SMRT establishes tripartite workgroup to review rail reliability, safety

SINGAPORE: Public transport operator SMRT announced on Friday (Nov 1) that it has set up a tripartite workgroup to review the reliability and safety of its rail network. 
The move comes after a series of rail service issues including a six-day disruption on the East-West Line, the longest train disruption since 2017.
The workgroup will comprise subject matter experts from the rail operator, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) – which owns the rail assets – and representatives from the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU).
It will be chaired by SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai, with the deputy chief executive for infrastructure and development from LTA, Yee Boon Cheow, as co-chair.
NTWU’s Deputy Executive Secretary Jimmy Wee will also be involved in the workgroup.
“The exact composition of the workgroup is being finalised and will be shared once available,” SMRT said in response to CNA’s queries, adding that it expects the review to be completed within six months.
Announcing the workgroup in a Facebook post, SMRT said all its MRT lines have “consistently achieved” the target of 1 million mean kilometres between failures since 2019.
To sustain this reliability target, the workgroup will evaluate systems and processes across the MRT ecosystem. 
This includes life cycle management, asset renewal, system enhancements and maintenance practices, SMRT said.
As part of the review, the workgroup will conduct a peer benchmarking exercise with the Guangzhou Metro Corporation and the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation.
“This will allow us to exchange insights, and benchmark against the two leading metro operators with world-class safety and reliability records,” SMRT said.
“SMRT remains committed to making continual improvements … for the benefit of our commuters and workers.”
SMRT told CNA that the workgroup is “aimed at strengthening the MRT ecosystem by addressing issues holistically from a life cycle management perspective”.
“It also seeks to enhance capabilities and close collaboration across the asset owner, operator and workforce for long-term improvement,” the transport operator said.
“Where applicable, insights that benefit the wider rail industry, will be shared.”
NTWU executive secretary Melvin Yong said the tripartite approach “takes into consideration the views of all stakeholders to bring about win-win-win outcomes”.
“We look forward to contributing to this review, which also draws on successful practices from regional rail operators.
“With studies showing that unionised companies consistently achieve better workplace safety and health outcomes, it is crucial that we bring forward the perspectives and sentiments of our members, as safety improvements should arise from collaboration at all levels, not solely from the top down,” he said in a Facebook post. 
The first in the recent spate of rail disruptions took place on Sep 17, when services on the Circle Line were disrupted for nearly two hours due to a power fault. 
A lapse in protocol by a maintenance team led to the disruption, SMRT said after the incident.
The next day, a fire broke out at a train depot, causing more disruptions to the Circle Line. 
The six-day disruption on the East-West Line began on Sep 25. A faulty train returning to Ulu Pandan depot caused a power trip and damaged the track and other equipment.
As repair works went on, the full resumption of train services had to be pushed back several times as the full extent of the damage to rail segments between Clementi and the depot was uncovered.
More than 300 engineers and technicians worked to repair the damage, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said on Sep 26.
The LTA launched a probe into the incident in early October and said the findings would be made public. 
On Oct 10, a brief disruption occurred, again on the East-West Line. This time, the issue was a “train-borne electrical fault” on a first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries train, SMRT said.
A similar train that had been in service for more than 35 years was responsible for the longer East-West Line disruption in September.
The Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (LRT) also suffered disruptions when a train became “immobilised” near Teck Whye station on Oct 22. Services resumed the next morning at about 5am.