Rail task force’s proposals will help strengthen S’pore’s MRT network ‘over next decades’: Experts

SINGAPORE – The rail reliability task force’s recommendations,

accepted by the Government on Feb 13,

are comprehensive and a step in the right direction in reducing MRT disruptions, even though many are not new, said transport experts.

In the meantime, some public transport users are concerned about the immediate impact of some recommendations, such as early asset renewal, on their daily journeys.

Describing the task force’s recommendations as “comprehensive”, Associate Professor Raymond Ong from the National University of Singapore’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said they address critical issues across the spectrum, beyond just hardware.

In particular, he added, the task force prioritising

the renewal of three “core” systems

– trains, signalling and power – was the right move.

These three systems are foundational – any one of them failing would have a significant impact on operations.

“Rail reliability is not a one-off improvement project,” he noted.

“If implemented rigorously, these recommendations should strengthen both the structural resilience and the operational responsiveness of Singapore’s rail network over the next decades.”

Besides the renewal of rail assets, the task force’s report made recommendations in areas such as improving service recovery during disruptions, working on spare-part management and better equipping the rail workforce.

These recommendations are not new to those familiar with the rail industry, said Singapore University of Social Sciences transport economist Walter Theseira.

He added that he does not see the recommendations as a “panacea, or overseas experts magically showing us the light”, in reference to an

i

ndependent panel of five rail experts

from across the globe who advised the task force.

Instead, the majority of the suggestions are based on what the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit have already gleaned from years of operation and past mistakes.

But it was a good decision to make public the task force’s report.

“They are putting this on the record so that they can have public capital to carry out (the recommendations),” said Associate Professor Theseira.

Both Prof Theseira and Prof Ong highlighted another proposal that would be key to rail reliability: The implementation of a standardised approach to monitoring the condition of rail assets, which could enable joint decision-making between LTA and the operators on matters such as asset renewals.

While such condition monitoring was already being carried out, Prof Ong said it was fragmented across lines and operators. The suggestion to standardise it may be “one of the most transformative”, he said.

By integrating data across lines, maintenance becomes a predictive process rather than a reactive one. This, in turn, could improve rail reliability, he said.

Prof Theseira said that a greater degree of interoperability needs to be in place. Besides reducing costs and duplication, he said, using one system would make things more efficient.

The task force acknowledged in its report that sharing data on the condition and performance of rail assets across LTA and operators SMRT and SBS Transit would be “mutually beneficial”, noting that “it is equally important that the data collected is properly used to enhance decision-making at a systems level, rather than only at the line level”.

Prof Theseira expressed hope that the proposed staff exchanges between LTA and the operators will foster greater understanding between them.

The report said structured and frequent staff rotations would “build common perspectives and capabilities”.

Prof Theseira said: “There needs to be greater understanding and cooperation between the three. Without a closer relationship, there will always be scepticism.”

The decision to bring forward renewal works for the North East Line’s (NEL) power supply system to 2026 is also crucial in reducing the risk of one failure leading to another, said Prof Ong.

The NEL was specifically singled out in the task force’s report, with a proposal to upgrade its power intake to one with a higher capacity.

More traction power substations that convert electricity from the grid into the appropriate voltage to power the NEL system will also be installed in the coming years.

A failure of the power switchboard at a NEL depot substation had caused an outage in August 2025, resulting in a three-hour disruption on the MRT line. As the substation also powers the Sengkang-Punggol LRT, it also tripped the LRT system for about 10 hours before service was fully restored.

While the experts said measures such as the upgrades to the power supply system are necessary to strengthen long-term rail reliability, Sengkang resident Leslie Soh, 33, said the issue should have been accounted for during the design stage, minimising the need for any large-scale planned disruptions.

To facilitate renewal works being “completed in good time”, the task force said service closures should be catered for if necessary, with the report citing full-day service closures as a possibility.

Some commuters are worried about the immediate impact that longer closures will have on their daily routines.

Serangoon resident Adhishni Mathialagan, 25, said NEL trains are already extremely crowded during the morning rush hour, making it necessary for her to wait for one or two trains to pass before finally being able to board.

She said the issue might worsen if fewer trains are able to operate due to upgrading works.

“While the upgrading probably should have been anticipated earlier, I understand that infrastructure planning is also shaped by cost constraints and the assumptions available at the time,” she added.

“I suppose usage patterns probably shifted, what with population growth in the area, so higher capacity needs only became much clearer later on.”