LTA, SMRT and SBS Transit form joint task force to tackle rail reliability issues

The Land Transport Authority (LTA), together with train operators SMRT and SBS Transit, announced on 19 Sept that they will form a joint rail reliability task force to address a series of recent service disruptions. The task force will be chaired by LTA chief executive Ng Lang and include SMRT Group chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping, SBS Transit Group chief executive Jeffrey Sim, and technical specialists from across the rail sector. According to a joint statement, the task force will report its findings to Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow on a regular basis and submit its final recommendations by the end of 2025.

Focus on end-of-life components and system renewal

The group will review recent disruption incidents to identify train components nearing the end of their operational lifespan and requiring replacement, upgrading, or heightened maintenance. Plans include bringing forward the renewal programme for the North East Line power system. In the shorter term, the team will examine ways to strengthen signalling for both the North East Line and Circle Line before major renewals are due.

Technical audits and reviews to be carried out

Full technical audits will be conducted on maintenance and operations across critical systems. These reviews will assess asset conditions, maintenance processes, operational procedures, redundancy protocols, and staff training standards. The task force will also study service recovery processes, aiming to reduce the time taken to resume operations after disruptions. This will include evaluating methods to minimise detrainments, which lengthen recovery time, without compromising commuter safety. Training regimes for ground officers will be reassessed to ensure that recovery efforts during service incidents are carried out effectively.

Government investment in rail reliability

Authorities highlighted that an additional S$1 billion has been set aside over the next five years to strengthen rail capabilities. The funding will also support technology adoption and skills upgrading for workers. In a Facebook post on 19 Sept, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said that he had instructed LTA to work with operators to expedite asset upgrades, conduct joint technical audits, and improve service recovery procedures. He also emphasised the importance of keeping commuters informed as investigations into disruptions are conducted. “By keeping the public updated, I hope you can better understand the challenges and know that we are fully committed to keeping the network safe and reliable,” he said.

Train systems complex, says acting minister

Siow acknowledged recent commuter frustrations, noting that rail reliability had been high in previous years but had dipped in recent months. “Train systems are complex – many things can go wrong, even with redundancies in place,” he said. “When disruptions happen, our immediate priority is to help commuters continue their journeys safely, whether via buses or alternative train routes.” He added that with more MRT lines today compared with a decade ago, commuters have greater options for alternative routes, which makes the network more resilient overall.

SMRT: Recent disruptions are isolated

SMRT has maintained that the recent disruptions are isolated incidents rather than indicators of systemic problems. “These are isolated cases, not systemic issues,” said Lam Sheau Kai, SMRT’s president of trains. He added that SMRT will work closely with LTA to conduct a detailed assessment of assets and ensure long-term reliability.

Spate of incidents across MRT network

The announcement follows a series of disruptions across Singapore’s MRT and LRT systems in recent weeks. On 17 Sept, services on the Thomson-East Coast Line were disrupted for about two hours due to a signal fault. The disruption occurred less than 12 hours after a power supply fault on the East–West Line affected six stations on 16 Sept night. Earlier, on 13 Sept, Punggol LRT services were halted for three hours due to a system fault that prevented trains from leaving the depot. On 2 Sept, a train fault caused a 25-minute delay on the North–South Line between Woodlands and Yishun stations. In August, multiple prolonged incidents took place. On 12 Aug, a power failure suspended services on the Sengkang–Punggol LRT for five hours, followed by another three-hour suspension across 29 stations on 15 Aug. On 6 Aug, the East–West Line experienced a five-hour breakdown. The problems stretched back to July, when the Thomson-East Coast Line faced an hour-long disruption from a signalling fault, and the Bukit Panjang LRT suffered two suspensions due to power problems. Rail reliability at lowest point in five years Figures released by LTA on 5 Sept showed that overall MRT reliability, measured between July 2024 and June 2025, has dropped to its lowest level in five years. Trains clocked an average of 1.6 million train-km travelled between delays lasting more than five minutes, compared with 1.45 million train-km in 2020. The decline marks the weakest performance since then.