Transport Woes...

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SMRT to be fined $3m for major East-West Line disruption in September 2024​

Jun 03, 2025

SINGAPORE –Rail operator SMRT will be fined $3 million for a major six-day disruption on the East-West Line (EWL) in September 2024, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on June 3.

LTA said the penalty was “proportionate” to the circumstances of the incident, which crippled MRT services between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations and disrupted about one in six train trips daily.

The authority said it considered the cost SMRT had borne from repairs, as well as from providing free bus and shuttle train services at the affected stations.

Releasing the findings of its months-long investigation into the incident, LTA said degraded grease was likely to have caused a faulty part of a train’s undercarriage to fall out, which precipitated the disruption on the morning of Sept 25, 2024.

The part – called an axle box, which holds the train’s wheels to the axle, a rod connecting a pair of wheels – was dislodged near Dover station while the train was being withdrawn from service to Ulu Pandan Depot.

This caused one of the train’s 12 bogies – a structure below the train carriage – to derail.

The six-car train could continue travelling as the other 11 bogies remained on the rails. But the derailed portion of the third carriage caused extensive damage to 2.55km of track and trackside equipment, such as power cables and the third rail, which supplies power to trains.

LTA found that grease keeping the axle bearings lubricated within the axle box was likely to have been degraded. The bearings are mechanical parts that allow the smooth rotation of the wheels when the train is running.

Grease that has lost lubrication capabilities can cause increased wear and tear of the bearings and, eventually, overheating.


The axle box is held in place by chevron springs – metal plates bonded together by rubber that absorb vibrations when trains are operating.

LTA said its investigation findings suggest that the bearings had produced enough heat to ignite the rubber layers between the springs, causing them to disintegrate.

With the springs progressively falling off, the axle box was then dislodged.

The axle box and bearings were badly damaged, and the grease in the axle box had been completely burned off when these parts were later recovered. Debris from the chevron springs was also too badly damaged for tests to be done to determine any initial damage before the incident, said LTA.

“It was therefore not possible to establish a definitive root cause,” it said, adding that grease samples from other axle boxes of the affected train had also shown signs of degradation.

LTA said this sequence of events was substantiated by a monitoring tool that SMRT installed near Lavender station, which detected a temperature of 118 deg C on the affected axle box earlier that morning – higher than the typical operating temperature of up to 65 deg C.


A system error, however, meant that SMRT could not identify the train on which the axle box was mounted, leading to a staff member mistakenly believing the notification to be a false warning. There was no follow-up action.

In a separate probe into the incident, Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) said it had considered two possible scenarios.

One, that the bearings had failed first due to heat and friction generated within the axle box because of the degradation of grease.

Two, that the rubber of the chevron springs had deteriorated to a point where it could no longer serve as the train’s primary suspension. This then put stress on the bearings, which eventually failed, generating heat and friction within the axle box.

However, TSIB, a department of the Ministry of Transport, said it could not determine which scenario was more likely to have occurred, owing to the severely damaged axle box and springs.

LTA, which commissioned SGS Testing and Control Services to do an independent forensic analysis, said the company found that degraded grease was a likely cause.

“While the weakened chevron spring could not be ruled out as a possible cause, the possibility was likely low,” LTA added, noting that the high temperature of the axle box detected near Lavender suggests that the bearings had failed first.

The train in question, which is no longer in use, is a Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train.

These first-generation trains are being progressively replaced by new trains, the delivery of which was delayed by 1½ years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The last maintenance checks on the affected train, on July 15 and Sept 10 in 2024, did not detect any anomalies.

LTA noted that SMRT had extended the interval between overhauls for the train beyond the requirement of doing so after every 500,000km travelled. The interval was extended to 575,000km in August 2022, and to 750,000km in August 2024.

At the time of the incident, the train had logged 690,000km since its last overhaul in July 2018.

During such overhauls, the axle box, bearings and chevron springs will be replaced where needed. Fresh grease will also be reapplied on the bearings.

Had the affected train been overhauled in a more timely way, the “condition of its axle box assemblies would have been checked and any degraded grease could have been replaced earlier”, LTA noted.

At the time of the incident, 18 out of 38 KHI trains that were set to undergo overhauls had been refurbished. These 18 trains had been chosen based on their reliability, mileage and condition, SMRT said.

While the authority was aware of SMRT’s procedures to vary its overhaul intervals, there was no requirement for SMRT to notify LTA when these were done.

“As axle box failures are not common, SMRT did not undertake a detailed engineering and risk assessment on extending the axle box overhaul interval,” said the regulator.

SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai told reporters at a briefing that the operator’s overhaul regime has served it well over the last 38 years.

“What may have caught us off guard this time was the convergence of factors – delays in new train deliveries due to Covid-19, our efforts to balance and adjust overhaul schedules, and the lag in receiving critical spare parts,” he said.

The pandemic disrupted global supply chains, holding up new trains and the spare parts needed for the overhauls. It also affected SMRT’s ability to do additional overhauls after 2018, the operator said.

In black-swan events such as Covid-19, it is important that SMRT and LTA come together to reassess the circumstances collectively, Mr Lam added.

“In hindsight, we could perhaps have exercised greater caution in how we managed the transition and decommissioning of the older trains.”

LTA said it would provide “more time buffer” in future purchases of trains to mitigate against unforeseen supply chain disruptions.

There have been similar incidents of axle boxes getting dislodged in other rail systems, Mr Lam said, adding these are “extremely rare, sudden and catastrophic”.

“Even for those metros, such failures caught them off guard due to their acute nature.”

More on this topic​

What triggered the six-day East-West Line MRT disruption in 2024​

Interactive: How a faulty MRT train left a trail of destruction​

What SMRT, LTA did after the incident​

After the incident, SMRT withdrew all KHI trains with a mileage exceeding 500,000km to undergo overhauls of the axle boxes, before they were returned to service. This was completed in October 2024.

All 16 KHI trains that are still in service will be phased out by September.

SMRT also began tapping data analytics to detect abnormal axle box temperatures earlier. It resolved the system error with its temperature-monitoring tool, and strengthened procedures for staff to raise alerts about high temperatures in a timely manner.

It has also lowered the speed of trains being withdrawn to depots under similar scenarios to 35kmh, to limit potential damage to the tracks and trackside equipment.

LTA said the affected train had been withdrawn to Ulu Pandan Depot at about 70kmh on automatic mode – which does not require driver input – in accordance with SMRT’s protocols, as its staff were not aware that doing so could exacerbate the damage.

SMRT said that during interviews for the investigation, the driver of the affected train said he did not observe irregularities or unusual occurrences as it was being withdrawn.

SMRT is also reviewing how it approves changes to maintenance regimes.

As the owner of rail assets, LTA has beefed up its oversight of how operators manage assets, including their procedures to adjust maintenance schedules.

The authority said it will work with operators for future overhaul decisions.

Operators remain responsible for their maintenance decisions, but have to flag changes to overhaul intervals for systems that are critical to safety, LTA added.

LTA said it is also engaging independent advisers to get advice on operations and maintenance strategies, as well as reliability improvements.


The major disruption – one of the worst to hit Singapore’s MRT system – affected about

500,000 out of 2.8 million train journeys

daily from Sept 25 to 30 in 2024.


It started after the train developed a fault at about 9am while travelling eastward near Clementi station.

A burning smell was detected from the faulty train, and SMRT stopped the train at Clementi station so passengers could alight, before it was withdrawn to Ulu Pandan Depot.

The train turned around at Queenstown station and was travelling westward between Dover and Clementi stations when the axle box came off.

Train services along the affected stretch resumed on Oct 1, 2024, after extensive repair and restoration works were completed on Sept 30.

 

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What triggered the six-day East-West Line MRT disruption in September 2024​

Work being done on the affected train and train track right outside Ulu Pandan Depot at around 6.30pm on Sept 25, 2024.

Jun 03, 2025

SINGAPORE – Degraded grease in a component of an MRT train’s undercarriage was likely to have caused the six-day disruption to services on the East-West Line in September 2024, according to investigation findings that the authorities released on June 3.

Investigations by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) under the Ministry of Transport found that an axle box – part of the train’s undercarriage that holds the train wheels to the axle, a rod connecting a pair of wheels – became dislodged likely because of degraded grease that led to increased wear and tear on the axle bearings.

Extreme heat was generated due to the degraded grease, burning off the rubber layers of the chevron springs that supported the axle box, which was on the third carriage of the six-carriage train.

Each train carriage has two undercarriage bogies, and each bogie holds four wheels. An axle box and two sets of chevron springs are attached to each wheel.

Chevron springs absorb shock and vibration from the train’s movement and connect the axle box to the bogie frame.

Without the support of the chevron springs, the axle box fell off the affected train near Dover station as it was returning to Ulu Pandan Depot.

This dislodgement caused the wheels on the front undercarriage of the third train car to derail.

The train then severely damaged the running rails, the third rail supplying power to the trains and trackside equipment along 2.55km of tracks on the East-West Line as it headed back to the depot.

Here is a timeline of what happened on the morning of the incident:


6.58am: The affected train started to travel westwards from Pasir Ris station to Tuas Link station.

7.23am: A sensor on the track near Lavender station detected that one of the axle boxes on the affected train had clocked a temperature of 118 deg C, above its typical range of 30 deg C to 65 deg C. But due to system issues, SMRT staff could not identify the train that was producing excess heat. The staff also thought it was a false warning and did not take further action.

8.22am: The affected train arrived at Tuas Link station.

8.25am: The train departed Tuas Link station to travel towards Pasir Ris station. About five minutes later, operations staff reported that there was a burning smell.

8.34am: The station manager of Tuas Link station checked the track of the westbound platform and reported that there was no burning smell there.

8.50am-8.52am: The station manager of Clementi station boarded the affected train to carry out an inspection and reported that there was a burning smell inside.


8.53am: The operations control centre requested that passengers disembark the affected train
so that it can return to Ulu Pandan Depot. To return to the depot from Clementi station, the train had to travel eastwards to a crossover track located between Queenstown and Redhill stations to turn around.

9.04am: When the train arrived at Dover station, the station manager boarded the affected train to conduct checks. He reported a burning smell inside the train, but did not notice any smoke. At the same time, the train driver did not notice any signs of a train fault.

9.08am: The train turned around from the eastbound track to the westbound track near Queenstown station.

9.16am: A power trip occurred when the train was travelling westwards between Dover and Clementi stations, but it was able to move into Clementi station. The train driver and station manager of Dover station – who was still on board – did not notice any burning smell or smoke.

9.19am: Traction power was restored. The Dover station manager alighted at Clementi station and the train continued moving towards Ulu Pandan Depot.

9.20am: Another power trip happened and the affected train stalled on the track leading to Ulu Pandan Depot. The operations control centre could not restore traction power.

9.28am: The operations control centre sent a recovery team to rescue the train. They found that four wheels of the train’s front undercarriage had come off the rails, and the axle box on the third train car had fallen off near Dover station.

9.52am: SMRT alerted the public to the disruption between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations on its Facebook page.

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East-West Line MRT service resumes after delays lasting around 5 hours; track point fault fixed​

Aug 06, 2025

SINGAPORE – MRT service on the East-West Line has resumed after delays lasting about five hours on Aug 6.

Morning commuters were hampered in their train journeys from around 6am, after a track point fault caused delays and longer travelling time on the East-West Line.

A point machine controls train movements at rail junctions when trains move from one track to another.


Full train services resumed at about 11am, five hours after SMRT announced the first hold-ups online and at train stations.

Engineers went onto the train tracks after morning peak hours to investigate and resolve the issue, said the rail operator.

SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said a point machine fault occurred near Jurong East station during the start of service on the morning of Aug 6, leading to trains being driven slower at 18kmh for safe operations.

Trains usually travel at speeds of 60kmh to 80kmh.

Passengers were first told at around 6am to expect a 15-minute delay when travelling eastwards between Boon Lay and Clementi stations, with SMRT encouraging people to take alternative travel options between those stations.

SMRT later extended the delays to Buona Vista station, meaning the affected stations also included Dover, with longer travel times lengthened to at least 25 minutes.

Free bridging bus services, which were made available between the affected stations, have stopped.

Morning travellers reported on Facebook longer waiting times of up to 45 minutes at the stations, causing them to report to work late.

Speaking to The Straits Times while queueing to board the train at Jurong East station, Ms Tutik Supelan said a friend had told her about the disruption in the morning, and she decided to add an hour to her journey from Bukit Batok to Tanjong Pagar.

She added that the disruption made her feel uncertain about MRT trips.

“Shouldn’t they make the MRT more (reliable)? Spend some more money on maintenance,” said the 40-year-old fitness trainer.

“We rely so much on the MRT. Now I’m wondering if I can even get on the next train,” she said, as a line formed behind her.

A crowded train platform at Jurong East MRT station at about 8am on Aug 6.

ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Some also reported having to wait longer at stations on the North-South Line, such as at Marsiling, Admiralty and Kranji.

A major grievance and source of confusion appeared to stem from the contingency bus options and where travellers could board the bridging buses.

ST’s checks at Jurong East station found that the boarding point was at a bus stop about seven minutes away on foot.

Digital creator Arthur Lim said he was advised by train staff at Chinese Garden station to use the bus, but was greeted with chaos outside the station as a large crowd and queue had formed.

“For 15 minutes, I stood and watched as the situation deteriorated, with no semblance of order or control,” he said, adding that directing passengers to a disorganised contingency plan was making a bad situation worse.

A sign at Westgate mall directing travellers to a free bridging bus service during the train service disruption earlier on Aug 6.

ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Commuter Oon Siow Li questioned if passengers should still be allowed to enter the train platforms if there are delays during the morning rush hour.

“People board, then notice there’s a train fault and (are) stuck inside the train,” she wrote in a comment on Facebook.

Multiple passengers, commenting on Facebook and social media platform X, said the delays were longer than the suggested 25 minutes, with some asking for more realistic delay times to avoid offering “fake hope”.

Some recalled the major breakdown in September 2024 between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations that disrupted services for six days.

“The disruption is not a big problem compared with the previous breakdown,” said Ms Mary Ho, 68, referring to the September 2024 incident.

The retiree said the Aug 6 disruption was “bearable” and that such disruptions are to be expected on an ageing train line. She was waiting for the train home at Jurong East station after shopping at a supermarket.

Another commuter, Ms Sharon Lim, 59, said a five-hour disruption is too long.

“We need them to improve,” she said of train operator SMRT, adding that if a delay lasts five hours, “half the day is gone”.

Ms Lim, who works in sales, said that while commuters do not have a say in fare increases, operators must use the money to “do something on maintenance” in return.

ST has asked SMRT for more details about the fault, including how 18kmh was determined to be a safe speed and whether checks have been done on other point machines.

 

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Only 1 in 10 heavy vehicles fitted with speed limiters despite new rule kicking in from 2026: Police​

The Traffic Police on June 11 shared that out of 2,600 heavy vehicles that are required to install speed limiters by January 2026, only 231 have done so.

Jun 11, 2025

SINGAPORE – Only one in 10 heavy vehicles in Singapore has been fitted with a speed limiter, a device to improve road safety by restricting engines to a maximum speed of 60kmh.

The Traffic Police (TP) on June 11 shared that out of 2,600 heavy vehicles that are required to install speed limiters by January 2026, only 231 have done so.

To reinforce the message, police conducted a two-day blitz from June 9 targeting lorry drivers.


“During the operations, TP officers engaged the lorry drivers to raise awareness about the new speed-limiter requirements.

“They were provided with a QR code linking to the Singapore Police Force website for information on authorised speed-limiter installation agents to book the appointment early, and were advised to share this with their company, where applicable,” the police said.

Companies with heavy vehicles with a maximum laden weight (MLW) of between 3,501kg and 12,000kg began installing speed limiters from January 2024, with vehicle owners given two to three years to install the device.

In total, about 17,000 eligible lorries are required to install the mandatory speed limiters by July 2027.

In addition, newly imported lorries with the same MLW range must be equipped with speed limiters in order to be approved for use in Singapore.

Mr Dave Ng, chairman of the Singapore Logistics Association, said operators who have yet to comply with the regulations are facing increasing pressure to get it done.


Mr Ng said: “For many, the delay in adoption may stem from concerns about costs, operational disruptions and uncertainty regarding enforcement measures.

“However, given the critical importance of safety – particularly in relation to high-speed heavy vehicles – installing speed limiters is not an issue that can be postponed until the last minute.”

In total, about 17,000 eligible lorries are required to install the mandatory speed limiters by July 2027.

ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Mr Hooi Yu Koh, chief executive of construction services company Kori Holdings, said he wants to see more heavy vehicles fitted with the device, which costs about $900.

“Some of the heavy vehicles leased by rental companies are fitted with the speed limiters but most are not.

“The heavy vehicles allocated to us are constantly changing, and at present, none of those with speed limiters are assigned to us, even though we prefer to be allocated with those that have (speed limiters).”

During the operation on June 9 and 10, TP flagged down heavy vehicles around Loyang and along Tampines Expressway.


In total, 56 lorries were stopped for checks, with the drivers told to inform the vehicle owners to install speed limiters.

TP said 32 traffic violations committed by lorry drivers were detected, including 17 speeding offences.

The other offences included using a mobile communication device while driving and failing to wear a seatbelt.

The Traffic Police conducted a two-day blitz from June 9 targeting lorry drivers.

ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Superintendent Lian Weixiong said TP detected at least 10 speeding violations by lorries on the first day of operations.

“This shows that these lorry drivers continue to disregard traffic laws, risking the lives of other road users.

“I urge lorry owners required to install speed limiters to do so early to avoid speeding offences and accidents on the roads,” said Supt Lian, who heads the research, planning and organisational development branch at TP.

Supt Lian Weixiong said TP detected at least 10 speeding violations by lorries on the first day of operations.

ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

One of the early adopters of speed limiters was Lucky Joint Construction, which fitted its heavy vehicles with the devices in March 2025.

A spokesman said the firm found that it shaved costs for fuel and vehicle maintenance after 67 of its 79 heavy vehicles were installed with the speed limiters.


The speed limiters are supplied by three companies, with on-site installation conducted by 23 authorised installers.

The number of people killed and injured in traffic accidents hit a five-year-high in 2024, with speeding contributing to one in three fatal crashes.

 

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Power fault downs MRT service on stretch of North East Line; recovery may take 2-3 hours​

SBS Transit said that the disruption runs from Farrer Park to Punggol Coast.
Aug 12, 2025


SINGAPORE - Train services on the North East MRT line are disrupted due to a major power fault on Aug 12.

SBS Transit, in a post on social media platform X at 11.17am, said the disruption was affecting an 11-station stretch from Farrer Park to Punggol Coast.

At 12.50pm, the rail operator said service was disrupted between Buangkok and Punggol Coast stops - narrowing to a four-station stretch - but is available between HarbourFront and Buangkok.


This means rail service on the stretch between Farrer Park and Buangkok has been restored.

In an earlier update at 12.25pm, the rail operator said it is working hard to recover service, which “may likely take two to three hours to restore”.

It added that free regular bus and bridging bus services are available between Dhoby Ghaut and Punggol Coast stations.

Sengkang-Punggol LRT services are also unavailable, SBS Transit said in an earlier update on X.

When The Straits Times arrived at Serangoon MRT station at about 11.50am, power on the North East Line side seemed to be off, though the lights remained on.

Trains travelling in both directions on the NEL were still at the platform.


Staff members could also be seen guiding commuters towards the street level, where they could take free bridging bus services.

Passenger Shawn Tan, 17, said he found out about train services being down only when he arrived at the station.

The second-year polytechnic student was on his way home to Sengkang from classes at Singapore Polytechnic in Dover.

He said this was the first time such an incident had happened to him, but noted that “it was bound to happen one day”.

Madam Sandra Sim, 70, was heading to Woodleigh station from her home in Serangoon North.

She had tapped in at Serangoon station and was ready to board the NEL train before staff informed her that the service was not operational.


Madam Sim added that she noticed that the station was darker than usual.

The homemaker said more directions could have been given by the staff, as she realised that there were no NEL train services only after tapping in and attempting to walk towards the platform.

At one of the bus stops at Serangoon MRT station with bridging bus services towards Punggol Coast, a queue of more than 50 passengers had formed at about 12.35pm, snaking to the entrance of Nex shopping complex.

Over at Woodleigh station, Mrs Samjhana Gurung, 35, was planning to go to Little India to visit the bank, before picking up her son from his school in Serangoon at 1.30pm.

The homemaker told ST she was not aware train services were down, saying she would have left home earlier if she had known.

“I am feeling a bit worried and scared that I will not be able to travel to Little India in time, and to fetch my son from Zhonghua Primary School afterwards,” she said, noting that she will hop on a free bus service to Little India.

The Straits Times has contacted SBS Transit for more information.

 

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No service on Sengkang-Punggol LRT due to power fault: SBS Transit

Aug 15, 2025

SINGAPORE – Trains on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT system resumed full service about four hours after a power fault led to an early morning disruption on Aug 15.

Service on the Sengkang LRT line was restored progressively from 11.05am, while those on the Punggol LRT line resumed gradually from 11.20am.

Full service on the Punggol LRT line resumed at 12.32pm, and trains on the Sengkang LRT line were fully up and running at 12.54pm, said rail operator SBS Transit in updates on Facebook.

The breakdown started at about 8.40am and all 29 stations on the line were affected, said SBS Transit group chief executive Jeffrey Sim in a Facebook post.


Early findings suggest that a cable fault between two stations had tripped the power on the LRT network, resulting in 10 trains stalling on the tracks, he added.

Recovery work started after all passengers, including those on mobility aids, had safely disembarked from the trains, he said.

The Aug 15 breakdown is the second time in three days that service on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT line was disrupted by a power fault.

On Aug 12, operations on the LRT line were disrupted for about 10 hours before resuming fully at about 9.20pm.

Investigations found that an electricity surge damaged a switchboard, which feeds power to the system. A second switchboard, serving as a backup, then shut down - a safety measure to prevent damage.

Mr Sim said: “Following the earlier incident on Aug 12, which damaged the backup switchboard of the power system, we are now running on only the main and single switchboard.

“Without the availability of the backup switchboard, this cable fault caused service to be disrupted and a lengthier service recovery time.

“SBS Transit is working closely to expedite the repair of the backup power system.”

When the trains stopped running, free regular bus services were rolled out from bus interchanges at Sengkang and Punggol, as well as bus stops near designated stations.

Free bridging bus services were also activated to help commuters affected by the disruption.

With trains up and running again, the free bus services have stopped.

Earlier in the day, at about 11.50am, The Straits Times saw engineers carrying out repair works on a train stalled at Meridian LRT station.

SBS Transit staff doing recovery works on a stalled train at Meridian LRT station on Aug 12.

ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

At Punggol LRT station, trains were arriving at one platform, while the other was cordoned off.

Once buses were deployed, about 10 SBS Transit staff were seen marshalling commuters to bus stops with bridging services, and issuing reminders not to pay a fare for the free bus service.

Passengers queuing for the free buses plying the LRT stations along Punggol East - which arrived in five-minute intervals - were all able to get on board, with ample standing space for everyone.

Madam Kee Geok Suan, 65, who was planning to take the train to Oasis LRT station in Punggol to visit her sister, said she was upset to discover that train service was not available.

Oasis LRT station is closed at 11.20am on Aug 12.

ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

She added that the journey usually takes about 45 minutes, but she was not sure how much longer it would take.

Madam Kee, an administrative executive, said: “I find it really inconvenient, as I’m rushing for time.”

Business analyst Jason Sia, 45, who was travelling from Maxwell MRT station to Meridian LRT station near where he lives, was less troubled.

He said he estimated his journey would be only slightly longer. He said: “It would be different if it’s during rush hour or if I had an urgent meeting to attend.”


At Meridian LRT station in Punggol, Mr Edwin Tan, 34, found out there was no LRT service at about 8.45am.

He said: “I saw people coming down from the platform, and a fellow commuter told me the trains were not running.”

Mr Tan, a human resources assistant, was heading to Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. He had to hop on a regular bus service to Punggol MRT station to continue his journey.

Passengers boarding the free bridging bus service at Punggol Bus Interchange on Aug 15.

ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Other affected passengers squeezed into buses because they were rushing to work, he said.

“I am frustrated and disillusioned. But this was not as bad as the first time around, as the MRT is working fine,” added Mr Tan.

 

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LTA seeks tailored solutions to improve Bukit Panjang LRT’s maintenance inspections​

Inspections of the BPLRT’s power rail system, which spans 16km, are currently done manually up to three times a week.

Jul 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has called for proposals to improve the way maintenance inspections are done for the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (BPLRT) system, specifically with regard to specialised tracks that deliver electrical power to the trains.

The authority hopes to more efficiently detect surface defects and misalignments of the BPLRT’s power rails.

It is seeking new and tailored solutions that can do so with accuracy and in real time using camera-based visual systems and data analytics.


In its call for solutions on July 11, LTA said power rail defects and misalignments, which occur through wear and tear, can lead to unintended electrical discharges, or what are called “flashover” events.

If serious, such flashover events can disrupt the LRT service as they can damage the power rail, running tracks and trains.

“It is not as common, but it’s quite serious, so you don’t want it to happen,” said Associate Professor Yap Fook Fah, co-director of the Transport Research Centre at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

He told The Straits Times that flashover events can generate so much heat that they can melt insulators, and even metal. This can also cause electrical current to leak.

Today, inspections of the BPLRT’s power rail system, which spans 16km, are done manually up to three times a week.

Maintenance staff carry out physical checks of different sectors of the 25-year-old LRT line, but they can do so only during overnight engineering hours.


Some of the newer BPLRT trains are also equipped with systems that monitor the condition of the power rail by measuring vibration levels, LTA told ST on July 21 in response to queries.


The authority is in the midst of renewing the entire BPLRT fleet by 2026, phasing out the first-generation trains that have been operating for more than two decades and do not have such monitoring systems on board.

LTA said the proposed camera-based solution it is seeking will complement existing monitoring capabilities and inspection regimes.

“Even with new monitoring systems in place, physical inspections of the power rail system will still be carried out to assess the type of rectification works required,” said an LTA spokesman.

If the call for proposals is successful, LTA will consider implementing a similar solution for the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) system, too.

The BPLRT is run by SMRT, while the SPLRT is run by SBS Transit.


LTA said in its call for solutions that the development and trial of the proposed visual inspection system will be done in two phases, and must not take longer than a year.

The first phase is a proof-of-concept trial, limited to one LRT train during operational hours.

It will focus on determining whether the proposed solution can collect the necessary data and high-definition video footage in a safe, accurate and cost-effective manner, and whether the analytics can detect defects to certain specifications.

LTA said the proposed solution should be small enough to be installed on the undercarriage of BPLRT trains, or other parts of the train if it does not interfere with existing rail infrastructure.

Another requirement is that the solution cannot produce more than one false alarm per month.

If it passes, the proposed solution will then undergo an operational trial to test whether it can provide alerts in real time.

At this stage, the system will also need to have a digital dashboard that shows information about the detected defects, and allows staff to plan and monitor follow-up maintenance activities.

The delivery date for the project is set for Sept 11, 2026. Proposal submissions must be made by Sept 12.

In July 2025, the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit saw two major disruptions.

PHOTO: ST FILE

NTU’s Prof Yap – who is also a member of the railway and transportation engineering technical committee at the Institution of Engineers, Singapore – said a camera-based condition monitoring system gives operators direct sight of the defects that need to be fixed.

Such a system can run at all times, and not be limited by engineering hours. It can also be mounted on different trains running on different parts of the line, so the rail operator can get an overview of the entire LRT system.

While the vibration sensors on newer BPLRT trains can pick up abnormalities, they are not perfect, Prof Yap said.

“It’s like listening to your heartbeat. If your heart rate is a bit different, you want to see what is the underlying cause.”

SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said the new condition monitoring system, once implemented, will facilitate more frequent inspections. It will also enable earlier detection and rectification of defects, enhancing overall reliability, he added.


Based on the latest available statistics, between October 2023 and September 2024, BPLRT’s trains travelled 189,000km between delays of more than five minutes. This is down from 248,000km between delays in 2023.

In July 2025, the BPLRT saw two major disruptions.

Both have since been linked to a different newly installed part of the line’s power supply system, which controls the distribution of electricity across the BPLRT network.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability​

SMRT staff working on the tracks between Clementi MRT station and Jurong East MRT station on Sept 26, 2024.

Summary

• LTA fined SMRT $2.4 million for a train disruption caused by a faulty part on a first-generation KHI train, likely due to degraded grease.
• SMRT must invest $600,000 to improve capabilities and address issues, says it will focus on direct engagement with manufacturers and workforce upskilling.
• The last KHI train retiring in September; the MRT network remains reliable overall, according to LTA.

AI generated

Jul 25, 2025

SINGAPORE – Rail operator SMRT will pay a lower fine of $2.4 million for a major six-day disruption on the East-West Line in September 2024, after it submitted representations to the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

This is down from the financial penalty of $3 million that LTA intended to hand out in June when the investigation findings into the incident were released.

Announcing the updated penalty in a statement on July 25, LTA said the penalty will go to the Public Transport Fund to help lower-income families with their public transport expenditures.

The authority added that it had directed SMRT to invest a minimum of $600,000 to strengthen its capabilities, and address areas for improvement from the incident, so as to improve service reliability.

“In reaching this decision, LTA took into consideration the considerable challenges SMRT had faced in planning and executing their overhaul regime for the Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) trains, particularly in procuring the necessary spare parts for the overhaul due to global supply chain disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The incident, which involved a faulty part on a first-generation KHI train, downed MRT services between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations and affected about one in six train trips daily from Sept 25 to 30 in 2024.

An LTA spokesperson told The Straits Times that SMRT will need to channel $600,000 towards improving its capabilities within a year, and submit a declaration and documented proof of this.
In a Facebook post shortly after LTA’s statement, SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said the operator will strengthen its direct engagement with original equipment manufacturers of trains and systems. The operator will also deepen its technical and engineering expertise through closer collaboration with these companies.

On LTA’s directive to invest a minimum of $600,000 in beefing up its capabilities, Mr Lam said the development and upskilling of its workforce have long been SMRT’s priorities.


In addition, the operator will continue supporting the secondment of LTA engineers to SMRT – an initiative introduced in 2018.

It will also work closely with LTA and Alstom, the manufacturer of the new R151 trains, to roll out the fleet progressively.

By 2026, there will be 106 R151 trains on the North-South and East-West lines. As at June 29, 61 of these trains were in service. The last of the KHI trains will be phased out by September.

Investigations into the disruption showed that SMRT had extended the interval between overhauls for the faulty train without a detailed engineering and risk assessment.

On its part, the operator had flagged supply chain disruptions arising from the pandemic, which delayed the delivery of new trains meant to replace the first-generation models and spare parts needed for overhauls.

LTA had originally notified SMRT of its intention to impose the $3 million penalty on May 30, and gave the operator two weeks to submit its representations.

SMRT did so on June 6.

While the details of SMRT’s submission were not disclosed, representations may include reasons why the operator believes it should not be penalised as well as other applicable mitigating factors.

LTA reviewed SMRT’s representations before a notice of the penalty was sent to the rail operator on July 25.

SMRT has 14 days to appeal to the transport minister if it wishes. If that happens, the final decision lies with the minister, who can opt to reject the appeal, or allow it and change LTA’s decision.

Responding to ST’s query, Mr Lam did not say if SMRT would lodge an appeal with Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow. But he said the company had received LTA’s notice to impose the penalty and noted that LTA had considered its representations.

LTA reiterated that Singapore’s rail system continues to be one of the most reliable worldwide.

Since 2019, the mean kilometres between failure of the MRT network has remained above the one million train-km target, it noted. This means MRT trains travelled for more than one million kilometres between delays of more than five minutes.

The revised $2.4 million penalty is the second-highest to be levied on a rail operator, after the $5.4 million fine that SMRT incurred over a 2015 disruption that crippled the entire North-South and East-West lines for more than two hours during the evening peak period.

In June, LTA said a $3 million penalty for the September 2024 disruption was “proportionate” to the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The authority said it also considered the cost that SMRT had borne from the repairs, and from providing free bus and shuttle train services at the affected stations.

Investigations pointed to degraded grease as the likely cause of the incident. This led to a faulty part of the train’s undercarriage falling out on the morning of Sept 25, 2024.

The part – an axle box, which holds the train’s wheels to the axle, a rod connecting a pair of wheels – was dislodged near Dover station while the train was being withdrawn from service to Ulu Pandan Depot.

This caused one of the train’s 12 bogies – a structure below the train carriage – to derail.

The six-carriage train could continue travelling, as the other 11 bogies remained on the rails. But the derailed portion of the third carriage caused extensive damage to 2.55km of track and trackside equipment, such as power cables and the third rail, which supplies power to trains.

Associate Professor Walter Theseira, a transport economist at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, told ST that in the context of rail operations, the $600,000 requirement for improvements is not a very significant amount. It could fund reviews and process improvements, but would not suffice for any substantial engineering work.

He also said new trains are “not a cure for reliability by themselves”, as they will result in better reliability only after teething issues have been sorted out.

Prof Theseira also believes LTA should examine its own capability to judge the quality of a maintenance regime.

“While the operator is on the ground and has first-hand knowledge, it may also be that the regulator should have a well-formed second opinion.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

2024 EWL breakdown could have been prevented with better coordination: SMRT CEO​

SMRT will work more closely with the Land Transport Authority and equipment manufacturers during fleet and systems renewals.

Summary

• SMRT flagged the need for improved collaboration with LTA and manufacturers to manage ageing trains, after the 2024 EWL breakdown that affected 2.6 million passengers.
• The breakdown, traced to a faulty part in a 37-year-old train, exposed issues with running trains beyond their intended lifespan and delays to new train deliveries due to Covid-19 disruptions.
• SMRT plans to deepen engagement with manufacturers like Alstom, and retire all first-generation NSEWL trains by end-September 2025.

AI generated

Jul 31, 2025

SINGAPORE – The six-day disruption to train services on the East-West Line (EWL) in September 2024 could have been prevented with better coordination among all parties involved, said SMRT group chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping on July 31.

Setting out the rail operator’s view of the breakdown – one of Singapore’s worst so far, affecting 2.6 million passengers – Mr Ngien said the right lessons needed to be learnt so that the same mistakes are not made again.

This means working more closely with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and equipment manufacturers during fleet and systems renewals.

“We need robust, forward-looking life-cycle planning, clear roles and responsibilities, and much tighter cross-agency collaboration moving forward,” said Mr Ngien during a press conference on the latest financial results for SMRT’s train division.

On July 31, SMRT said the 2024 EWL breakdown has prompted “deeper reflections” on the challenges of operating rail assets beyond their intended lifespan.

Noting that MRT trains in Singapore are designed to be operated for 30 years, the operator called for a structured framework to manage ageing trains, suggesting that LTA issue a formal certificate to rail operators if such trains are used beyond their intended lifespans.

Such certificates are already issued for new trains before they enter service.

The process involves checks by the train manufacturer and an independent assessor to ensure all safety specifications are met.

The 2024 EWL disruption was traced to a faulty part on a 37-year-old, first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train, which caused extensive damage to 2.55km of track and trackside equipment as it was being withdrawn from service.

Investigations found that SMRT had extended the interval between overhauls for the KHI fleet without a detailed engineering and risk assessment.

However, LTA did not review the extension either, nor did it require SMRT to seek its approval.

SMRT, meanwhile, has cited repeated delays in the delivery of new replacement trains that would have allowed it to retire the faulty train earlier.

The new trains were ordered by LTA in 2018, two years after the authority took over ownership of SMRT’s rail assets under a revised financing model.

Under this model, LTA makes decisions regarding upgrading and asset replacement.

The new trains were meant to arrive from 2021, in time for the KHI trains to be decommissioned. But they were delivered only from 2023 onwards.

This was one of the factors that LTA took into account when it lowered the fine that SMRT would pay to the Public Transport Fund, to $2.4 million from $3 million, as a penalty for the September 2024 incident.

The decision came after SMRT made its final representations on the matter.

SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming said on July 31 that the rail operator was faced with a “tough choice” over whether to overhaul the old KHI trains or wait for the new ones made by French company Alstom to arrive.

He said MRT trains are usually overhauled after clocking 500,000km, which is about every four years, and the planning for such works takes place about 1½ years in advance, so that the operator can source the necessary parts.

The KHI trains were last overhauled in 2018.

After repeated delays to the new trains, SMRT decided to overhaul the KHI fleet again in 2022, Mr Seah said. But SMRT had trouble procuring spare parts due to global supply chain disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hence, it could start on modular overhaul works only in December 2023 using the limited parts available.

By September 2024, 18 out of 66 first-generation KHI trains were overhauled. But the faulty train that caused the major disruption that month was not among them.

Mr Ngien, who was LTA chief executive from 2016 to 2020, said more proactive and deliberate decisions about the KHI overhaul could have been made earlier if there was better coordination between asset owner LTA and the rail operator.

He also revealed that the new Alstom trains had issues with overheating batteries when they were first delivered in 2023.

“Frankly, it’s not reasonable to expect the operator to have a contingency plan to continue to overhaul, just in case, in 2021, the trains (were not delivered). Even so, there must be certain discussions and agreement as to the funding,” Mr Ngien added, noting that SMRT paid for the additional overhauls to the KHI fleet.

In its statement on July 31, SMRT lauded the announcement in March that up to $1 billion in additional government funds will be invested over the next five years to improve the management of rail assets here.

“This is a positive step in addressing the challenges Singapore faces in managing train fleet transitions,” it said.


SMRT said it also plans to deepen direct engagement with equipment manufacturers, pointing to its partnership with Alstom to accelerate the testing of the new North-South and East-West line (NSEWL) trains being delivered.

“This proactive approach allows potential reliability and interoperability issues to be resolved ahead of full deployment. We remain on track to retire all first-generation KHI trains by end-September 2025,” the operator added.

There are 13 KHI trains still operating today, and they are used only during weekday peak hours. Meanwhile, 63 new Alstom trains have entered service on the NSEWL so far, out of the 106 trains on order.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Issues reported in 1.8% of cars with ERP on-board unit installed, or 5,400 out of 300k​

The on-board units in some cars became unresponsive and had to be replaced.

Jun 10, 2025

SINGAPORE - Around 5,400 cars have had problems with their Electronic Road Pricing on-board units (OBUs) since installation started in November 2023, including issues with wiring that have necessitated return visits to workshops.

This represents 1.8 per cent of around 300,000 cars that have had the unit installed so far, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) told The Straits Times on June 10.

LTA said that as at June, more than 500,000 vehicles – including other vehicle types such as commercial vehicles – have been fitted with OBUs. This means the installation exercise has crossed the halfway mark towards equipping the entire vehicle population of around 1 million units with OBUs by 2026.

The OBUs are used for road toll and carpark payments, among other things, as part of Singapore’s move to the new ERP system, known as ERP 2.0.

LTA said: “As with any large-scale technology roll-out, some vehicles may experience issues that require follow-up checks.”

Some motorists told ST they could not enter carparks or pay road charges with their OBUs, which became unresponsive.

A spokesman for Lim Tan Motor in Sin Ming said owners of around 5 per cent of the 200 or so cars on which the workshop has installed OBUs had gone back for help, mostly because carpark gantries could not detect the units.

He said this is more common at private and commercial building carparks than at those operated by the Housing Board. Another complaint is that the touchscreen display of the OBU freezes.

OBU installation is free for all vehicles registered before May 1, 2024, if the unit is installed by the deadline stated in an LTA invitation letter to owners. All vehicles registered from May 1, 2024, are fitted with the unit.

Depending on the vehicle, an OBU installation takes between two and four hours, and it can take just as long to troubleshoot and replace the unit.

For vehicles other than motorcycles, the OBU consists of three parts: an antenna, a processing unit that holds the stored-value card, and an optional touchscreen display.

Service and workshop manager Lester Yeong, 48, said the OBU touchscreen display on the van leased by his company, an industrial equipment supplier, showed a blank screen in April – five months after the unit was installed.

The leasing company that provided the van managed to fix the issue once at its workshop, but the problem resurfaced two days later. This time, the faulty OBU was replaced.

The OBU touchscreen display on Mr Christian Gani’s BMW sport utility vehicle acted up two months after it was installed, with the display stuck in booting-up mode.

In May, the information technology professional at a bank had to call for help via the buzzer at his office carpark gantry, because the system could not detect the OBU in his car, which had been registered for season parking.


The OBU remained in the booting-up mode throughout his journey home. There was no beep from the system when he passed an operational ERP gantry, but he did not receive any fine for that.

The screen continued to be stuck in this mode the next day, prompting Mr Gani to drive the car to the BMW agent, which eventually replaced the OBU.

“The OBU just failed suddenly without warning and caused me so much inconvenience. Hopefully, it doesn’t fail on me again,” said Mr Gani.

The OBU on Mr Nigel Yong’s Mini Cooper failed within days of being installed.

As he opted not to have a touchscreen display, the 35-year-old public relations manager did not notice anything amiss until he could not leave the carpark near his Housing Board flat in February. He had to ask the carpark staff for help and verify his vehicle registration number before the gantry was lifted.

The OBU resumed working after a few days and functioned normally until it suddenly became unresponsive in May. Mr Yong could not wait for an appointment with the workshop that installed his OBU, so he visited another workshop that told him he would have to pay for a replacement unit unless he returned to the previous workshop.

He paid $380 for the replacement instead of bearing with the inconvenience of having to return to the first workshop.

The OBUs have a five-year warranty against manufacturing defects, under which parts are replaced at no charge.

LTA advised motorists who experience issues with their OBUs to return to the workshops that installed the units. This is because those workshops would have the necessary records “for more effective troubleshooting”.

“In a small number of cases where more specialised attention is needed, the workshop may refer motorists to another workshop with the relevant expertise,” the authority added.

Motorists who need clarification can contact the ERP 2.0 Call Assist Service on 6377-2255.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Advantages of ERP onboard units must not come at expense of safety or reliability​

Aug 04, 2025

I wish to raise important concerns regarding the installation and operation of on-board units (OBUs) under the ERP 2.0 system, which affect safety, usability and regulatory compliance.

Installing OBUs involves wiring in vehicles. Industry feedback indicates that some installers reuse existing wiring while others opt for new wiring, which is ideal but more expensive. This disparity raises safety risks including electrical faults, short circuits and potential fire hazards.

Furthermore, radio frequencies in certain vehicle systems may experience interference or temporary malfunction during OBU operation.

Vehicle owners, being laypersons, have limited means to verify the quality of installation, which can result in uncertainty and inconvenience.

It was reported that around 5,400 vehicles – or 1.8 per cent of the nearly 300,000 OBUs installed since November 2023 – have encountered problems such as unresponsive devices, wiring faults and frozen displays (

Issues reported in 1.8% of cars with ERP on-board unit installed, or 5,400 out of 300k; June 10).

Users commonly report difficulties entering carparks or passing ERP gantries, which often need lengthy follow-up visits for troubleshooting.

Another concern is the placement of OBU components near or on the windscreen, which can create blind spots and reduce driver visibility. Obstruction laws in some countries prohibit devices from being mounted on the windscreen. It would be prudent for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to clarify Singapore’s position on this matter and confirm that field-of-vision assessments align with international standards.

While OBUs bring clear benefits, including more flexible ERP charging, improved traffic data, and prospects for smart mobility, these advantages must not come at the expense of safety or reliability.

Since it is often difficult to definitively link incidents like fires to installation negligence, transparency through independent investigations and audits is essential to maintain public trust.


LTA has stated that OBUs comply with global standards and can withstand Singapore’s climate when installed correctly. However, reports of freezing displays, battery drain and unreliable gantry detection persist, underscoring the need for ongoing vigilance.

Strengthening installation protocols, providing clear guidelines on mounting, and ensuring transparent oversight will bolster public confidence in the ERP 2.0 system and its safety.

Ong Kok Soon