Evening peak-hour train disruption on East-West Line delays commuters in western Singapore

Train commuters in western Singapore were delayed during the evening peak hour on 17 December following a track fault that disrupted a seven-station stretch on the East-West Line.

The fault occurred near Joo Koon station, causing trains to move slower for safety reasons, operator SMRT said.

At 7.37pm, SMRT posted on Facebook advising commuters to expect an additional 15 minutes of travel time between Jurong East and Gul Circle stations.

Free bus services were also deployed to assist commuters along the affected stretch.

By 7.50pm, train services began to progressively resume.

At 8.05pm, SMRT confirmed that full service between the stations had been restored and free bus services were withdrawn.

In an update on Facebook at 8.45pm, SMRT clarified the disruption began at around 6.45pm due to a “point machine failure near Joo Koon station.” For safety reasons, trains moved at reduced speeds, causing delays. Announcements were made on trains and in stations, SMRT stated.

Several commuters, however, expressed frustration on social media about the delay in public communication. A Facebook user commented that they heard announcements on the train close to 7pm but noted that the official social media post was only made at 7.37pm. “Why can’t the announcement be made earlier for folks to arrange alternative transport?” the user asked.

Another user reported a crowd stuck at Tuas West Road station between 7pm and 7.30pm with no announcements on the platform. They added, “Luckily I sensed something amiss and decided to cab home.”

A third user criticised the timing of SMRT’s announcements, stating that the fault occurred before 7pm but was only communicated later, creating confusion among commuters.

This disruption follows two recent service incidents on SMRT-operated lines.

On 16 December, a signalling fault caused delays on the Circle Line, affecting a 10-station stretch between Farrer Road and Harbourfront stations. Just two days earlier, on 14 December, a stalled train at Tai Seng station disrupted services between Serangoon and Promenade stations, also spanning 10 stops.

In response to the East-West Line fault, SMRT apologised for the inconvenience and emphasised that staff worked promptly to restore services. The operator reiterated its commitment to keeping commuters informed through station announcements and social media updates.

The disruption comes during a busy travel period, heightening the frustration of affected commuters. While SMRT resolved the fault within approximately an hour, concerns remain over the timeliness of communication during service disruptions.

The point machine failure near Joo Koon highlights the challenges in maintaining operational reliability on Singapore’s extensive rail network. As one of the city-state’s major transport lines, the East-West Line serves thousands of commuters daily, making disruptions particularly impactful during peak hours.

With three service incidents occurring in the span of four days, commuters are calling for improvements to both train reliability and communication protocols during faults.

SMRT’s handling of the issue, including deploying free bus services and restoring service quickly, mitigated some of the disruption, though dissatisfaction remains among those affected.