SINGAPORE - Train service between Tampines and Pasir Ris stations on the East-West Line was suspended briefly on Wednesday afternoon (April 18) due to a track fault.

Train operator SMRT tweeted at around 1.50pm that commuters should expect an additional 30 minutes of travel time, and added that free regular bus services between the stations had been made available.

The Straits Times understands that the fault caused train service between the two stations to be disrupted.

At around 2.15pm, SMRT tweeted that train service was expected to resume in 10 minutes.

Shortly after, it said that train service has "progressively returned to normal".

SMRT's vice-president for corporate communications Margaret Teo confirmed the service disruption in a statement to The Straits Times.

"A track fault was detected near Pasir Ris MRT station at about 1.45pm this afternoon. Train services were temporarily halted between Tampines and Pasir Ris for about 30 minutes for our staff to safely access the track and carry out rectification work," she said.

"We apologise to commuters whose journeys were interrupted this afternoon."

Last Monday (April 9), a track fault along the EWL led to delays for almost three hours.

The fault affected stations from Jurong East to Joo Koon, with service resuming at around 10.20am.