Frustrated MRT commuters slammed SMRT today for yet another train service breakdown due to a track circuit fault at Jurong East Station. The delays on the East-West Line allegedly lasted more than 2 hours, while SMRT only announced that travel time could be extended by 5 to 20 minutes.
Commuters took to social media to share their ire at SMRT, especially calling the organisation out for not being upfront about how long the delay would last.
@enthralleddd: “when it’s rainy & the hurdle to get to work is real when it took 45mins btwn 2 mrt stations bc of a train fault. i want the day to end alr.”
@Cka70061418: “Wow, im appalled. I board the train frm boon lay at ard 8.25am & have just reached buona vista @9.15am. I wonder how u guys est ur delay.”
@qixin: “10 mins is understatement. It’s at least a 30 mins delay at Jurong East”
SMRT reported that train services had resumed as per normal at 10.58am, however according to MRT Disruption Feed, it appears that train services on the North-South Line were halted due to another signalling fault from around 2pm onwards.
SMRT Trains CEO Lee Ling Wee released a statement this week that the organisation has “no choice” but to conduct signalling checks during the day and during peak hours. He said:
“If we were to restrict the performance checks to only weekends, or engineering hours (i.e. 1.30AM – 4.30AM), it would take Singapore years to implement the new signalling system on the NSEWL”
The statement posted on SMRT’s blog came after scores of grievances over recent breakdown were aired on social media, with one online petition pushing Guinness World Records to honour SMRT for Highest Number of Train Delays going viral.