SINGAPORE - MRT trains generally travelled longer distances before encountering delays last year, compared to the year before, going by latest data from the Government showing improved train network performance.
Last year, trains clocked 174,000 train-km travelled between delays of more than five minutes, a 30 per cent increase from 133,000 train-km in 2015.
This was announced on Thursday (Jan 12) by Mr Pang Kin Keong, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Transport, at the third Joint Forum on Infrastructure Maintenance.
The best performing MRT train line was the Downtown Line, which achieved 260,000 train-km between delays of more than five minutes last year, up from 45,000 train-km the previous year.
The next best performer was the Circle Line which managed to hit 228,000 train-km instead, despite being plagued by signalling problems last year. In 2015, trains on the Circle Line travelled 118,000 train-km between disruptions.
Despite being the third best performing line with 174,000 train-km travelled between delays, the North-East line had a poorer showing compared to 2015, when it clocked 213,000 train-km.
The ageing North-South and East-West lines showed the worst performance for MRT lines. The North-South line achieved 156,000 train-km, an improvement from 121,000 train-km in 2015. Reliability on the East-West Line worsened, from 162,000 train-km in 2015 to 145,000 train-km last year.
Rail reliability for the LRT network also improved, achieving 49,000 train-km between delays, up from 42,000 train-km in 2015.
The Sengkang-Punggol LRT hit 72,000 train-km last year, compared to 54,000 train-km the previous year.
Despite a number of major disruptions last year, the Bukit Panjang LRT achieved 36,000 train-km, an improvement from 33,000 train-km the previous year.
"I believe that this improvement (in the rail network) is the result of sharply increased investments in the renewal and upgrading of operating assets, the sharply intensified maintenance regimes put in place by the operators and the adoption of good ideas from the larger engineering fraternity," said Mr Pang.
"It gives me a measure of confidence that if we are able to inject more consistency and sustainability into our efforts, the target of 400,000 train-km by 2018 is within reach."
Correction note: An earlier version of the story said Circle Line managed to hit 260,000 train-km. This is incorrect. The figure should be 228,000 train-km. We are sorry for the error.
