Train that caused delays on North-South Line on Friday morning withdrawn from service: SMRT

A sign at Newton MRT station, seen at about 8.45am, informing commuters about the delay. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
A sign outside Newton MRT station, seen at about 8.45am, informing commuters of the free bus services due to the delay. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Commuters in a packed train travelling from Braddell towards Raffles Place around 8.30am, on Feb 10, 2017. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

SINGAPORE - The train that caused delays on the North-South Line during the morning rush hour on Friday (Feb 10) has been withdrawn from service, SMRT said.

In response to a query by The Straits Times, rail operator SMRT's Vice President for Corporate Information and Communications, Mr Patrick Nathan, said: "A train on the North-South Line travelling from Raffles Place towards Yishun developed a signalling fault this morning.

"It was subsequently withdrawn from service after passengers disembarked at Raffles Place. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused."

Earlier on Friday, train commuters on the North-South Line experienced delays in their journey.

In a tweet sent out at 8.06am, SMRT told commuters who were travelling from Newton station to Marina South Pier station to add 30 minutes of travel time. It added that free regular bus services are available from the affected stations.

At 8.27am, SMRT sent an update that the fault had been cleared and that trains were progressively returning to normal speed.

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Bank employee Eileen Lee, 38, was one of those affected by the train fault.

"It has become such a norm that the train will stop in between stations," she told The Straits Times at Raffles Place station. "Disruptions have happened all the time in the past one to two years so people have stopped complaining. It was more efficient in the past."

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