A new servicing contract struck between train operator SMRT and French rail multinational firm Alstom could deliver more reliable journeys on the Circle Line.
The 16-year agreement announced yesterday comes with unspecified "performance guarantees" and ensures the "continued reliability and availability" of the control systems that run the line.
Alstom built the Circle Line and the trains that run on it and is also supplying signalling equipment for the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line.
The new deal involves providing spare parts, repairs, obsolescence management and technical support for the Circle Line until 2035.
By that point, the line will be 26 years old, around the time certain core systems in train lines - which typically have lifespans of about 30 years - need to be renewed.
A Singapore-based team of Alstom experts will also work closely with SMRT to maintain the train control system.
"During this period, we aim to build up local system capabilities and familiarity through a combination of skills transfer, training and mentoring," an Alstom spokesman said.
Such localisation offers operational flexibility and efficiency to ensure "safe and reliable service" for commuters, said SMRT and Alstom in their joint announcement.
SMRT Trains chief executive Lee Ling Wee said the partnership with Alstom will allow SMRT to maintain the performance of the Circle Line's signalling system through "long-term spare support, shorter repair turnaround time and access to Alstom's technical expertise".
Mr Guillaume Denis, vice-president of Alstom Digital Mobility in Asia-Pacific, said the contract will "enhance the localisation of key competencies in Singapore".
Alstom is supplying the signalling system and 69 Spanish-built carriages for Stage 6 of the Circle Line, an extension between HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations. The stretch comprising Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road stations will be finished in 2025 and "close the loop" for the Circle Line.
Land Transport Authority data from Feb 6 showed that reliability on the Circle Line has continued to rise, clocking 1.22 million train-kilometres between delays of more than five minutes at the end of last year, up from 728,000 train-km in 2018.
The overall reliability of the MRT network has continued to improve, rising to 1.32 million train-km at the end of last year, compared with 690,000 train-km for 2018.
