Gul Circle MRT station
EW30
Gul Circle 卡尔圈 கல் சர்க்கல் | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid transit | |||||||||||
 Platform B of Gul Circle | |||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | 7A Tuas Road Singapore 637288 | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 1°19′16.32″N 103°39′56.52″E / 1.3212000°N 103.6657000°E | ||||||||||
| Operated by | SMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation) | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | |||||||||||
| Platforms | Stacked Island | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 4 (2 not in use) | ||||||||||
| Connections | Bus, Taxi | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Structure type | Elevated | ||||||||||
| Depth | 33 metres (108 ft) (height) [1] | ||||||||||
| Platform levels | 2 | ||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Yes | ||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||
| Station code | EW30 | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 18 June 2017[2][3] | ||||||||||
| Electrified | Yes | ||||||||||
| Previous names | Tuas | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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Gul Circle MRT station (EW30) is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station along the East West Line located at the boundary of the planning areas of Tuas and Pioneer, Singapore.
Gul Circle station is the only above-ground station on the MRT network where the eastbound and westbound platforms are not located on the same level. This special layout is a provision for a possible two-station future extension to Tuas South, which would likely branch out from this station in a fashion similar to Tanah Merah MRT station as of 2024. Official details for this extension have not yet been announced.
History
The idea of the extension was first mooted on 25 January 2008 with the extension proposed to be completed by 2015.[4] The stations were first announced on 11 January 2011 by Transport Minister Mr Raymond Lim in a speech while visiting Bedok when new platform screen doors opened there and originally fixed 2016 as the original year of the line completion.[5]
The station is expected to benefit an estimated 100,000 commuters daily. It is the first elevated stacked island platform, as there is a possible future two-station extension to Tuas South leading out from this station or interchange with another line. The $190-million contract was awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering, a major civil engineering company from China for this station.
This station ceiling is 33 metres (108 ft) above ground - about the height of a 10-storey HDB (Housing Development Board) block, the highest elevated station along the MRT network. There are two reasons for the height. Firstly, the 7.5 km, $3.5 billion extension goes over the Ayer Rajah Expressway viaduct at the Pan-Island Expressway interchange. Secondly, a 4.8 km portion of the line is integrated with a road viaduct, which runs below the rail line.[6]
The opening of the station was delayed from 2016 to the second quarter of 2017 to make way for the installation of the new signalling system. It became fully operational on 18 June 2017.[2][3]
Train services between Gul Circle and Tuas Link were temporary closed between 16 and 19 November 2017 following a collision that happened at Joo Koon. On 20 November 2017, train services from Gul Circle to Tuas Link were resumed; however, train services between Joo Koon and Gul Circle will be suspended till mid-2018 to facilitate maintenance work on signalling devices. During the suspension, train services are as follows, with the exception of Sunday signalling trials which have commenced on 29 April 2018: [7][8][9][10][11] From 28 May 2018 onwards, trains once again ran through from Pasir Ris to Tuas Link and vice versa, after the transition to the CBTC Moving Block system, passengers will no longer need to alight at Gul Circle.
- Platform A, located at L3 is for trains heading to Pasir Ris
- Platform B, located at L4 is for trains heading to Tuas Link.
Future plans
The station was built with two extra tracks opposite the operational EWL tracks, possibly for cross platform interchange with a future two-station extension of the line to Tuas South.
References
- ^ "MRT Tuas West Extension to soar above the ground". The Straits Times. 3 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Tuas West Extension Opens on 18 June 2017". Land Transport Authority. 27 April 2017.
- ^ a b "Tuas West Extension MRT stations to open Jun 18". Channel NewsAsia. 27 April 2017.
- ^ "SPEECH BY MR RAYMOND LIM, MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND SECOND MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AT THE VISIT TO KIM CHUAN DEPOT" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. 25 January 2008.
- ^ "SPEECH BY MR RAYMOND LIM, MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND SECOND MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AT THE VISIT TO BEDOK MRT STATION" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. 11 January 2011.
- ^ Tan, Christopher (3 February 2015). "MRT Tuas West Extension to soar above the ground". The Straits Times.
- ^ http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/tuas-west-extension-east-west-line-be-isolated
- ^ http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/day-after-joo-koon-collision-some-commuters-leave-home-earlier-precaution
- ^ http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/train-services-between-joo-koon-to-tuas-west-extension-will-be-unavailable-for-a-month
- ^ http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/tuas-west-extension-suspended-until-sunday-khaw-disturbed-disabling-critical-safety
- ^ http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/joo-koon-gul-circle-link-to-remain-closed-till-mid-2018
External links
Template:East West MRT Line navbox
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