The train service along the East West Line (EWL) was reported to have been disrupted by commuters on Friday (24 Aug) evening which is said to be caused by a train fault at Pasir Ris station; SMRT has yet to announce the breakdown officially.
A commuter, Sherry Tan informed on TATA SMRT Facebook platform that the train service was delayed for 10 minutes at 6:25pm and it was due to track fault – announced via public announcement system in the station:
Sherry Tan wrote at 6:26pm: “Time 6.25pm : Additional 10 mins from Tanah Merah to Pasir Ris due to track fault.”
Sherry Tan wrote at 6:34pm: “Announced via pa system in station.”
On the same Facebook platform, other commuters also informed about the delay:
Wayne Chew posted at 6:40pm: “Train fault near Pasir Ris. Add 15 mins between Tanah Merah-Pasir Ris.”
John Robert Lee shared a post from MRT Singapore Service Information at 6:41pm, he wrote: “Faulty train at Pasir Ris, causing EWL Service to tailback all the way to Tanah Merah. +10 mins of travelling time expected.”
Passengers also questioned and complained about the crawling train service on Twitter; Apparently, announcements were not made on all affected trains and stations when the trains started to slow down along EWL – hence the confusion of the fault:
@SMRT_Singapore pls lah. No announcement or anything. What’s up
— bubliya (@bubliya) August 24, 2018
@SMRT_Singapore wake up your bloody idea can?! So slow for what!
— Izzat Nordin (@aldakuuks) August 24, 2018
@SMRT_Singapore announcement says train fault at EW1, can you try not to let this happen during peak hour?!
— Joepan (@Joepan26) August 24, 2018
Tan Guan Hong tweeted that it was not 10 minutes additional travel time but 10 minutes for every stop:
https://twitter.com/_guanhong/status/1032938835913531392
A commuter wrote an answer to MRT Singapore Service Information that the delay was not only between Tanah Merah and Pasir Ris, but for all stations going East:
https://twitter.com/kkook_bunny/status/1032942844959289344
And other tweets from commuters were posted in accordance with the earlier ones:
https://twitter.com/YoghurtLemon/status/1032942968838152194
@SMRT_Singapore please update why the delay now…..
— 방 탄 (@bts_godluvme) August 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/snipalAN/status/1032943859397877760
At 7:03pm the train was still reported to be disrupted – although apparently there was an announcement earlier that the fault at Pasir Ris was cleared – confusing the passengers:
https://twitter.com/kkook_bunny/status/1032946502396604418
smrt: due to train fault expect 15 minutes train delay to your destination
also smrt: train service has resumed
also also smrt: due to train fault expect another 5 minhtes train delah to your destination— Jャスティン⛩ (@AteOneZero) August 24, 2018
#smrt train at Tampines towards Pasir Ris Station reporting that delay will be 5 min at stopping position now.
— Lee CS (@leecs0123) August 24, 2018
@SMRT_Singapore I thought you just announced that it’s recovered? Another train fault!? I need to rush home to stream “Idol”! #idol #AnswerIsHere
— 방 탄 (@bts_godluvme) August 24, 2018
At 7:38pm Joepan wrote that it took an hour from Outram to Pasir Ris:
@SMRT_Singapore WTH?!?!?! takes one hour just to travel from Outram to Pasir Ris!!!! What is wrong with you?!?! https://t.co/0RztccvWLt
— Joepan (@Joepan26) August 24, 2018
And another commuter tweeted it took 25 minutes from Simei to Pasir Ris:
Today it took me 25mins to get from Simei to Pasir Ris….
Damn you SMRT— 소원💖 (@jasminelep) August 24, 2018
Until after 8pm tweets were still being posted that the delays were still ongoing:
https://twitter.com/Limminny/status/1032961058762178560
https://twitter.com/woahwhatisthis/status/1032962065474904064
Throughout the delay time SMRT did not announce official information on the breakdown.
