those commuters that kena affected today are PE voters

Wait for the real breakdown. It is coming. A product of HJ through the Saw. Next to look at could be water company.

 

[kiwibird7]

What's the point of fining? Left pocket transfer money to right pocket, in the end still feeding the worthless scums in the govt.

If the signalling system is fucked up, rip it out and replace it. Do it in phases to minimize disruption.

FINES only result in a lower bottom line which could translate into justifying fare increases to the PTC.

There should be DEMERIT points for every train disruption. Exceeding a certain threshold of points would mean automatic disqualification from applying for fare increases for a specific time frame (1 year or more)

Then the SMRT CEO would really have to buck up the reliability of transport services.

 

[winnipegjets]

What happened to our world-class transit system?

 

[halsey02]

Lets hope many of those commuters that kena affected today are PE voters

Let us hope that PE voters, can see the future & not be looking at life between their ass holes, now they are going to get one that specializes in ass holes!! hmmm :(

 

[johnny333]

FINES only result in a lower bottom line which could translate into justifying fare increases to the PTC.

There should be DEMERIT points for every train disruption. Exceeding a certain threshold of points would mean automatic disqualification from applying for fare increases for a specific time frame (1 year or more)

Then the SMRT CEO would really have to buck up the reliability of transport services.

It won't work because the major share owners i.e. the PAP, would not want to sacrifice their dividens. There are also many "friends" of the PAP working in SMRT.