The train service on the North South Line experienced delay this morning (16 December) due to a signal failure, resulting in the suspension of train service between Kranji and Bukit Gombak around 8 am.
As such, trains along the North South Line were operating in two sections, from Jurong to Bukit Gombak and Kranji to Marina South Pier. MRT mobilised free bus service and free shuttle busses for commuters travelling between Jurong East and Kranji.
These announcements were posted on the MRT Singapore Service Information Facebook page this morning.
Not long after, however, the post was updated around 9.09 am to indicate that the North South Line has resumed full service, thus the free bus and shuttle bus services have ended.
A commuter who was affected by the delays noted that it happened during peak hour – the photos she provided show Kranji station completely packed with people queuing up for the free bus services.
But just as she was getting to the front of the queue, the train was up and running again. This meant that there was a large crowd of commuters now trying to get onto the train.
The commuter TOC spoke to said that the communication at the station was “confusing”, adding that, “announcing which queue for what and arranging proper ushers would have been more useful.”
She said, “everyone walking confused in the massive crowd.”
Other commuters, some in the Chua Chu Kang station, shared the same sentiment online about how SMRT handled the crowds and how commuters were waiting for a long time to board the free bus services:
Why no SMRT staff on ground directing us to free bus to jurong east? Im still stranded in Kranji, cant go to work?
— NonaYoyo (@NonaYoyoku) December 16, 2019
You should be giving those passengers free rides for today. This wasn't just a fault, this was a human error during peak hour no less.
— Qinoha (@qinohakriya) December 16, 2019
@SMRT_Singapore Still no bridging buses to be seen at Kranji.. pic.twitter.com/7PJMkd2WeJ
— Airborne447 (@Airborne447) December 16, 2019
Others mentioned how the train service resumed as soon as they got onto the bridging busses:
Your service still not able to handle train disruption well. 20mins into the disruption, I could see people still trying to find the queue for bridging buses. O waited for the bus for 10mins never came. I took the regular bus and it wasn't free.
— Chin_ (@Chin61663047) December 16, 2019
Was chased out of the cck station, queued and finally got in the bus, then saw the update that the mrt has been rectified while being stuck in the bus. Great job @SMRT_Singapore . Oh my, @SMRT_Singapore never learned in their past disruptions.
— scbattlemage (@scbattlemage) December 16, 2019
Ofc it is rectified when we board the bridging bus 🙂 very nice SMRT 🙂
— Craigy Thug (@CraigyThug) December 16, 2019
Some noted that there were announcements being made of train arrival times even when the service was also announced as being disrupted:
@SMRT_Singapore stop lying. The station staffs announce no train service and u put this up. Truly atrocious. pic.twitter.com/x0XaaiQcFH
— Asurun (@SimYewTeck) December 16, 2019
@SMRT_Singapore NS line CCK no service don't know how to announce ar? pic.twitter.com/T0ScRSlcUs
— Asurun (@SimYewTeck) December 16, 2019