Independent 5-member panel to advise task force on improving MRT, LRT reliability
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The panel’s experience covers critical areas such as the operations, management and maintenance of core rail systems.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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- A five-member panel will advise a new task force to improve Singapore's rail reliability after a string of recent disruptions.
- The task force, formed by LTA, SMRT and SBS Transit, will review disruptions and suggest improvements by end-2025.
- The panel will review findings, provide advice and insights, and work closely with the members of the task force.
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SINGAPORE – A five-member independent advisory panel comprising rail experts from across the globe has been appointed to support a new task force in improving the reliability of Singapore’s MRT and LRT networks.
The panel is made up of seasoned leaders who have had experience in key engineering and management roles in the rail sector around the world, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and public transport operators SMRT and SBS Transit said in a statement on Oct 6.
The panel’s experience covers critical areas such as the operation, management and maintenance of core rail systems – expertise “essential to ensuring a safe, efficient and reliable rail network”, they added.
The members of the panel are:
Dr Tony Lee Kar Yun, former operations and innovation director at Hong Kong public transport operator MTR Corporation. He has four decades of experience in railway engineering systems, and oversaw MTR’s asset performance and management, as well as operational safety and quality.
Mr Patrick Bauchart, former vice-president for urban rail signalling in Asia at French signalling system provider Thales. He has nearly 40 years of experience, and in his Thales role, was in charge of major metro projects in signalling and fare collection, as well as the integration of rail systems.
Dr Cai Chang Jun, former deputy general manager of the Guangzhou Metro Group, with more than 41 years of experience in rail engineering, operations and maintenance. He oversaw areas such as the management of railway operations, electrical systems, security inspection systems and new line construction.
Professor Tsay Huel-Sheng, former chairman and president of the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, which operates the Taipei Metro, widely considered a best-in-class rail system. Prof Tsay, an adjunct professor with the department of transportation and logistics management at the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, has experience in overseeing the planning, design and construction of rail systems in the Taipei metropolitan area.
Mr Kon Shinichiro, managing executive officer of Meidensha Corporation Japan, which provides power supply systems for the high-speed rail and metro system in Japan, as well as for mass rapid transit systems in South-east Asia and the Middle East.
Announced on Sept 19
Its findings will be reported regularly to Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and its final recommendations will be submitted by the end of 2025.
The five panellists will review findings, provide advice and insights, and work closely with the members of the task force to develop measures to improve rail reliability, added LTA.
The task force, which is chaired by LTA chief executive Ng Lang, also includes SMRT group chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping and SBS Transit group chief executive Jeffrey Sim.
It will review the recent service disruptions to identify components that may require replacement, upgrading or increased maintenance.
This includes a review of whether the renewal programme for the North East Line (NEL) power system can be brought forward.
The NEL and Sengkang-Punggol LRT system experienced a major electrical outage
This was followed by a power fault
The task force will also look into ways to strengthen the signalling system for the SBS Transit-run NEL and the SMRT-operated Circle Line in the short term before renewal is due, typically around the 30-year mark.
The 22-year-old NEL and 16-year-old Circle Line use the same signalling system supplied by French company Alstom. The system directs rail traffic, keeps trains a safe distance from one another, and ensures they run according to schedule.
The task force will also carry out full technical audits of the maintenance and operation of critical systems.
This will cover areas such as maintenance processes, staff training and competency, and the condition of rail assets.
Decision-making during a disruption will also be under review, and the task force will look into ways to reduce the impact of service delays on passengers.
This includes reviewing training regimens for officers on the ground, as well as relooking procedures to quicken the recovery of services and bring down the number of instances where passengers have to alight from trains between stations.
Before this recent spate of incidents, the MRT network’s overall reliability had already tumbled to its lowest level since 2020
On average, MRT trains clocked 1.6 million train-km without delays that lasted more than five minutes, a drop from 1.98 million train-km in 2024
