Track fault disrupts North-South MRT line again

Why fine $$$$$ to LTA ?
Should LOWER the commuter fare each time of train disruption so that MRT system and services will be improving.... Agree ????? Commuter fare = MRT system + services

Following the train breakdown on the North-South Line last night, Transport Minister, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, who is in Cambodia, posted the following statement on his Facebook page:

“There have been a number of train disruptions in recent days. I do not know if these are isolated incidents or whether there are systemic and more serious underlying issues causing these breakdowns.”

This statement reveals a disturbing inability of the minister to come to grips with the situation. The train disruptions have not just occurred in recent days. They have been happening at an astounding regularity over recent months and years. Some of the key disruptions in the last five years include:

15 Dec 2011: North-South Line between Marina South and Bishan
14 Dec 2011: Circle Line between Marymount and One-North
17 Oct 2011: North-South Line between Ang Mo Kio and Bishan
17 Oct 2011: Circle Line between Labrador Park and Pasir Panjang
14 Oct 2011: East-West Line between Kallang and Bugis
23 Sep 2011: East-West Line betwee City Hall and Pasir Ris
20 Sep 2011: Circle Line between Dhoby Ghaut and Marymount
17 Jun 2009: North-South Line between Marsiling and Woodlands
30 Dec 2008: East-West-Line between City Hall and Tiong Bahru
21 Jan 2008: East-West Line between Pasir Ris and Tanah Merah
24 Jul 2006: North-East Line between Harbour Front and Clarke Quay
These breakdowns have taken place across many months and not days as Mr Lui says. Alarmingly, some of them occurred on the same day or just days apart.

The list above is, of course, not exhaustive. In 2010, there were 28 disruptions to MRT services. The number was 17 as of October this year, and these are just on the North-South and East-West Lines.

If all these breakdowns have not caused him to come to the realisation that there is more to the problem than the odd and isolated incident, then it must be concluded that the Minister does not have a firm handle on his portfolio.

Mr Lui makes another confusing confession in his Facebook post: “We will therefore conduct a thorough health check on our train systems, determine how the faults happened…”

This is to be welcomed. But Mr Lui was assigned the porfolio after the May elections. It has been more than six months since he took charge of the ministry and there have been multiple disruptions before and after he took over the job. It is right to question why he did not see fit to commission a check on the entrire system much earlier.

Somewhere during the more than 50 breakdowns and disruptions in the last two years, should not the minister have done something to rectify the problem?

Mr Lui’s ignorance of the situation and the attendant inaction highlights a transport system marred by incompetence.

This takes place in light of a breakdown in security when MRT train depots were broken into in 2010. The Transport Ministry should be on its toes following the incident and pay far more attention to the operations of SMRT. Unfortunately, this has not happened. And no one has yet been held accountable.

Public transport is the arterial system of the economy and the community. Disruptions are therefore a major concern for the nation as a whole. The Singapore Democratic Party calls for the following:

That the Minister for Transport return to Singapore and conduct an Urgent Safety and Health Check (USHC) on the functioning of the MRT system to ensure that immediate concerns are eliminated so that the safety of commuters and the security of the system are not compromised
The government convene an independent Public Transport Commission to study the safety, health and security of the MRT system to ensure that the economy and citizens are not endangered further.
That full disclosure of the USHC findings are made available to the nation.

Now an apology word is just a cheap n common word to use by our top management people to get out of problem. At the end of the days they know it will be forgotten cos they know the most Singapore people will do is just make noise and they wont do more than that. To them we are just like dogs easy to tame. But they forget dogs do bite hahaha....see ya in 2016 =)

Taxi Drivers.............""income opportunity'" once again..!

everytime is the same problem so might as well not increase any more fares till smrt can give us a safe ride

There is a new business opportunity to sell survival / fun pack at all MRT station.
The fun pack will consist of the following items.
1. Torchlight (for lighting)
2. Fire extinguisher (for windows)
3. Insulated boot and glove (for walking in the electrified tunnel and walking home)
3. Ring Tone with various options
i. reassuring msg.. 'pls keep calm and help is on the way' (Note; no help will be on the way)
ii. mood music from one of the horror movie... to create a scary atmosphere (for the brave)
iii. prayers for the last rites (in event you realise that there is no more hope)
4. Paper and Pen to write a farewell note
5. A T sheet with logo "I survived the SMRT experience"
Any more essential items that is needed?

HEY SMRT!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLS WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND PLS THE CEO OF SMRT PLS RESIGN/STEP DOWN OR GET TERMINATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REFUND IS NOT ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MUST REDUCE THE FARE AND PROVIDE FREE RIDE FOR 2 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TRAIN BEARLY BREAK DOWN ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND NOW SATURDAY MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I PLEDGE ALL SINGAPOREAN, PLS WE MUST STAND TOGETHER AND MUST GET BACK WHAT WE HAVE LOST DURING THESE 2 BREAK DONWS AND MORE IN THE FUTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PAP, OUR DEAREST GOVT!!!!! FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE 60% THAT HAD VOTED U IN MAY2011 GE....PLS DO STEP OUT AND DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WP, OUR DEAREST OPPOSITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE 40% THAT HAD VOTED U IN MAY2011 GE.....PLS VOICE OUT TO THE PAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAY GOD BLESS US ALL SINGAPOREAN AND FOR SINGAPORE FUTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"S"imultaneous "M"alfunctioning "R"andom "T"ransport
Sunday Choa Chu Kang MRT Breakdown - North-South Line

Was at Choa Chu Kang at 10.30am, all the entrance to the mrt was block with metal gates and locked. The signboard says 10am open but was strike off and written 11am. An alternative stated was to ask us to take bus. Went to the bus interchange, so jam packed that I couldn't even board the bus. Went back to the mrt and wait till 11am but it was still not open. Went to nearby cck shopping centre and came back at 11.30am, gates were opened but train not in service yet. 11.33am train arrive and in service but people took forever to squeeze in and door took forever to close. Train finally started to move, make a few phone calls regarding that I will be super late for appointment, then stupid train stalls again at one of the station and we were told to wait again. After a few minutes it moves but to stall yet again at another station. Was expecting a refund for this type of unreliable bad service but was too fed up to even approach the service staff as I was in a rush.

Example of No competition = Not effective and No Efficiency in Operation and SLOW improvement if not Regression

Waiting patiently for GE2016......

The govt will definitely fine SMRT for this. Next SMRT will increase its fare due to operating lose.... The commuters are definitely the losers

I think the real problem is that hte entire MRT System was NOT planned for REAL HEAVY USAGE. THe system became the SOLE means by choice....and the LTA did nothing but to give in to the demands by INCREASING THE FREQUENCY of the trains !!!!. Forgetting that was it plannned for such usage? The same mistake was found in the design of the subsequent lines. Having KNOWN the heavy demands, WHY are we installing the MEDIUM Capacity system ????/

Machines require service..it look like THERE IS Something LACKING in the SERVICEING !!!

All i can say is this... enough of empty talk... just get your work done... we are pretty tired of your price hikes... what happened is your problem. we paid you what you demand, you jolly well provide what we expect from you. and stuff all your excuses elsewhere!!! you already should have maintance and safety measures in the first place! solve your breakdowns and minimise our delay. otherwise pls don't tell us you require another price hike. to make us pay you for your inefficiencies is simply ridiculous!!!

I just want to say... Are we supposed to lay down and die in case of emergencies like these in the future?
The "Emergency Exits" are all locked, good job

After many repeated mistakes, she puts in jeopardy the lives of 4000 people. We are unfortunate that only 2 people were hospitalised. Do we want to wait for more people to die before she steps down? Also, did she not anticipate that people would jump onto the MRT tracks and get killed or maimed for life? She is the Head of the organisation. What are/were her priorities all these years?????

to those people who think that our world class transportations system deserves to have a glitch or two once in a awhile - well, i think those people are IDIOTS. we have been silent for much too long and only allowed to voice out in the confinement of cyberspace.

everytime when there's a fare hike, what did we do?

take it as it is and protest silently.

i don't think that would happen if s'pore citizens are as daring as those from other countries who will demonstrate and do whatever it takes to stop any nonsense by the government.

sometimes, it's good to accept the things as layed out by the government (not to protest and just get on with our lives) but don't they see their citizens have put in a great effort to bear with them?

so, to those IDIOTS who always say "look at the bright side, at least our transport system is not as bad as compared to other third world countries" - i will have to say this - look at the bright side, at least we are not doing anything foolish although the government is stepping all over us.

Everything want to increase price, cab fare, public transport, HDB, PUB, food, even their sky high salary is always going North even in bad times! But come to deliverance ? Cannnot deliver! Even with their army or MPs and ministers in this little red dot, INTERNATIONAL DISGRACE! AND THICK SKINNED!

HEY SMRT!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLS WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND PLS THE CEO OF SMRT PLS RESIGN/STEP DOWN OR GET TERMINATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REFUND IS NOT ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MUST REDUCE THE FARE AND PROVIDE FREE RIDE FOR 2 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TRAIN BEARLY BREAK DOWN ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND NOW SATURDAY MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I PLEDGE ALL SINGAPORE PLS WE MUST AT LEAST GET BACK WHAT WE HAVE LOST DURING THESE 2 BREAK DONWS AND MORE IN THE FUTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

just curious
did their own ceo take mrt to work daily?
(己所不欲 勿施于人)

Wandered where is the chairman ? We have not seen nor heard from the chairman, instead we heard & read alot from the government.... Dear gorvernment, why are you appearing more disturb than the chairman ?.... WHO is paying WHO ? Is it because the chairman is paying more taxes and thats why it make sense of the governemnt to stand-up for him too ?

People, now you know why the alphabet 'A' is missing from SMRT.. cos it isn't up to it..

SMRT should be made accountable to the public and the nation, not its shareholders. The management should also resign in view of the very poor crisis management and apparent lax security at the station. Have they not prepared for a peace time disruption, what make one think that they have put in place, adequate measures and resources against a security threat at any station. Thankfully, there weren’t any casualties and damages this time around. If it is luck that they are counting on, they need to start to pray for it now.