Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
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The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is a rapid transit system which forms the backbone of the railway system in Singapore, serving more than a quarter of Singapore's population of four million with a network spanning the entire city-state. The initial section of the MRT, from Yio Chu Kang to Toa Payoh, was opened in 1987, establishing the MRT as the second oldest metro system in Southeast Asia after the system in Manila. The network has rapidly grown ever since, especially when the white paper titled "A World-Class Land Transport System", published by the Land Transport Authority shortly after its formation in 1995, detailed how the authority intended to favour developing a comprehensive rail network and reduce dependency on road-based systems such as the bus network. The MRT also works in conjunction with the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system, which links the MRT stations with HDB estates.
As of 2004 the daily ridership on the MRT and LRT networks hovers at about 1.3 million per day — a figure which pales in comparison to the 2.8 million daily ridership on the bus network. The gap is narrowing as the rail network expands, and bus services are often withdrawn or amended to avoid a duplication of services.
The MRT system has both underground and above-ground stations, even on the same line. Underground stations are often built in densely built-up areas, such as stations in the Central Area - Singapore's central business district. The primary reason for this is that the construction of an above-ground station in such built-up areas would be difficult. Although underground stations are more expensive to build and maintain, most of them also function as bomb shelters, and often have the secondary role of being shopping centres in themselves.
The lines are constructed by the Land Transport Authority, with operating concessions given to SMRT Corporation and SBS Transit. These operators also run bus and taxi services, thus ensuring that there is a full integration of public transport services in Singapore.
The Mass Rapid Transit network
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Stations
Number of stations
There are currently 63 operating stations on three lines. Another station on the North East Line is due to be opened in January 2006, while another 25 on the East West Line & Circle Line will be progressively opened by 2012. One station on the North East Line has been completed, but its opening has been delayed till there are sufficient developments around the station. This also applies to three stations on the Circle Line — they will not be opened immediately when their construction is completed.
Station layout
MRT stations are generally either above-ground or underground, with Bishan being the only exception at grade level. For above-ground sections where trains run on viaducts, the first level of a station is usually only used for entry from street level. The second level is the ticketing platform and containing the ticketing machines and the fare gates between the paid and unpaid areas. Escalators and stairs providing access to the platform level one floor up are located only within the paid area. An pedestrian overpass may sometimes link the unpaid area of this level to another prominent building nearby, such as a polytechnic. The third level is the platform level, where passengers board and alight from the trains. Most of the time this consists of one actual platform island with two sets of tracks for opposite directions running on either side.
For underground sections, stations generally consist of two levels: the ticketing level described as above, usually containing the same services, and the train platform level. There will be at least two sets of escalators and stairs between the two levels, and a further set leading to a pedestrian underpass which in turn leads to several street accesses on top of the station area. There are exceptions on the number of levels however — if the station is an interchange, it will have more than two levels, to accommodate the extra train platform(s) for the extra line(s) and linkway(s). Such stations are often deep enough to be shielded from conventional bomb attacks from the air and act as bomb shelters. This status is enhanced by the fact that underground MRT systems have prebuilt ventilation systems with air-conditioning to ensure a degree of comfort in the unlikely event of a conventional air assault.
Facilities and services at stations
Every station has at least four General Ticketing Machines (GTMs), a Passenger Service Centre, as well as LED displays and plasma display screens which show train arrival times, safety messages and train service information.
All stations are equipped with restrooms. However, not all the stations have restrooms in the station. Some of them, such as Somerset, have the restrooms located outside the station, on street level. All stations have payphones, both in the unpaid concourse level, and on the platform itself.
Some stations have additional amenities and services, such as:
- Retail shops or kiosks
- Popular book stores
- Supermarkets (NTUC FairPrice or Shop N Save)
- Convenience stores (7-Eleven or Cheers)
- Automatic teller machines
- Self-service automated kiosks for a myriad of services
These are located within the unpaid area, and not all such services might be available at every station.
The popular tabloid Today is distributed at all stations every morning. An afternoon edition is available at some stations located within the Central Business District, such as City Hall and Tanjong Pagar.
Passenger Information System
Singapore is one of the few cities in the world to utilise plasma displays in metro stations to display train service information. The majority of metro systems worldwide either forgo the use of electronic displays or use LED displays as they are cheaper to install. Critics have opposed the use of plasma displays as they are considerably more expensive to install and are susceptible to the problem of screen burn. However, the rail operators see this as a medium to earn advertising revenue from commercials shown on these displays. At the same time, they are able to display all the train service information, safety messages and time/date on these screens clearly. Using the flip dot system previously, only a limited amount of information could be displayed.
Barrier-Free facilities
The older stations on the North South Line & East West Line were not constructed with barrier free-facilities. However, these are being progressively installed as part of a program to make all stations accessible to the elderly and the handicapped.
As of 10 December 2005, barrier-free facilities such as lifts, ramps, tactile guidance system and toilets for the handicapped are currently installed in:
- 19 out of 25 Stations On The North South Line
- 21 out of 29 Stations On The East West Line
- All 14 Stations On The North East Line
Barrier-free facilities are being retrofitted at the following 12 stations:
- Marina Bay (mid 2006)
- Orchard (end 2005)
- Newton (end 2005)
- Bishan (Lift: 1st quarter 2007) (tactile guidance system: 2008)
- Buona Vista
- Tiong Bahru (mid 2006)
- Tanjong Pagar (mid 2006)
- Raffles Place (mid 2006)
- City Hall (mid 2006)
- Bugis (mid 2006)
- Lavender (end 2005)
- Paya Lebar (end 2005)
Barrier-free facilities will also be installed in all future lines and extensions.
Disabled passengers, those travelling with prams or luggage, and wheelchair users should ensure that both their boarding and destination stations have been retrofitted with these facilities before embarking on their journeys.
Rolling Stock
4 types of rolling stock are in use on the Mass Rapid Transit system. However, they are not interchangable on all lines.
- On The North South Line
- On The East West Line
- On The North South Line
- On The East West Line
- On The North South Line
- On The East West Line
- On The North East Line
- On The Circle Line
Depots
Depots on the Mass Rapid Transit house trains that have not been put into service or are undergoing maintainence works, as well as diesel powered rail maintainence trains.
- For North South Line Trains
- For East West Line Trains
- For North South Line Trains
- For East West Line Trains
- For North South Line Trains
- For East West Line Trains
- For North East Line Trains
- For Circle Line Trains
History of the Mass Rapid Transit
The Mass Rapid Transit's history can be traced back to 1967, when city planning studies forecasted the need for a rail-based urban transport system by the year 1992. Following the debate of whether a bus-only system would be more cost-effective, the Parliament of Singapore came to the conclusion that an all-bus system would be inadequate, since it would have to compete for road space.
The construction of the Mass Rapid Transit network was Singapore's largest public works project at the time, commencing on 22 October 1983 at Shan Road. The network was constructed in stages, with the North South Line given priority, since it passed through the Central Area, which faced high demand for public transport. The MRT Corporation, presently the SMRT Corporation, was established on 14 October 1983. It took over the roles and responsibilities of the former provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority.
On 7 November 1987, the first section of the North South Line, consisting of five stations over six kilometres went into operation. 15 more stations were later opened, after which the MRT system was officially launched on 12 March 1988 by Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime Minister of Singapore. On 6 July 1990, after 21 other stations were added, the last station on the East West Line, Boon Lay, was opened, marking the completion of the plans for the system two years ahead of schedule.
The Mass Rapid Transit has had subsequent expansions in both new stations and infrastructure. These include the expansion of the North South Line into Woodlands, completing a continuous loop. The concept of having rail lines which would bring people almost directly to their doors marked the introduction of the Light Rapid Transit system into the existing Mass Rapid Transit network. On 6 November 1999, the first LRT trains on the Bukit Panjang LRT Line went into operation. In order accommodate tourism, the Changi Airport and Expo stations were built. The North East Line, the first line operated by SBS Transit, as one of the first fully-automated heavy rail lines in the world, opened on 20 June 2003.
Projects
Circle Line (2008)
Currently under construction in 5 stages, the 33.3 kilometre long Circle Line will be the first major rail line to be built since the publishing of the land transport white paper. Originally scheduled to be opened in stages from 2007 to 2010, due to the collapse of the Nicoll Highway station in April 2004 during its construction, the estimated completion date of the first stage of the Circle Line has now been postponed to 2010. Stations along the other 4 stages of the Circle Line are expected to be opened progressively from 2008 to 2010. The Circle Line is set to connect all the existing MRT lines, and allow commuters to travel around the country without having to pass the downtown area, avoiding congestion.
East West Line Boon Lay Extension (2009)
After months of planning, the Land Transport Authority announced on the 29 December 2004 the details of the Boon Lay MRT Extension (BLE). The 3.8 kilometre, 2 station line will extend from Boon Lay MRT Station on the western end of the East West MRT Line, with one station along Jurong West Street 63 between Jurong West Street 61 and Pioneer Road North, and the second station at Joo Koon Circle, near the junction of Benoi Road and International Road.
The fully elevated line will cost about S$436 million, with construction planned to commence in the second half of 2005, and completion targeted by 2009. The extension's alignment along Jurong West Street 63, Upper Jurong Road, and International Road required the acquisition of one full lot and eight part lots, totalling about 28,000 square metres of land.
Circle Line Downtown Extension (2012)
The Land Transport Authority announced on 14 June 2005 that it would be constructing a Downtown Extension (DTE) of the MRT to serve the Downtown at Marina Bay area, which is to be the site of an integrated resort as well as Singapore's second botanical gardens. Three new stations will be constructed underground linking the Promenade MRT Station on the Circle MRT Line and the Chinatown MRT Station on the North East MRT Line. Two stations tentatively named Bayfront and Landmark will be built to serve the Downtown at Marina Bay (DTMB) area, as well as a station, Cross Street, along Cross Street near the Chinatown area.
The 3.4-km fully underground extension is estimated to cost S$1.4 billion. Construction is to begin by 2007 and the extension to be completed by 2012.
Eastern Region Line & Bukit Timah Line
These lines, when constructed will provide mass public transport to areas that will continue develop years from the present and thus will only need closer services then, especially also with further future land reclamation. They are presumably still in the planning and design stages. The northern segment of the Eastern Region Line, however, is expected to be built first before the rest of the line.
With the announcement of the building of the Downtown Extension, the route in which the Eastern Region Line and the Bukit Timah Line would take has been shown. Note that station locations except mentioned station interchanges are yet to be confirmed.
Eastern Region Line
The first phase of this line starts at the Chinatown station. The line would then run to the north-east, following the Jalan Besar corridor, parallel to the alignment of the North East Line to Boon Keng station (NE9) and thereafter swinging eastwards toward MacPherson station which will be an interchange with the Circle Line. This line would serve the Bedok and Tampines areas not covered by the East West Line and Marine Parade. It will be an oblong circuit and complement the East West line. The line will likely be partially underground, with the other parts running on elevated viaducts.
North Shore Line
This line, when constructed, will provide direct metro links between the northern, north-eastern, and eastern regions of Singapore. Many areas along this line are still undeveloped yet, and the line is expected to be constructed only after the areas around it has been developed. The line is expected to pass through Woodlands and/or Sembawang, Punggol, and Pasir Ris before terminating at Changi Airport, and is presumably in the planning stage.
It is interesting to note that this corridor is already a highly-used traffic corridor, with several bus services plying parts or all of it. It is an extremely competitive area, with services from both SBS Transit and SMRT Buses running near-parallel bus routes.
Other Future MRT Lines
Several proposed MRT lines have been shown on various concept and master plans created by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in Singapore. These include a Thomson Line, a Seletar Line, an Arts Centre Line, and various other MRT and LRT lines. Some of the plans for these lines have since been dropped, or have been either incoporated (either in part or whole) into other lines or built using a different route alignment. For example, the under-construction Circle Line's stage one is actually what was once called the Marina Line.
It is expected that many of these lines will not be built anytime in the near future. These lines currently serve undeveloped areas or even reclaimed land that have not been reclaimed yet. It is also expected that the final routes, alignments, and names for these lines, if built, will be different from what is currently proposed.
Fares & Ticketing
Contactless smart cards replaced their magnetic ticket predecessors completely on 31 December 2002, making Singapore one of the first cities to implement contactless smart card payment on all the main modes of public transportation, along the likes of Hong Kong. Fares for travel on the MRT range from S$0.65 - S$1.72. Fares increase further if there is a transfer from the MRT to the LRT, but transfer rebates do apply.
These smart cards, called EZ-Link cards enables residents and foreign visitors alike to travel freely on the MRT, LRT and Bus system without the need for multiple cards, a convenient alternative to using different cards for different systems. Commuters travelling on the MRT amd LRT system are also not hindered when transferring lines which are often run by different operators, due to the need to exit the faregates and re-enter through another in order to change lines. In general, once one has tapped the EZ-Link Card on the card readers and enters the MRT and LRT system, he or she never has to tap it again until he or she has arrived at the desired destination station.
Art In Transit
One of the distinctive features on the North East Line is the Art In Transit programme. Every station on the line features various artworks by various Singaporean artists, integrated into the station architecture itself.
A few of the older stations (such as Woodlands and Orchard) also features artworks, but it should be noted that they are not part of the Art In Transit programme.
Designs
NE1 HarbourFront - Sea-like decor with concourse roof forming a ship-like formation
NE3 Outram Park - Plain decor with clay figurines jutting out from the walls, also seen along transfer linkway
NE4 Chinatown - Plain decor with Chinese calligraphy on platform floor and mural on concourse level
NE5 Clarke Quay - Plain decor with sketches of the Singapore River at concourse
NE6 Dhoby Ghaut - Plain decor with mosaic wall and mosaic floor (level B3 at transfer hall)
NE7 Little India - Plain decor with Indian leafs in grills at entrances
NE8 Farrer Park - Brush drawings showing the horse racing activity that used to go on in the Farrer Road Area.
NE12 Serangoon - Plain decor with pictures adorning pillars along platform reflecting multi-cultural aspect
NE13 Kovan - Granite inlays on station floor showing two maps of the Kovan area depicting Kovan's progress.
NE14 Hougang - Plain decor with clay castings of palms of residents in Hougang area on walls
NE16 Sengkang - Plain decor with stained glass depicting fishing village era of the town
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Safety
The MRT system has multiple accidents since its inception in 1987, but they were subsequently rectified. Notable accidents include a collision of two trains at Clementi on 5 August 1993, a derailing of an empty train in between Yio Chu Kang and Ang Mo Kio stations in the late 1990s/ early 2000s. Also there was a recall of 21 new Kawasaki Heavy Industries & Nippon Sharyo C751B cars due to faulty gearboxes. Once, there was a mounting of a caronto a stretch of ad grade track along Lentor Avenue, resulting in a collision by an oncoming train. Commuter deaths are also significant the result being hit by trains on tracks at five stations, accidental or sucidal.
These incidents have prompted the authorities to consider strengthening the fences along the at grade sections of train track running beside the roads, which was done. There was a proposal to install platform screen doors and platform gates at elevated stations, but was rejected due to the high installation & maintenance costs. Safety was also an issue as there was the risk that passengers might get trapped in the gap created between the platform gates and the train as a result of the platform gates. All the stations will eventually have recordable digital CCTV systems, and more CCTV cameras are being installed in all stations. There have been no accidents on the North-East line.
There has been one accident on the LRT system in Bukit Panjang. This caused the system to be suspended for about half a day.
There are other announcements played in MRT stations to ensure the system is a safe and clean place for commuters to travel. Also, there are announcements providing tips for commuters, especially for tourists. The most common announcements are train service related announcements, and are played during peak hours when short-trip services occur, and which lines they can transfer to.
After the Daegu subway fire in South Korea, fire prevention became the most important consideration of the MRT system of Singapore. It uses the guidelines of the American National Fire Prevention Authorities (NFPA). All MRT stations and trains have more than one fire-extinguisher and smoke detection systems are installed in all North East Line trains.
For safety reasons, a wide yellow line is drawn along the platform's edge to remind passengers not to stand too close the edge. There are also announcements to remind commuters to stand behind the line, especially during peak hours. There are also safety announcements on the train such as to hold on to the grab poles and handgrips.
Platform screen doors are installed at all underground stations of the Mass Rapid Transit system in Singapore. The Singapore MRT was the first Heavy Rail system in the world to incorporate platform screen doors in its stations in 1987 (according to Westinghouse Platform Screen Doors). The doors prevent sucides from happening, enable climate control within the station, better secutity control, and for passenger safety considerations. These doors are manufactured by Westinghouse Platform Screen Doors, a member of the Knorr-Bremse Group. There are 2 series of the platform screen doors in use. The first series, installed at the underground stations along the North South Line and the East West Line (except Changi Airport station), have been in use since 1987. The latest series of platform screen doors, featuring a sleeker design and incorporating more glass, are installed at the Changi Airport station and all stations (all underground) along the North East Line in 2002 and 2003 respectively.
NS17 Bishan station will be retrofitted with platform screen doors on both platforms once the new Southbound Platform is ready for use.
Emergency Equipment
The safety facilities in MRT are listed below:
- Emergency Stop Plunger (ESP) - SMRT/Emergency Train Stop (ETS) - NEL
- Emergency Telephone - SMRT/NEL
- Passenger intercom at General Ticketing Machine - NEL
- Fire-Extinguishers - SMRT/NEL
- Emergency Stop Button on escalator/travelator - SMRT/NEL
- Emergency Detrainment Ramp - SMRT/NEL
- Emergency Communication Button - SMRT/NEL
- Door Unlock Handle - NEL
- Emergency Door Handle of platform screen doors - SMRT/NEL
Security
The MRT when opened, security was not the key point when the network opened. There were no security staff and CCTV systems are not widely used as today. Passenger service booths were not present on the platform level, and the station control room was only manned. Crimes seldom occur in the network.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, and mainly the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks, the government initiated several measures to prevent a similar attack on the network. Not long, the two operators, SMRT Corporation and SBS Transit, employed guards patrolling the station platforms. After the 7 July 2005 London bombings, the Singapore Police Force deployed armed Police Tactical Unit officers to patrol stations a day after the bombings.
On 14 April 2005, the Singapore Police Force made a public announcement on its plans to step-up rail security a new specialised Police MRT Unit. These armed officers began visible patrols on the MRT and LRT systems on 15 August 2005, conducting random patrols in pairs in and around rail stations and within trains. SMRT has announced its decision to fix CCTVs within their trains. Trash bins and mail boxes were relocated from the station platform and concourse levels to the station entrances for security reasons.
References
Academic publications
- Sock, Y.P. and Walder, Jay H. (1999) Singapore’s Public Transport
Corporate and governmental sources
- Land Transport Authority, Singapore (1996) A World Class Land Transport System. White Paper presented to Parliament, 2 January. ISBN 9971884887
- Mass Rapid Transit Corporation, Singapore (1993) Stored Value - A Decade of the MRTC. ISBN 9810050348
- Singapore MRT Limited (1987) MRT Guide Book. ISBN 9810001509
See also
- History of the Mass Rapid Transit
- Light Rapid Transit
- Transport in Singapore
- SMRT Corporation
- SBS Transit
- List of Singapore MRT stations
- List of Circle MRT Line station names
- List of rapid transit systems
Links
- SMRT Corporation Official Site
- SBS Transit Official Site
- Official system map, Land Transport Authority
- UrbanRail Singapore
- Singapore's Rail Transit System
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