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Transport Woes...

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Train fault causes morning rush hour delay on Circle Line
Published JULY 29, 2021

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TODAY file photo
Commuters on the Circle Line on March 23, 2021.

SINGAPORE — A train fault caused delays along the Circle Line during the morning rush hour on Thursday morning (July 29).

Line operator SMRT informed commuters about the delay in a social media post at about 9am.

Its first post advised commuters to add 30 minutes of travel time between Caldecott and Kent Ridge. It said in subsequent posts that train services would be further delayed.

At 10am, it posted another update to inform commuters that train services between Caldecott and Kent Ridge had resumed.

Free regular bus services were available between Bishan and HarbourFront, it said. A train shuttle service was also available between Caldecott and Kent Ridge.

At Buona Vista station, an interchange between the Circle Line and the East-West Line, passengers were encouraged to opt to take the shuttle bus.

"Can you please take a bus to go because it's going to take a very long time. Power failure," said one staff member as commuters began to crowd in the station. CNA
 

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Train fault between Bugis and Outram MRT stations cleared: SMRT​

Commuters at Bugis MRT station on Aug 19, 2020.


Commuters at Bugis MRT station on Aug 19, 2020. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
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Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent

Aug 24, 2021

SINGAPORE - If you are taking the train on Wednesday morning (Aug 25), you might want to avoid the East-West Line.
Operator SMRT has announced that a train fault is causing delays between Bugis and Outram stations. The congestion in the city centre portion of the line is in the direction of Tuas.
SMRT said at 7.20am that the delay was about 15 minutes, but commuters who were on affected trains tweeted in response that it was much longer, at closer to 30 minutes, and was affecting a longer stretch of the line.
At 7.46am, SMRT said service was progressively being restored.
When contacted at 10.44am, SMRT told The Straits Times that the fault has been cleared and it has no further update.
 

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SBS Transit bus driver arrested after female pedestrian, 46, dies in Ang Mo Kio accident​

The police said they were alerted to the accident involving a bus and a pedestrian at 6.47am.


The police said they were alerted to the accident involving a bus and a pedestrian at 6.47am.PHOTO: STOMP
Shermaine Ang

Aug 25, 2021


SINGAPORE - A 46-year-old female pedestrian died on Wednesday morning (Aug 25) after she was hit by an SBS Transit bus in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.
The bus driver, 56, has been arrested for careless driving causing death.
The victim was trapped under the rear wheel of the bus. She was extricated by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) using hydraulic rescue equipment and subsequently pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic, the SCDF said.
The police said they were alerted to the accident involving a bus and a pedestrian at 6.47am.
Ms Tammy Tan, SBS Transit senior vice-president for corporate communications, told The Straits Times: "We are deeply sorry that this has happened and are trying to get in touch with the next-of-kin to offer our condolences and assistance.
"We will do our best to help and support them during this difficult time. Meanwhile, we are assisting the police in their investigations."

The police are investigating the fatal accident.
 

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Track fault at HarbourFront station cleared: SBS Transit​

A photo from Aug 4, 2021, shows commuters at HarbourFront MRT station.


A photo from Aug 4, 2021, shows commuters at HarbourFront MRT station.PHOTO: ST FILE
Gena Soh

SEP 2, 2021



SINGAPORE - A track fault held up the morning commute for passengers travelling on the North East Line on Thursday (Sept 2).
Operator SBS Transit announced on Twitter at 8.52am that a track fault at HarbourFront would add 10 minutes of travel time to all commuters along the North East Line. The delay was extended to 20 mins at 9.11am.
At 9.21am, the operator said that the track fault has been cleared and the train service is back to normal.
"We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused," it said in a tweet.
 

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Tighter measures at bus interchanges needed after Covid-19 clusters​

There were at least 314 Covid-19 cases at eight bus interchanges as at Wednesday night.



There were at least 314 Covid-19 cases at eight bus interchanges as at Wednesday night.
ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID

Isabelle Liew and Clement Yong

SEP 3, 2021

SINGAPORE - The growing Covid-19 clusters at bus interchanges suggest that workplace practices across different interchanges could be causing the virus to spread, said an infectious disease expert.
This warrants closer investigation, said Dr Leong Hoe Nam from the Rophi Clinic, as he called for measures at these places to be tightened.
There were 314 Covid-19 cases at eight bus interchanges as at Wednesday (Sept 1).
"It could be the rest areas, the way they hand over and talk. There might also be a need to look at toilets, where they take out their masks, wash their faces - the toilet may turn out to be the most contaminated place," he said.
"The really essential workers, who cannot afford to fall sick, should wear proper surgical masks instead of cloth masks. I still see some people using last year's National Day Parade masks - those are not good."
There are about 9,500 bus drivers here, and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has said that 99 per cent of front-line public transport workers have completed their first dose of a vaccine.

More than 95 per cent are fully inoculated, and in the light of recent developments, workers have been told to take their meals and smoke breaks alone, regardless of their vaccination status.
Assistant Professor Terence Fan at the Singapore Management University's Lee Kong Chian School of Business, who specialises in transport issues, said another way to minimise risks is to set up plexiglass panels around the bus driver's seat.
The National Transport Workers' Union trialled this measure in the wake of assaults on bus drivers last year. It has not been widely adopted, in part due to continuing concerns that the reflection caused by these panels affected the vision of drivers.
Prof Fan also suggested increasing the frequency of rostered testing for bus drivers until the current wave subsides. Right now, the frequency of testing differs by bus operator.

Most commuters interviewed said they were not overly worried about the growing clusters.
Mr Tan Chong Tee, 71, said he usually tries to avoid places where there are Covid-19 clusters, but has to take a bus home from Jurong East Bus Interchange five days a week.
The interchange had a total of 28 Covid-19 cases linked to staff members there as at Wednesday.
"There's only so much I can do, I wear a mask and follow the regulations, so if I get it, it can't be helped," said the fully vaccinated factory worker.

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Workers have been told to take their meals and smoke breaks alone, regardless of their vaccination status. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Undergraduate Nirmal Kishore, 23, who frequents Tampines Bus Interchange - where there is another cluster with a total of 23 Covid-19 cases - said he tries not to touch surfaces in buses in case they may be contaminated.
"I try to make sure I come into contact only with the bus seat and I'll try not to touch the handles. But I have hand sanitiser with me at all times so it's not much of a concern," he said, adding that he is fully vaccinated.
Ms Xue Lianli, 49, a part-time cleaner who works near Jurong East Bus Interchange, said she avoids touching her face while in public areas. "I sanitise after I get off the bus. I still have to come here for work, so I just make sure to wear my mask properly everywhere," she said.
Covid-19: Bus interchanges clusters could be super-spreader events, says expert | THE BIG STORY
Prof Fan said it is not clear at this point if all the bus drivers were infected by the same strain, and that the situation will be clearer after virologists' analyses.
For those who live together and are close contacts of one another, however, the risk of mutual infection is increased. Even without such factors, the risk of exposure for bus drivers is already "inherently high" as they come into contact with hundreds of commuters every day.
He added, however, that the practice of interlining - where bus drivers ply different routes, sometimes in the same shift - might not be as dangerous as it sounds, as the number of commuters the driver is exposed to remains roughly the same.
"It does not hurt to encourage more instances of working from home in the meantime," Prof Fan noted.
"This can help reduce the number of commuters on buses and slow down any continuing spread."

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There were 314 Covid-19 cases at eight bus interchanges as at Sept 1, 2021. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Dr Leong said vaccinated commuters need not panic and can take additional precautions such as wearing two masks, or ones that loop around the back of their heads.
"It's simple physics - the tighter the mask to the cheek, the more you breathe in filtered air," he said.
"Bus interchange clusters are highlighted because of contact tracing, but the same scenario may happen to, say, a popular nasi lemak store with many people queueing.
"Some people might ask why (bus interchange clusters did not occur) earlier, but the opportunity had not arisen, the virus was maybe not as transmissible."

 

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Commuters may see longer waits for buses if Covid-19 clusters at bus interchanges worsen​

Contingency plans are in place to lengthen the intervals between bus services if more bus drivers are affected.



Contingency plans are in place to lengthen the intervals between bus services if more bus drivers are affected.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
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0Clement Yong

SEP 2, 2021

SINGAPORE - Commuters may have to wait longer for buses if Covid-19 clusters at public bus interchanges continue to grow, though the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said there is no major impact on bus operations for now.
At a briefing on Thursday (Sept 2) on the clusters, the authority said contingency plans are in place to lengthen the intervals between bus services - starting with routes with the lowest demand - if more bus drivers are affected.
These plans were worked out with the public transport operators before the pandemic, for cases of severe manpower disruption.
As at Wednesday, 284 front-line staff at bus interchanges have tested positive for Covid-19. Another 200 or so staff are in quarantine.
These together amount to less than 5 per cent of the 11,000 front-line staff in the bus sector, the LTA noted.
"Any lengthening of bus service headways required will be progressive, starting with low-demand bus services to minimise the impact on commuters," the LTA said.

The Straits Times understands that at least one service is already running at longer intervals.
Bus controllers will adjust the bus schedules as needed, which could lead to commuters waiting five to 10 minutes longer.
LTA chief executive Ng Lang said the more stringent measures announced on Thursday prioritise the safety of bus drivers.
"What has changed in this situation now is that fact that we have more Covid-19 cases and the variant is a lot more transmissible. The workers are very much like us, they are members of the community, and they are exposed to the same risks," he said.
Some of the foreign bus drivers stay together in rented flats, and ST understands that there are no plans as of now to make adjustments to where and how workers live.
Such living arrangements are also in place in other industries. For instance, some foreign nurses and hawkers from other countries also stay in rented flats.

 

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341 Covid-19 cases now linked to bus interchanges, with 21 new cases​

There are now 341 cases in the eight bus interchange clusters.


There are now 341 cases in the eight bus interchange clusters.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Rosalind Ang

SEP 2, 2021

SINGAPORE - The Covid-19 clusters at eight bus interchanges now have 341 cases, with 21 new cases reported on Thursday (Sept 2).
Toa Payoh Bus Interchange has the highest number of cases, standing at 104 cases.
In all, there were 187 new locally transmitted cases reported on Thursday and four imported cases for a total of 191 cases.
This is the highest number of cases since Aug 10, 2020, when there were a total of 175 community cases.
There were also 113 unlinked cases, or nearly 60 per cent of the locally transmitted cases on Thursday.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said there are now 65 active clusters, ranging between three and 1,155 infections each.

The new cases bring Singapore's total to 67,991.
The number of new cases in the community has more than doubled from 405 cases in the week before to 922 cases in the past week.
The number of unlinked cases also more than doubled, from 118 to 332 cases over the same period.
Currently, 528 patients are hospitalised.

There are 27 people who require oxygen supplementation, and five are in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU). From this group, 12 of the patients are fully vaccinated.
Of those who have fallen very ill, 22 are seniors aged above 60. Of these, 12 are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

MOH added that over the last 28 days, 8.2 per cent of those who are unvaccinated became severely ill or died, while the proportion of those fully vaccinated in this category is 1.1 per cent.
In total, 80 per cent of Singapore residents have received two doses of the vaccines, and 83 per cent have received at least one dose.
 

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No evidence of Covid-19 clusters at bus interchanges spreading virus to commuters: Iswaran​

Transport Minister S Iswaran said the priority now is to ensure that both transport workers and commuters are safe, and that the public transport system continues to function.



Transport Minister S Iswaran said the priority now is to ensure that both transport workers and commuters are safe, and that the public transport system continues to function.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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Toh Ting Wei

SEP 3, 2021


SINGAPORE - There is currently no evidence that Covid-19 clusters in bus interchanges have resulted in spreading the virus to commuters, said Transport Minister S. Iswaran on Friday (Sept 3).
"The experts have said that there is no evidence of any spread to commuters but we will continue to make sure we observe all the safeguards that have been put in place," said Mr Iswaran.
"If there is a need to do more, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will work with public transport operators to do so."
Mr Iswaran was speaking to the media on the sidelines of Land Transport Industry Day at the LTA office in Bedok.
He said the priority now is to ensure that both transport workers and commuters are safe, and that the public transport system continues to function.
As at Wednesday, 314 cases - including 284 bus drivers and service staff at bus interchanges - have been reported. The rest are their household contacts and members of the public.

The bus depot clusters grew to 341 cases on Thursday.
On how the drivers could have been infected, Mr Iswaran said medical experts are still studying the issue.
"It's plausible that they may have contracted (the virus) from the community, but at the same time, it is also the case that there could have been some spread at the workplace because of the fact that they come together for certain types of activities," Mr Iswaran added.
He said there is no major impact on bus services as of now.

"This is something... we are tracking very closely, because we need to make sure that the bus captains are well enough to do their job and do it safely."
He also said that there has to be a balance between the welfare of the drivers and public health when tightening the safeguards in place at the bus interchanges.
Covid-19: Safe to ride public buses but take necessary precautions, says expert | THE BIG STORY

Several new measures to reduce the risk of transmission at bus interchanges were announced by the Land Transport Authority on Thursday.
Staff resting and dining areas in all public bus interchanges have been segregated, with only one staff member allowed to sit at each table to dine.
For instance, at Tampines Concourse bus interchange, the restrictions mean only 10 staff will be able to dine in each time.
Covid-19: No evidence of bus interchange clusters spreading virus to commuters | THE BIG STORY

To more quickly pick up cases of infection, bus drivers and staff manning service counters in bus interchanges will also have to undergo routine testing at least once a week from Thursday.
Before this, transport operators conducted antigen rapid tests (ART) mostly on an ad hoc basis at bus interchanges on a portion of staff. All staff at a particular interchange were then required to take ARTs when a positive case surfaced. Those who subsequently tested positive or whose results were inconclusive were sent for further polymerase chain reaction swabs.
The tightened measures that cover more than 11,000 front-line staff in the bus sector were put in place in the wake of growing Covid-19 clusters at eight public bus interchanges here - Toa Payoh, Boon Lay, Punggol, Jurong East, Bishan, Sengkang, Tampines and Clementi.
 

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Bus interchange Covid-19 clusters likely to be workplace transmission: Kenneth Mak​

The number of Covid-19 cases linked to eight bus interchanges have ballooned to more than 300 people.


The number of Covid-19 cases linked to eight bus interchanges have ballooned to more than 300 people.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
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Cheryl Tan

SEP 6, 2021

SINGAPORE - The cluster of cases at the bus interchanges is likely to be a workplace transmission, though investigations so far have not identified specific modes of transmission, said Singapore's director of medical services Kenneth Mak on Friday (Sept 3).
"It is highly likely that spread has occurred within the work environment, possibly due to mask-off interactions during rest periods at the bus interchanges," he added.
The results of preliminary phylogenetic tests support the view that the cases are likely a workplace transmission event, Associate Professor Mak said at a press conference held by the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19.
Phylogenetic testing compares different virus genomes and helps scientists deduce the index case of a Covid-19 cluster.
The number of Covid-19 cases linked to eight bus interchanges has ballooned to more than 300 people.
The interchanges are: Toa Payoh, Boon Lay, Punggol, Jurong East, Bishan, Sengkang, Tampines and Clementi.



However, it is not clear how infection had first been introduced to the bus interchanges, said Prof Mak.
"But given the higher number of cases in the community presently, it is not unreasonable to expect that introduction of infection occurred from the community," he added.
He noted that some bus drivers may have become infected in the community, and then, in turn, infected other bus drivers in the interchange.
"We've also seen some infected bus captains bring infection back into their households, infecting their own household members," he added.

There is currently no evidence as yet of there being any passengers or users of public transport being exposed and infected with Covid-19, so the clusters still appear to be confined to the workplace at the bus interchanges, noted Prof Mak.
"The measures announced yesterday by the LTA will prevent potential further spread of infection at the workplace, which helps us to better manage the clusters," he said.
Covid-19: Safe to ride public buses but take necessary precautions, says expert | THE BIG STORY

The Land Transport Authority on Thursday introduced a slew of tighter measures to curb Covid-19 spread at bus interchanges.
This includes segregating staff's resting and dining areas at bus interchanges, with only one staff member allowed to sit at each table for meals.

Bus drivers and staff manning service counters in bus interchanges will also have to undergo routine testing at least once a week.
"We are mindful of the need to be targeted and focused in our public health actions, so as not to unduly compromise essential transport services while seeking to disrupt further transmission at the interchanges," said Prof Mak.
He added that the Ministry of Health will continue to work closely with the LTA and the bus companies for bus drivers to be tested regularly using antigen rapid test kits, which will supplement the testing operations that are already being conducted at some of the bus interchanges.
More than 7,000 of the staff at the interchanges have been tested so far, with about 2 per cent of them having tested positive for Covid-19.
"It will take the rest of this week for the situation to stabilise and we anticipate that the number of cases from the interchanges may start coming down in the following week," he added.
Reiterating this, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that the number of new cases at the interchanges have been slowly coming down.
For instance, at Boon Lay Bus Interchange, there were 21 new cases on Monday, compared with five new cases on Friday. Similarly, Toa Payoh Bus Interchange had 20 new cases four days ago, compared with three new cases on Friday, Mr Ong noted.
"The cases are actually coming down, but the overall figures are going up, mainly contributed by unlinked cases and those needing classification, but these are not cases detected through swab operations at the bus interchange," he said.
He added that measures such as testing, isolating, contact tracing at the bus interchanges have been working in suppressing infections.
 

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Video Of Some 30 Cyclists In Tuas Goes Viral, Triggering Safety Concerns​

They were seen hogging 2 out of 3 lanes.
By Amanda Yeap

5 Sep 2021


Large Group Of Cyclists Spotted Travelling On Jalan Bahar In Tuas​

Road safety is an evergreen topic in Singapore. It always sparks intense discussion when videos of ostensibly reckless driving crop up online.
Despite everything that has been said and done about safe cycling on roads, the message might have flown right over the heads of some.
This morning (5 Sep), a motorist shared a video of a large group of cyclists travelling in Tuas.

Concerned over road safety, netizens urge authorities to take action against errant cyclists.

Cyclists hog 2 lanes along Jalan Bahar in Tuas​

According to the video posted to the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, a motorist said he encountered a horde of cyclists travelling on Jalan Bahar early Sunday. He urged them to ride safely.
In the 51-second footage, we can see some 30 cyclists captured in the frame.

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However, it is unclear whether they are cycling together in a huge group or simply strangers who decided to cycle along the same road at the same time.
Although the road has 3 lanes, we can see that the larger group travelling in front ended up hogging 2 lanes.
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Source
This essentially left the motorist with no choice but to travel only on the rightmost lane.

Netizens urge for action to be taken​

Many netizens were rightfully perturbed by the video, citing safety issues. Some, like these two, urged the Land Transport Authority to enforce safe riding and take action against errant cyclists.
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One bemoaned the lack of awareness by cyclists, saying that they should be “automatic”, presumably referring to the initiative in following the rules.

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Another lamented that cyclists should stick to one lane and show respect for the other lanes.
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Many others were equally concerned over the act of road hogging as they occupied 2 out of 3 lanes.
Under the Road Traffic Act, those who ride a bicycle, power-assisted bicycle, trishaw or tricycle on the road must ride their vehicles to the far left edge of the road.


Be considerate of others when you’re on the road​

Cycling is a common hobby among Singaporeans now. But we must always be considerate of others and practise safe riding no matter the time of day.
Perhaps, the cyclists in question may have assumed it was okay to ride on 2 lanes since it was still early in the morning.

It might be okay to ride side by side with your kakis, but road hogging is often frowned upon and, more notably, a punishable offence.
Here’s a list of 8 cycling rules you might unknowingly break so that you’re more aware next time. Travel safely, everyone.


 
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Covid-19 infections linked to S'pore bus interchange clusters rise to 504, with 30 new cases​

The cluster at Toa Payoh bus interchange has 161 cases after nine new cases were added on Sept 6, 2021.



The cluster at Toa Payoh bus interchange has 161 cases after nine new cases were added on Sept 6, 2021.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Isabelle Liew

SEP 7, 2021

SINGAPORE - The number of Covid-19 cases linked to staff at eight bus interchanges now stands at 504, with 30 new cases reported on Monday (Sept 6).
The cluster at Toa Payoh bus interchange has 161 cases, after nine new cases were added, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily update on Monday night.
Twelve new cases were also added to the cluster at Boon Lay bus interchange, taking its total to 126.
The clusters at the Tampines, Clementi, Sengkang and Jurong East interchanges each grew by between one and four cases.
No new cases were added to the Bishan and Punggol interchanges.
Meanwhile, the Bugis Junction cluster had five new cases, with a current total of 283.

The North Coast Lodge cluster grew to 196 cases, with 16 new cases added, while five cases were linked to the Changi General Hospital cluster, which now stands at 51 cases.
MOH added that four clusters have been closed. With no new clusters, there are currently 53 active clusters of infection.
Singapore reported a total of 241 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, including 235 locally transmitted cases and six imported ones. There were 110 unlinked locally transmitted cases.
Six of the locally transmitted cases were seniors above 70 who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, and at risk of serious illness.

There are 637 Covid-19 patients still in hospital.
These include six in critical condition in the intensive care unit, and 21 who require oxygen support.
Overall, the number of new cases in the community has increased from 723 cases the week before to 1,325 cases in the past week.
The number of unlinked cases in the community over one week has also increased from 146 cases to 573 over the same period.

MOH also gave an update on vaccination in Singapore, noting that around 8.79 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered under the national vaccination programme.
As at Sunday, 81 per cent of the population have been fully vaccinated, while 83 per cent have received at least one dose, added the ministry.
Singapore has had 55 deaths from Covid-19 complications.
 

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Sprinklers in MCE tunnel activated on Sept 7, but no fire reported​

Videos showing water spraying on vehicles were circulating on social media platforms with traffic congestion at the exit.


Videos showing water spraying on vehicles were circulating on social media platforms with traffic congestion at the exit.PHOTO: ST READER
Isabelle Liew


SEP 7, 2021

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the water-based firefighting system in the eastbound tunnel of the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) was set off on Tuesday afternoon (Sept 7).
LTA said the sprinklers were automatically activated at around 12.55pm, near the exit leading to Fort Road towards East Coast Parkway in the direction of Changi Airport.
LTA told The Straits Times there was no fire within the tunnel.
Videos showing water spraying on vehicles were circulating on social media platforms with traffic congestion at the exit.
LTA said the water discharge was switched off at around 1pm, and traffic resumed.
7sep2021 kpe free carwash in kpe tunnel

It is investigating the cause of the incident.


This is not the first time sprinklers were activated in the partly undersea tunnel.
In March 2019, fire sprinklers were accidentally triggered in the MCE after the East Coast Parkway/Fort Road entrance.
Separately, a section of the eastbound MCE tunnel was closed for two hours due to a burst water pipe in January 2018.
In May 2017, sprinklers before the exit to Fort Road were accidentally set off.
And in April 2015, a contractor working in the tunnel had accidentally activated the water-based firefighting system.

 

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Forum: No wrongdoing by oBike, but no sight of deposit money lost by users​

SEP 15, 2021

I'm appalled by the outcome of the investigation into oBike's operations here (Police probe finds no evidence of wrongdoing by oBike, Sept 7).
As a victim, I still cannot believe how a company can simply forfeit monies collected that were meant to be deposits for using bicycles.
We completed a spreadsheet requesting personal details, and submitted old credit card statements as proof of payment (I'm baffled as to why we needed to do so), but there is still no sight of our monies being refunded. While guidelines and best practices for bike-sharing operations have been improved - bike-sharing firms now have to pay a performance bond to the Land Transport Authority - the grievances of victims of oBike's exit are still left unaddressed.

Chong Kah Weng
 

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If it was a Singaporean bus driver, the Straits Times would have reported "the bus driver, a Singaporean...."
So, what was the nationality of the bus driver?

Elderly passenger who fell in SBS Transit bus dies after week-long struggle in hospital​

Mr Siah Keok Tiang suffered injuries to his head and multiple fractures when the bus he was on braked hard on Sept 8, 2021.


Mr Siah Keok Tiang suffered injuries to his head and multiple fractures when the bus he was on braked hard on Sept 8, 2021.

PHOTOS: SIAH HWAN LING/FACEBOOK
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David Sun

SEP 17, 2021

SINGAPORE - A grandfather of five, Mr Siah Keok Tiang, 68, was an independent man who loved his family deeply.
He suffered from renal failure a decade ago, but sought a healthy lifestyle so that he could be there for his grandchildren.
But on Sept 8, the elderly man was involved in an accident that left him fighting for his life.
For about a week, he drifted in and out of consciousness in the intensive care unit, as medical staff hovered around him tending to his multiple injuries.
These included a punctured lung, fractured spine and bleeding in the brain.
His family had encouraged him to keep fighting to get better so that he could return home to see his sixth grandchild, who is due to be born.

But this was not to be.
Mr Siah died on Thursday morning (Sept 16) at around 7am, after a week-long struggle that has left his family distraught.
Speaking to The Straits Times, his daughter Siah Hwan Ling, 30, said the family is still coming to terms with his death.
"He never made it home," she said.

"We've been praying so hard, hoping for a miracle. He was perfectly fine before, and now just about one week later, he's gone."
Mr Siah was on bus service 175 at about 11.50am on Sept 8, and was on his way home from the Sakyadhita-NKF Dialysis Centre in Upper Boon Keng Road.
The bus was on North Bridge Road and neared the stop at Bugis Cube, where he was going to alight, when it braked suddenly as a car purportedly cut into its lane.
Mr Siah, who was in the first seat near the front door, had just stood up when he was flung forward.
The driver immediately stopped the bus and the Singapore Civil Defence Force was called.
The police later arrested the 43-year-old car driver for careless driving and causing grievous hurt.

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Mr Siah Keok Tiang (back row, centre), 68, died on Sept 16, 2021. He was a grandfather of five who loved his family deeply. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SIAH HWAN LING

Ms Siah posted an appeal on social media for witnesses to come forward.
She said she broke down when she saw her father unconscious, and realised that he could not even raise his hand.
She added that many witnesses had come forward since her post, but all of them had seen only the aftermath.

On Thursday, she described to ST how the family had struggled to visit him in hospital because of the numerous measures as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Only five people could be registered, and only two people could see him each time, with a time limit of 30 minutes per day," she said.
"The doctors and nurses did their best to accommodate us, but we still struggled because of the restrictions."
Her brother, Mr Siah Peih Wee, 39, had just visited their father on Wednesday night (Sept 15), and had returned home past midnight.
But at about 4am on Thursday, he received a call from the hospital to rush down as the elder Mr Siah was in critical condition.

The eldest son told ST that the hospital made special arrangements for him and his two siblings to see their father just before he died.
"It was at about 7am, and we were reading a Buddhist sutra verse to him, hoping for a miracle," he said.
"But just as we finished the last words of the verse, his heart stopped."
The family said the agony of how they lost their father, coupled with having had to cope with the visitor restrictions in his last moments, has taken a heavy toll on them.
The police said they are still investigating the incident.

Ms Tammy Tan, senior vice-president of corporate communications at SBS Transit, said it is very sorry to learn of Mr Siah's death, and is assisting the family.
Ms Siah said the family has since seen security camera footage of the incident.
She urged motorists to show courtesy on the roads.
"All my father wanted was to see his grandchildren grow up," she said.
"We hope motorists can show kindness on the roads, with simple gestures like giving way. We hope no one else has to go through this ever again."
Mr Siah’s wake will be held at 117 Jalan Tenteram from Friday evening, and the funeral and cremation will be on Sept 22.
 

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At this Tanah Merah junction, red does not mean stop for speeding drivers and cyclists​


On weekend nights, hundreds of cyclists ply Tanah Merah Coast Road. But the increase in cycling activities close to motorists, particularly lorries who are seen running red lights, is a cause for concern, say experts.
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Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

Sep 28, 2021

SINGAPORE - Traffic rules appear to be taking a back seat among lorry drivers, motorcyclists and bike riders in Tanah Merah Coast Road, part of a popular route among cyclists.
This is a cause for concern, say road safety advocates.
Motorists and riders have been seen running red lights and making illegal U-turns at a junction of the road close to Changi Naval Base, along the route taken by cyclists to get to and from Changi Village.
On weekend nights, hundreds of cyclists ply the road.
Some use the Park Connector Network (PCN) while others take the bicycle lanes - often in close proximity to some heavy vehicles that do not slow down or come to a stop when the traffic lights turn red at the junction.
Cyclist Soraya Abdullah, 27, prefers using the PCN as many tipper truck drivers appear to be in a rush.



She told The Straits Times: "They rule the roads here and you usually hear them approaching before you see them. If there is a red light camera here (at the junction), I'm sure they will all slow down."
Weekend cyclist Thomas Lim said a lorry had recently overtaken him with barely 30cm of space between the two parties near Changi Cargo Complex.
However, Mr Lim, who is in his 50s, said the road near the naval base has more space - three lanes for motorists and one for cyclists - to manoeuvre safely.
The risky driving behaviour in Tanah Merah Coast Road goes against the downtrend in the number of red-light running violations and accidents in the first half of 2021.
Red-light violations dipped 0.8 per cent to 23,952 in the six months ended June from 24,147 a year ago while red-light running accidents fell to 47 from 51.
Average Speed Cameras, which detect vehicles moving faster than 70kmh along 4km of Tanah Merah Coast Road, end about 100m before the naval base junction.
After leaving the enforcement area, some heavy vehicles ignore the lower speed limit of 60kmh.
Mr Bernard Tay, chairman of the Singapore Road Safety Council, said that sometimes when nobody is watching in the early morning, motorists will take chances.
He called for people to observe the rules, noting that it is a matter of a couple of minutes' wait.
He told ST: "If everybody plays by the rules and behaves, there will be fewer accidents."
There have been a handful of close shaves and accidents between heavy vehicles and other road users, including cyclists, posted on Facebook and YouTube in the last one year.
Cyclists, some of whom do not wear helmets or have lights on their bicycles, can also be seen putting themselves in danger by gunning across red lights.
Mr Steven Lim, 54, vice-president of safety and education at Singapore Cycling Federation, said there is no excuse for flouting traffic signals.
He said: "For many years, we keep saying that cyclists are also road users. But if cyclists want people to take them seriously, they have to respect the (traffic) rules."

Mr Lee Wai Mun, chief executive of Automobile Association of Singapore, is concerned that some tipper truck drivers are paid on a per-trip basis, which could cause them to rush deliveries.
Continued education, such as taking defensive driving refresher courses, should be encouraged. As it is not a requirement, the take-up from heavy vehicle drivers is low, said Mr Lee, referring to AA Singapore's Crash Prevention Course.
He urges motorists to share the road space because of Singapore's limited infrastructure.
"We get feedback from motorists who say they nearly run into cyclists because as they approach a junction, the cyclist zooms out from nowhere," said Mr Lee.
The Traffic Police said it will not hesitate to take tough enforcement action against errant motorists who choose to flout the traffic rules and endanger other road users.
"Speeding and red-light running are serious traffic offences that can cause injury and death," a police spokesman told ST.
"Motorists and cyclists are advised to take the necessary precautions when driving or riding on roads such as being alert at the time, always keeping a proper lookout, and abiding by all traffic rules."


Vehicles seen ignoring red lights, stop signs​

The drama usually begins after 10pm between Thursdays and Saturdays.
This is when hundreds of cyclists use the Park Connector Network and bicycle lanes at a junction near Changi Naval Base on Tanah Merah Coast Road.
Heavy vehicles, especially some tipper trucks, have been spotted on both sides of the road running red lights.
Motorcycles are also prone to doing the same when the roads are emptier after midnight.

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The motorcycle furthest from the camera has just run the red light at the junction close to Changi Naval Base on Tanah Merah Coast Road. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN YUSOF

The incidents were observed by The Straits Times, which kept watch on the area from June to September following feedback by cyclists.
They had said that heavy vehicles plying Tanah Merah Coast Road have been speeding and running red lights at the junction.
The hours of video and camera footage of the nocturnal driving habits also showed that while most cyclists follow traffic rules, others who ride in a large convoy consciously speed up near the junction.

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Near the junction along Tanah Merah Coast Road towards the ECP, a bicycle lane sits on the left of three lanes for vehicles. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN YUSOF

They include a handful of cyclists who ride diagonally - from the left side of the bicycle lane to the right of the road - in order to make illegal U-turns.
It appeared that most of the tipper trucks know that the red light turns green after about 20 seconds.
Some lorry drivers coast in anticipation of the lights turning. A few get it wrong when they overshoot the stop line as the light turns red.
The risky driving and riding behaviour is not limited to Tanah Merah Coast Road.
Such behaviour is commonly seen in industrial areas such as Kranji, Sungei Kadut and Tuas, places that ST had also observed following tip-offs from the public.
While the focus is on failure to stop at traffic junctions due to red lights, some people in Kallang and Toa Payoh have also warned that even "Stop" signs are being ignored by motorists.

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Motorists failing to give way to a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing in Toa Payoh North last week. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN YUSOF

A 70-year-old cleaner, who gave her name only as Madam Choy, told ST she dreads crossing Toa Payoh North to get to her workplace, Xin Yuan Community Centre at Block 205. She said: "Cars don't slow down or stop when you stand next to the pedestrian crossing. So, I wait for them to move off before I cross the road."
Just before the pedestrian crossing, the roads are marked with "Stop" signs.
ST's video footage showed most vehicles do not stop even though they are required to under the law.
 

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Quote: "...the panel recommends that the Government take firm enforcement action against errant riders to deter errant behaviours,...".

Oh really? Isn't the Government already supposed to be doing this all along: take firm enforcement action? What has been the outcome? There are still too many errant riders.

No bicycle registration needed; motorists should keep 1.5m distance when passing cyclists: Panel​

The panel added that cyclists are strongly encouraged to take up third-party liability insurance.



The panel added that cyclists are strongly encouraged to take up third-party liability insurance.ST PHOTO: SYAMIL SAPARI
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Toh Ting Wei

Oct 1, 2021


SINGAPORE - A panel tasked with reviewing the rules for on-road cycling has recommended that cyclists limit their group length to a maximum of five bicycles in a single file.
"If the group is considered a slow-moving vehicle on the road, it is about the length of a bus," said the Active Mobility Advisory Panel (AMAP).
This was one of several recommendations the panel made in a report which was submitted to Minister for Transport S. Iswaran on Friday (Oct 1).
The AMAP also said that bicycle registration and licensing of cyclists are not recommended at this point, due to various disadvantages.
It said: "Such measures could also raise barriers to the take-up of cycling in Singapore and disproportionately affect more vulnerable groups of cyclists, including seniors and individuals who rely on bicycles for work and commute."
There was also no evidence from other countries that "such resource-intensive regimes are effective in deterring errant cycling, or enhancing road safety", it said.


The AMAP also recommended that cyclists be allowed to continue riding two abreast on roads with two or more lanes "for their safety and visibility".
In addition, it said a guideline should be introduced in the Highway Code and driving test handbooks for motorists to keep a minimum distance of 1.5m when passing cyclists on roads. This will provide greater clarity on how road users should interact to enhance safety.
The AMAP had previously given recommendations on other issues such as rules around the use of electric scooters, with the recommendations generally taken up by the Government.
It had been tasked by the Government to look into rules for on-road cycling after a debate erupted online in April over whether rules should be tightened.
On the proposed new rule to limit the group length of cyclists, the panel said that it would facilitate safer interactions among road users while providing flexibility for cyclists to ride in groups. The rule would allow "a maximum group size of five cyclists in a single file or 10 cyclists when riding abreast".
The panel also called for the introduction of a guideline for cyclists to keep a safe distance of about two lamp posts, or around 30m, between riding groups.
It added that cyclists are strongly encouraged to take up third-party liability insurance, which aids compensation to victims in accidents. The insurance will protect cyclists from potentially expensive claims.

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The rule would allow "a maximum group size of five cyclists in a single file or 10 cyclists when riding abreast". PHOTO: ST FILE

In its final recommendation, the panel urged the Government to step up public education efforts among road users, such as the development of a new on-road safety practical guide for motorists and cyclists.
"While most cyclists are law-abiding, the panel recommends that the Government take firm enforcement action against errant riders to deter errant behaviours, as road safety is a shared responsibility and all users have a role to play," the panel added.
The Transport Ministry will review the recommendations before giving its response.
 

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Quote: "There are, however, cyclists who do not adhere to the regulations....Despite formal complaints, the authorities have been unable to address this issue adequately."

And this problem will continue.

Forum: Being considerate to fellow road users is key to safety​

Oct 5, 2021

I applaud the recent recommendations made by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel (Amap) to improve safety around on-road cycling (Review panel seeks limit of 10 on-road bicycles in a group, Oct 2).
Being considerate to fellow road users and exercising common sense would be a sustainable long-term strategy. One does not have to break any law to be deemed inconsiderate.
Singapore motorists should exercise due consideration when they see cyclists in a single file ahead of them.
I have witnessed cars overtaking such cyclists, only to make an immediate left turn, forcing the cyclists to brake. Instead, these motorists should be patient, and keep behind the cyclists.
Allowing cyclists to ride abreast in groups (on multi-lane roads) would enhance the visibility of cyclists and discourage dangerous overtaking manoeuvres. These groups would simulate a "slow-moving vehicle". However, cyclists should also be considerate and stay in one unit as a "vehicle".
I have seen vehicles safely overtaking a group of cyclists, only to have these cyclists "split up" and "reform" in front of the same vehicle whenever there is a slowdown in traffic speed.

Cyclists should also refrain from hogging an entire lane during peak-hour traffic, and the authorities should consider regulating this.
Any attempts to shape behaviour on our roads should be geared towards the safety of cyclists.
That being said, responsible motorists should not be unduly penalised when errant cyclists get hurt or killed as a result of their own carelessness or recklessness.
The majority of Singaporean cyclists are considerate and safe. There are, however, cyclists who do not adhere to the regulations.
These cyclists may be seen cycling (often abreast) against single-lane one-way traffic on Tyersall Avenue (just before Gallop Road), posing a danger to themselves and other road users.
Despite formal complaints, the authorities have been unable to address this issue adequately.

Kevin Sng
 

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SBS driver fined $1,500 for negligent driving, passenger fell and suffered injuries​

For causing hurt by negligent driving, an offender can be jailed up to six months and fined up to $2,500.


For causing hurt by negligent driving, an offender can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $2,500.PHOTO: ST FILE
Osmond Chia

Oct 8, 2021

SINGAPORE - An SBS bus driver who failed to keep a safe distance between his vehicle and a car had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision.
The abrupt act caused a 60-year-old passenger to fall and suffer multiple fractures, injuries to her spine and possible post-traumatic stress disorder.
Ong Chuan Hai, 64, was on Thursday (Oct 7) fined $1,500 after he pleaded guilty to causing hurt by a negligent act.
The Singaporean was disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for two months.
The driver of the car, Tang Toh Pheow, 65, had also been charged with causing injuries to the passenger, Ms Indrani Govindasamy, by negligent driving. His case is pending.
The bus was travelling along Tampines Avenue 7 in the vicinity of Block 370 at around 5.30pm on May 30, 2019.

Tang, who was driving directly in front of the bus, turned on his car's hazard lights, indicating his intention to stop.
The court heard that he wanted to drop off his colleague near the bus stop.
Within seven seconds of signalling, his car came to a stop near the entrance of the bus bay.
Ong braked to avoid a collision, causing Ms Indrani, who was standing near the wheelchair zone of the bus, to lose balance and fall to the floor.
At the time of the accident, the weather conditions were fine and the traffic flow was heavy, according to the court documents.
Ms Indrani was taken to Changi General Hospital, where she was hospitalised from May 30 to June 11.
"By failing to keep a safe distance from the car, which was ahead of him, the accused had failed to exercise the caution incumbent upon him," said Deputy Public Prosecutor Selene Yap in court on Thursday.
For causing hurt by negligent driving, an offender can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $2,500.

In another incident involving a passenger who fell in an SBS bus, a 68-year-old got up from his seat to alight when the driver applied the brakes, as a car purportedly cut into the vehicle's path in North Bridge Road on Sept 8 this year.
The grandfather, Mr Siah Keok Tiang, was thrown forward, said bus operator SBS Transit. He died on Sept 16 after a week-long struggle in hospital, suffering from a punctured lung, fractured spine and bleeding in the brain.
The 43-year-old car driver was arrested by the police for careless driving and causing grievous hurt.
 

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Out-of-practice airline pilots are making errors back in the air​

Deep cuts by airlines left some 100,000 pilots globally working skeleton hours or on long-term leave.


Deep cuts by airlines left some 100,000 pilots globally working skeleton hours or on long-term leave.

Oct 15, 2021

SYDNEY (BLOOMBERG) - Back in the cockpit after time off recovering from Covid-19, an airline pilot forgot to start his plane's second engine for takeoff, a mistake that could have ended in disaster if he hadn't aborted the flight.
Another pilot, fresh from a seven-month layoff because of the pandemic and descending to land early in the morning, realised almost too late he hadn't lowered the wheels and pulled out of the approach just 240m from the tarmac.
Weeks earlier, a passenger plane leaving a busy airport headed off in the wrong direction, flown by a captain who was back on deck for the first time in more than six months.
These potentially disastrous errors all took place in the US in recent months as pilots returned to work. In every case, crew blamed their oversight on a shortage of flying during Covid, the most deadly pandemic since the 1918 influenza outbreak and certainly the only one to have wreaked such havoc on what was a burgeoning global aviation industry.
The incidents are among dozens of mistakes, confidentially declared by out-of-practice pilots since the start of the pandemic, that are stored on a low-profile database designed to identify emerging safety threats.
The monitoring programme, funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is decades old but is now flashing warning signs as planes return to the skies across the world.

Deep cuts by airlines left some 100,000 pilots globally working skeleton hours or on long-term leave, according to consulting firm Oliver Wyman. Many haven't flown for more than 18 months.
But as rising vaccination rates allow travel to resume, concerns are growing that a lack of proficiency, confidence, or simply one moment of forgetfulness could lead to tragedy.
"It is really a critical situation," said Mr Uwe Harter, a grounded Airbus SE A380 pilot for Deutsche Lufthansa AG who's also the executive vice-president for technical and safety standards at the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations. "The last thing the industry needs now is a bad accident."
While some airlines are providing pilots with adequate retraining, others are offering "the bare minimum," if anything at all, said Mr Harter, who himself hasn't flown since February 2020. "The regulations that we have aren't sufficient."

It's not as if authorities are blind to this. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which sets industry standards, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have seen the risks looming for months. Both bodies, as well as Europe's top aviation regulator, have published detailed training guides to help airlines transition out-of-practice pilots back into the air.
But interviews with pilots from Asia and Europe - and the database of anonymous accounts in the US - reveal varying degrees of ability and confidence among those who have returned to duty, including pilots who have completed retraining programmes.
That's partly because no amount of classroom or virtual theory, or practice in a flight simulator, can replicate the real-life pressures of a cockpit. Nor do these preparations fully take into account the psychological, emotional and financial stresses from the pandemic weighing on airline crew.
Aviation has largely been defined by its colossal financial losses - US$138 billion (S$186.10 billion) last year alone and another US$52 billion expected in 2021 - since Covid brought travel to a standstill.
As the industry tries to claw back some of its lost revenue, managing the safety risks posed by returning pilots is an additional burden and one that airlines with stronger balance sheets have the luxury of handling more proficiently than others.
The scale of the problem is partly documented on the US Aviation Safety Reporting System, the database of safety incidents voluntarily reported by pilots, crew and air-traffic controllers.
The pilot who tried to get airborne on one engine in December last year said in his report that his recovery from a Covid infection was "heavy on my mind" and contributed to his "lack of focus." The ASRS reports don't name the crew, airlines or airports involved.
Flight Safety Foundation, a Virginia-based not-for-profit group that advises the aviation industry, said it's aware of the incidents on the ASRS database and is monitoring the situation globally.
"The more we know about potential safety issues, the better we are able to mitigate the risk," Flight Safety Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Hassan Shahidi said.
In a line of work where there's little room for professional error, the dangers become stark. While most of the mistakes are minor - they include flying momentarily at the incorrect altitude or speed, or taxiing across a runway in the wrong place - some of the worst aviation disasters are rooted in seemingly inconsequential missteps.
And worryingly, the number of incidents tied to a lack of pilot proficiency climbed almost immediately after the pandemic began to disrupt commercial flying schedules, according to a February study by the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona.
Dr Rajee Olaganathan, an assistant professor at the university, found one such ASRS report in the eight months before March 2020, then 10 in the next eight months. All of them referred to problems landing the aircraft. In one, a pilot described approaching the runway with too much altitude. "I wasn't at the comfort level I would have liked," he wrote.
Dr Olaganathan said her findings show airlines need to educate pilots about skill deterioration and build suitably tailored training programmes. But crew also need to be candid about their abilities.
"Pilots need to make an honest assessment of their skills and confidence upon returning to work," she said in an interview.
The obvious dangers posed by poor pilots, even before Covid, have made the job one of the most strictly controlled on the planet.
United Nations agency ICAO usually requires pilots undergo two proficiency checks every 12 months and perform three takeoffs and landings every 90 days. They're also subject to examinations from doctors specialising in aviation medicine.
When the pandemic began, ICAO allowed airlines flexibility in meeting these rules because the virus was devastating enough, as long as carriers incorporated other safeguards. But with flying on its way back, the Montreal-based agency says it's becoming less lenient.
"There's going to be a point beyond which you can't stretch standards," said Mr Ian Knowles, a technical officer within ICAO's air navigation bureau, which leads the agency's response to crises. "Standards are there for a reason."
Even so, ICAO is still offering 41 exemptions from the standards in 11 countries including Cambodia, Nigeria and Pakistan, according to its website.
Air Niugini in Papua New Guinea, for example, has been allowed to stretch its pilot-proficiency checks to 12-month intervals because Covid restrictions make it difficult to access flight simulators in nearby Australia and Singapore. Pilots at the airline must instead undergo more theoretical and practical training to compensate, details of the exemption show.
Mr Knowles, who was a British Airways pilot before joining ICAO, concedes that just meeting ICAO requirements is no guarantee of performance.
"You could still be needing that extra edge," he said. "There is a certain loss of confidence and ability that comes with even maintaining the very bare minimum."

It's this element of human variation that makes it hard for regulators to get a handle on the risks posed by recently returned pilots, and the many who are yet to make a comeback.
While commercial flying in the US is 17 per cent off normal levels, activity in Western Europe remains down 35 per cent, according to OAG. The shortfalls are even greater in the Middle East, Southern Africa and South-east Asia, where many international borders remain shut.
In interviews, some pilots who have returned to work report a loss of the muscular memory that once helped them follow procedures on the flight deck without pause. Others wonder if they still possess the clear-mindedness to handle a mid-air crisis.
A senior pilot for Qantas Airways Ltd, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said colleagues who haven't flown for six months typically make one or two minor procedural errors on their return.
They might forget to enter data into the flight computer at the appropriate time, or land the plane harder than normal, the pilot said. Actions that were once immediate and instinctive require more time and thought. That's after refresher sessions in a flight simulator, the pilot said.
"If there's an engine failure or a fire, then you have to implement that procedure," said Mr Amit Singh, a former head of pilot training at Indian airline IndiGo who founded not-for-profit organisation Safety Matters. "If you haven't flown for a long time, it may take you a few minutes or seconds extra."
Despite the mistakes made by pilots since the pandemic, IATA, major regulators and some of the largest airlines insist the risks are under control.
"As the crisis has continued, mitigations to risks that emerged over the past 18 months are getting stronger and more robust," IATA's safety director Mark Searle said.
The FAA said in a statement that its "comprehensive data-driven safety oversight system enables the agency to detect risks and address problems early, including any that may result from pilots returning to work after Covid-related furloughs."
And American Airlines Group Inc and Delta Air Lines Inc, two of the biggest US carriers, say their pilot training exceeds regulatory requirements.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), meanwhile, said it had identified "a small number" of incidents potentially linked to pilot proficiency. Although it warned of the dangers when pilots lose even a little flying ability in August, EASA said in a statement it sees no need for further action.
Yet crew who have come back on duty with little recent flying experience have already come close to disaster. In September last year, a Lion Air Group plane carrying 307 passengers veered off the runway after landing at Medan in northern Indonesia. The pilot had flown less than three hours in the previous 90 days. No one was injured and it's true that serious incidents in aviation in general remain very rare.
There was just one major accident for every 5 million jet flights between 2016 and 2020, according to IATA's latest Safety Report.
Evidence, however, suggests more oversight is needed in certain regions. Many of the safeguards against a lack of proficiency, such as rostering more-experienced crew in the cockpit and running additional simulator sessions, represent an additional cost - one that airlines under financial stress may struggle to foot.
Sydney-based Qantas, which has one of the strongest balance sheets of any airline despite the pandemic, dedicated an entire team to addressing pilot rustiness. Staff combed through research on other professions with similar skill sets to pilots and eventually found helpful parallels in surgery.
The research showed that the fine motor skills of surgeons withstood long periods out of theatre. But it was different when surgeons had to complete a list of procedures or apply previously acquired knowledge.
With that evidence, Qantas now puts its Boeing Co 737 pilots through a six-day course before they get back in the sky, and a senior training captain sits in on their initial flights. The airline's A380 pilots have two days of training on the ground and in the simulator every 90 days, even though Qantas hasn't yet resumed flying the enormous jets.
"We realised very early on that we needed to think differently," Qantas Chief Pilot Dick Tobiano said. "The data has shown that our pilots are coming back with the skills and confidence to do their job safely."

At Indonesia's Lion Air, however, a senior captain speaking on condition of anonymity said he's so concerned about his colleagues' flying ability that he's scaled back his own flying hours.
Indonesia has one of the world's poorest safety records with 105 accidents and 2,356 related fatalities, worse than Mexico and Venezuela, Aviation Safety Network data from 1945 through October show.
The captain said he had to take over the controls approaching Semarang's Ahmad Yani International Airport in Central Java during a flight mid last year. The junior pilot flying the plane hadn't worked for three months and failed to notice the aircraft wasn't locked into the airport's landing guidance system. Lion Air didn't respond to a request for comment.
That may sound minor but the number of badly executed landings worldwide - coming in too high and too fast, for instance - almost tripled from pre-pandemic levels to 35 out of every 1,000 by May 2020, according to the UK's own confidential safety incident reporting programme.
It's important because more than half of all fatal commercial-jet accidents from 2011 through 2020 occurred on a plane's final approach to landing or the landing itself, research from Boeing shows. At lower altitudes, pilots have limited height and therefore less time to recover from an error or mechanical failure.
Indeed, some of the errors declared by pilots in the ASRS database have echoes in the most grim airline disasters.
In June last year, a first officer for an airline in the US who hadn't flown in nearly three months forgot to switch on the anti-icing mechanism for the plane's airspeed sensors. In 2009, those same sensors iced up and triggered the crash of Air France Flight 447 on its way to Paris from Rio de Janeiro, killing all 228 people aboard.
The solution, according to Lufthansa pilot Harter, involves going beyond the pre-pandemic standards of pilot proficiency.
Rather than prescribing enough training to meet requirements, airlines and regulators must give crew whatever they need to feel comfortable again, whether that's more time in a simulator or the acknowledgment there may be a mental component that extra rules can't always adequately address.
"That's the way forward," he said. "And that's not written in any regulation."
 
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