Singapore MRT restores services after Thomson-East Coast Line delay due to train fault, latest in a series of recent disruptions

SINGAPORE, Oct 2 — A train fault on the Singapore MRT’s (SMRT) Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) caused delays yesterday, with trains moving slower between Woodlands North and Lentor stations.

SMRT posted on social media at 5.05pm that the train fault would add 10 minutes of travel time, according to The Straits Times.

“As this occurred during the evening peak hours, there was a delay in the regular passenger service while we rectified the fault,” SMRT said in a Facebook post.

The operator later updated at 5.13pm that shuttle train services were running between Woodlands North and Woodlands South, and between Woodlands South and Lentor.

Free bus services were also made available between Woodlands North and Lentor.

Train services from Lentor to Bayshore were still available, and normal service resumed gradually from 5.30pm.

“We are sorry for affecting your evening commute,” SMRT wrote.

By 5.52pm, SMRT confirmed that normal train service had resumed.

SMRT explained that the fault occurred at around 4.45pm, affecting a train meant for evening peak services due to a signalling issue.

When The Straits Times visited Lentor MRT station at about 6.30pm, services appeared to be back to normal, with trains arriving every three to four minutes and few commuters at the station.

This marks the fourth disruption in train services in the past five weeks, with previous delays affecting the North-South Line on August 24, the Circle Line on September 18, and the East-West Line (EWL) on September 25.

Service between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations on the EWL resumed on October 1 after a six-day disruption, which affected over 2.1 million passengers.

The disruption on the EWL was caused by a fault in a train that had been in service for over 35 years, damaging tracks and equipment near Clementi station on September 25.

The TEL also experienced a disruption on July 5, with SMRT reporting that trains did not stop at Orchard station due to a track fault.

In March 2023, a train fault caused a nearly three-hour delay on the TEL during evening peak hours, and a similar fault in February led to 20-minute delays.