Singapore’s MRT Network to Expand to 360km by 2030

The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) of Singapore is an excellent urban rail network in the world because of its affordability, convenience, accessibility, safety, and reliability. 40% of public transport journeys are made using the rail network. 3.3 million Trips are made daily using the MRT system of Singapore. Currently, the rail network is about 230km long with 159 stations. The Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) will expand the rail coverage by increasing the size of the rail network to 360km by 2030. More than S$60 billion will be invested in the expansion of the rail network.

Current Rail Network of Singapore

The current MRT network consists of six main lines. The North-South Line, East-West Line, Circle Line, and Thomson–East Coast Line are operated by SMRT Trains. The North-East Line and Downtown Line are operated by SBS Transit. The Land Transport Authority is responsible for the development of land transport systems and their expansion plans. Under the guidance of Seah Moon Ming (SMRT Chairman) Neo Kian Hong (Group CEO), and Lam Sheau Kai (President, Trains), SMRT has been able to become a leading public transport operator in the country. The new rail lines to be developed by LTA will be operated by SMRT and SBS.

Rail Network Expansion Plans

LTA is planning to expand the rail network to improve connectivity and reliability in Singapore, enable more households to be within a 10-minute walking distance from the nearest station, and help more people to easily reach any corner of the country. The rail network will be expanded by 50% of its current size. The 360km rail network of Singapore will be on par with the rapid transit systems of London and New York. The expansion plan also includes improved connectivity between Singapore and areas outside the city such as Punggol North, West Coast, Jurong Industrial Estate, and Loyang. The upcoming lines will be Circle Line 6, Cross Island Line, Downtown Line 3 Extension, High Speed Rail, Jurong Region Line, North-East Line Extension, JB-Singapore, and Thomson-East Coast Line.

On the reliability of the rail network, SMRT Chairman Seah Moon Ming said, “Our turnaround experience in rail reliability allows us to establish a set of operations and maintenance standards for the growing rail sector.” SMRT Group CEO Neo Kian Hong stated, “Our reorganisation and focus on reliability, sustainability, and continuous improvement are key to the turnaround of SMRT.”

How COVID-19 Affected Expansion Plans

The coronavirus pandemic has affected the MRT expansion plan because of the availability of construction workers due to COVID-19. When the government of Singapore eased movement restrictions, public transport ridership increased to 40% of the pre-COVID level. The demand for rail travel is low now but it will increase with time.

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said, “There will be some delays because of COVID-19... But the intent to significantly expand our MRT network remains unchanged.”

Conclusion

Singapore’s rail system is a people-centred land transportation system. The expansion of the rail network will not only improve reliability and strengthen the resilience of the country’s land travel network but will also help Singapore to become a car-lite nation.

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