SMRT fined $1.3m for trains running red lights
Train operator fined $1.6 million by LTA for total of four disruptions
Of the six train disruptions from last October to May this year, two were due to the running of red lights by SMRT train captains, investigations have revealed.
The running of the red lights, which damaged parts of the train tracks, led to stiffer fines, said Mr Yeo Teck Guan, group director of public transport at the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Yesterday, LTA fined train operators SMRT and SBS Transit (SBST) a total of $1.6 million and $50,000 respectively for the disruptions.
The fines will go towards the Public Transport Fund to help needy families with transport fares.
Mr Yeo said five of the train delays - SMRT's failure to comply with its procedures and processes and a maintenance lapse by SBST - were the result of human errors.
"So they were really preventable if the staff had actually carried our their duties with due diligence and vigilance," he said.
SMRT was fined $400,000 for running the red light last October, and $900,000 when the same happened again three months later.
The fines were significantly higher for these two incidents than that for the other incidents, which ranged between $50,000 and $200,000, despite affecting relatively fewer commuters.
As for the sixth delay, caused by a power trip on the North-East line in April, SBST was not fined as it was caused by a passenger.
HIGHER PENALTIES
"When you have a red light, running it is considered a serious safety breach. That's why the penalties are higher," Mr Yeo said.
As the trains in the two incidents were manually operated, the onus was on their captains and Operations Control Centre to make sure they did not run any red lights.
In both cases, the train captains said they did not see the red lights, which Mr Yeo said were "quite visible". The red light signals a track crossing, at which a train is supposed to stop to allow another to pass through.
"When the train goes over, it either forces open the track point, or climbs over and damages it," Mr Yeo added.
This activates a "train protection system", which means other trains cannot travel to that particular portion of the track.
Train services can resume only after maintenance staff have repaired the track, he said.
Since the rail incidents on the North-South and East-West lines early this year, both SMRT and SBST have both "worked hard to arrest such occurrences".
Delays on the North-East and Circle lines have decreased this year, while those on the North-South and East-West lines have remained the same.
These delays were mostly caused by train door or signalling faults, said Mr Yeo. An SMRT-SBST-LTA team is looking into these issues.
He said LTA will further tighten oversight on the operators' training programmes and carry out audits and checks on their training processes.
When you have a red light, running it is considered a serious safety breach. That's why the penalties are higher.
- Mr Yeo Teck Guan, LTA's group director of public transport, on the $1.3 million in fines imposed for two incidents of SMRT trains running red lights.
RAIL INCIDENTS LTA INVESTIGATED
OCT 9, 2013
What: 70-minute disruption on both directions of East-West line between Boon Lay and Joo Koon stations. 10,000 passengers affected.
Why: Damaged track as train captain failed to stop at red light
Penalty: SMRT fined $400,000
JAN 20, 2014
What: 40-minute disruption for south-bound trains on North-South line between Yio Chu Kang and Ang Mo Kio. 19,000 passengers affected.
Why: Train had no electrical supply due to lapses by SMRT technician and train captain.
Penalty: SMRT fined $200,000
JAN 22
What: 67-minute disruption on west-bound services and 30-minute disruption on east-bound services between Tanah Merah and Pasir Ris. 2,800 and 7,700 passengers affected respectvely
Why: Damaged track as train captain failed to stop at red light
Penalty: SMRT fined $900,000
MARCH 21
What: 40-minute disruption on both directions of North-East line, between Dhoby Ghaut and Hougang stations. 5,900 passengers affected.
Why: Power trip due to non-critical maintenance work
Penalty: SBS Transit fined $50,000
APRIL 6
What: 60-minute disruption on both directions of North-East line between Farrer Park and Boon Keng
Why: An aluminium-foil helium balloon that entered the tunnel came into contact with an electrical insulator, causing an electrical fault.
Penalty: No fine for SBS Transit because incident was caused by passenger.
MAY 2
What: 50-minute disruption on north-bound services of North-South line, between Yio Chu Kang and Yishun stations. 1,000 passengers affected.
Why: Breach of standard operating procedures in sleeper replacement work
Penalty: SMRT fined $100,000
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