SMRT collision: Service disruption on 17 East-West Line stations to accelerate resignalling project

[SINGAPORE] From Dec 8 to Dec 31, 17 East-West Line stations from Tiong Bahru to Tuas Link, and North-South Line stations Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak will close earlier on Fridays and Saturdays.

They will also open later on Saturdays and Sundays to facilitate re-signalling works and accelerate the timeline for the entire EWL to run on the new communications-based train control system.

Reduced train service hours will also be implemented along other stretched of the NSEWL in the first half of 2018 to facilitate re-signalling works and other renewal and maintenance works.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT made this announcement at a second press conference on Tuesday (Nov 21) relating to the Joo Koon incident last Wednesday when two trains collided.

LTA, SMRT and Thales said going forward, services between the TWE and rest of East-West Line will be kept separate, until the entire line can be upgraded to Thales' signalling system."To end their (Thales') misery, we just keep this complete separation, so we have a clean system," Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said.

Commuters using the TWE will have to get off the train at Joo Koon MRT station, transfer to a bus, and then reboard the train at Gul Circle, and onwards to Tuas Crescent, Tuas West Road and Tuas Link stations.

THE STRAITS TIMES