MRT delays frustrate commuters yet again
Commuters faced a third day of delays yesterday along the North-South Line - first at 6.40am and then at 8.20am.
Many took to social media to vent their frustrations on the delays and lack of updates online, with some posting photographs of crowded train platforms.
One posted a picture of a travel chit issued by SMRT indicating an hour's journey between Sembawang and Orchard.
Another commuter, Miss Chan Wei Yin, 19, told The New Paper yesterday she did not expect to be 25 minutes late for work when she boarded the train at Yishun MRT station at 7.50am to get to City Hall MRT station.
She said: "I missed three trains because they were completely packed and there was a long queue. I had my earphones on and did not hear any announcements, but SMRT staff were controlling the crowd."
Miss Chan also faced a 25-minute delay on Wednesday evening.
She said: "I did anticipate delays since the signalling checks were reported, but perhaps SMRT should stop conducting checks during peak periods so it's less inconvenient."
Full-day weekday trials of a new signalling system on the North-South Line - which allows trains to run closer to each other and therefore increase the line's service frequency and raise passenger capacity - started on May 29.
On Tuesday, both the Land Transport Authority and SMRT had told commuters to expect some delay in the coming weeks as they "continue to conduct intensive performance checks and deploy new software to improve the system".
...perhaps SMRT should stop conducting checks during peak periods so it’s less inconvenient.Miss Chan Wei Yin, 19, who was 25 minutes late for work despite boarding at 7.50am
They also sought the "continued understanding and patience" of commuters, who have been encountering glitchy service in recent weeks, although not all owing to signalling tests.
On the latest delays, Mr Patrick Nathan, Vice-President, Corporate Communications, SMRT Corporation, said yesterday: "At about 6.40am today, a train on the North-South Line encountered a signalling fault at Woodlands.
"The train was driven manually towards Jurong East station at a slower speed, where commuters were safely disembarked. It has been withdrawn from service for further checks."
He said the second delay was due to a fault on a platform screen door at Bishan station.
Mr Nathan added: "The two faults resulted in longer waiting times. In-train and station announcements kept commuters updated."
The delays yesterday follow Tuesday's and Wednesday's on the North-South Line and the East-West Line.
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