Digital displays at Serangoon MRT station to give travellers clearer updates during disruptions
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
One of the screens displaying the kind of information that can be shown in the event of a service disruption.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
SINGAPORE - Travellers at Serangoon MRT station will now find a host of screens installed at various locations offering directions and other information that can be updated in the event of a service disruption.
The pilot initiative aims to provide those travelling by train with clearer updates, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a joint statement with rail operators SBS Transit (SBST) and SMRT Trains on Jan 24.
Some of the screens will display the operational statuses of the different rail lines, while others will provide visual cues such as flashing lights and arrows to direct people to alternative transport arrangements, if necessary.
Located at both the North East Line (NEL) and Circle Line (CCL) sections of the station, these digital displays are in line with recommendations made by a rail reliability task force, one of them being “clear, commuter-centric communications”, said the joint statement.
It added that the wayfinding improvements complement LTA’s real-time webpage
When asked why Serangoon station was chosen for the trial, an LTA spokesperson said that as it is one of Singapore’s busiest stations, functioning as a major interchange between the NEL and CCL, it provides LTA with the opportunity to gather robust feedback on the effectiveness of the new wayfinding tools.
“Should disruptions occur on either line, the station becomes a critical decision point where commuters need clear and timely guidance on alternative routes and transport options.”
Reviews will be done, and features deemed effective will be progressively introduced to other high-traffic MRT stations and major interchanges, the spokesperson said, without elaborating on when this might happen.
LTA is also working on new digital tools that will provide real-time, journey-specific information, which will also be available on third-party platforms such as Google Maps.
The new signs were put to the test at midnight on Jan 24, during an exercise simulating a stalled train in the tunnel between Kovan and Serangoon stations on the NEL.
Dubbed Exercise Greyhound, it involved about 170 personnel across the LTA, SBST, SMRT, police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
Now in its 11th iteration, this particular exercise was of utmost importance, said Mr Jeffrey Sim, the group chief executive of SBST, as it incorporated new measures that came about based on the findings of the reliability task force.
Beyond the participating personnel, the exercise was also observed by 130 representatives across different organisations, including bus operators Go-Ahead Singapore and Tower Transit Singapore, as well as Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow.
As the NEL was the primary rail line involved in the exercise, its operator, SBST, was tested on its capabilities when it came to responding to emergencies.
When the exercise scenario began, the operator activated its incident management plan, which included providing free bridging bus services between affected stations.
It also deployed staff on-site to guide affected passengers.
LTA said that all the operators involved were “well prepared and had trained their staff well to handle such scenarios”, adding that it will share its observations with them in due time.
LTA chief executive Ng Lang said the exercise came at an opportune time, as rail reliability measures are being strengthened.
“It is crucial that we maintain readiness, and these comprehensive simulation exercises allow us to validate our incident response protocols,” he said.
Thanking the exercise participants, Mr Siow said in a Facebook post on the evening of Jan 24 that there were several areas in which execution and coordination can be improved.
“We will follow up with the teams on these observations, so we can improve our response and better support commuters when disruptions occur.”
In 2025, there were seven service delays
The East-West Line, CCL and Downtown Line had two such major delays each, while the NEL had one. The North-South Line, meanwhile, did not report any major disruptions.
Rail reliability was thrust into the spotlight in 2025 following a spate of at least 15 disruptions between July and September, resulting in the Government forming a task force to look into the matter.
Comprising senior leaders from LTA and the two rail operators, and advised by a team of industry experts, the task force determined that the underlying causes behind the disruptions were unrelated.
Nevertheless, it noted that there were several areas for improvement, and it submitted its report
The Ministry of Transport is due to provide a full response to the recommendations by the first quarter of 2026.
