- M R T _ & _ N E L -

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July 5, 2008         
One-stop online guide links SMRT, SBS routes
Commuters can now plan their journeys on integrated website


FIND OUT FIRST: Drivers can now plot their journeys with a new online mapping service. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN

PUBLIC transport commuters now have a one-stop interactive travel guide at www.transitlink.com.sg

The Public Transport Journey Planner, funded by the Land Transport Authority, is the first initiative to integrate the travel routes plied by the two public transport operators here: SBS Transit and SMRT Corp.

Previously, commuters had to visit the respective companies' sites to get travel information.

The new planner allows them to key in their boarding point and destination, either as an address or a landmark. It has options for shortest travel time or cheapest fare, and choices of bus, train or a combination of both.

It will list one or more travel options according to the distance the commuter is willing to walk to a bus stop or train station.

If the network is not too busy, the options pop up within 20 seconds or so. They are tabled neatly, listing fares for both cash and ez-link card payments and travel time, excluding walking time and traffic delays.

Check journey's ERP cost at Oneshift.com
DRIVERS befuddled by Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges and the mounting tally of gantries can now go online for some relief.

A new mapping service on motoring website Oneshift.com lets drivers plot their journey. It also lists the number of gantries they will pass through, along with their associated charges.
... more
It provides details of where bus stops and train stations are, including street map pop-ups when required.

The travel planner is on a three-month trial. Commuter feedback will be taken into consideration for improvements.

Based on tests by The Straits Times, the system can be improved if it allows users to have the option of longer walking distances to an MRT station.

The current options are 200m, 300m and 400m for both bus stops and train stations. A past survey by SMRT Corp indicated that commuters typically walk 580m to 870m to a station.

Bank executive Jon Yeo, 39, concurred. It takes him about 10 minutes to walk from his office in Republic Plaza to South Bridge Road, to take bus service 124 back to Telok Blangah.

'It costs 90 cents and the bus stops right in front of my block,' he said. 'But the options the system listed cost more and stop farther away.'

Public relations executive Geraldine Lam, 26, said that having options such as a maximum walking distance and a choice of taking a train or bus were 'quite good'. But access speed was an issue for her as she found that the system was 'busy' frequently.

Still, having to go to one site instead of two was a step up.

Undergraduate Bill Yeo, 23, said he found the system 'very easy to use and very precise'.

CHRISTOPHER TAN

fatz2

Singapura : 11 Julai 2008         

PAS PERJALANAN TANPA HAD BAKAL DIPERKENALKAN

PARA penumpang bakal menikmati perjalanan bas, Sistem Pengangkutan Gerak Cepat (MRT) dan Sistem Rel Ringan (LRT) tanpa had menjelang akhir tahun ini.

Kementerian Pengangkutan (MOT) mengumumkan pihaknya kini sedang menimbangkan untuk memperkenalkan pas perjalanan semusim itu, yang mempunyai konsep serupa dengan Pas Pelancong Singapura (STP).

Kad ez-link STP itu kini berharga $18, $26 dan $34, masing-masing untuk penggunaan satu, dua dan tiga hari.

STP diperkenalkan akhir tahun lalu.

Harga STP yang dijual itu termasuk wang cengkeram $10 yang akan dipulangkan jika kad tersebut dikembalikan dalam masa lima hari.

Seorang jurucakap MOT berkata, STP bukan sahaja popular dengan pelancong tetapi juga di kalangan rakyat setempat yang mahu memanfaatkan perjalanan tanpa had itu.

'Pas perjalanan semusim yang bakal diperkenalkan itu mungkin mempunyai perjalanan lebih lama berbanding penggunaan satu, dua dan tiga hari bagi pas pelancong Singapura,' ujarnya.

Lebih 30,000 kad ez-link STP telah dicetak.

Selain sebagai pas perjalanan, ia juga menawarkan tawaran khas di beberapa tarikan pelancong, seperti Taman Haiwan Singapura dan Sentosa, di samping beberapa pusat makanan dan minuman (F&B).

Pas perjalanan semusim seperti STP telah ditawarkan sejak beberapa tahun bagi pengembara di bandar-bandar seperti Hongkong, London dan Paris.

STP juga telah diperkenalkan berikutan maklum balas pelancong.

fatz2

12 MRT stations for Bukit Timah by 2015
180,000 rides expected on the underground line
By Christopher Tan, Senior Correspondent



A DOZEN new MRT stations will come up in the Bukit Timah area as part of Stage 2 of the Downtown Line.

They will serve several schools such as Singapore Chinese Girls' School, National Junior College, Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls' High, Raffles Girls' Primary, and Assumption English School.

This phase, to be completed by 2015, will give Bukit Timah residents access to trains for the first time. They are now served only by buses.

The stations will also serve the Toh Yi and Bukit Panjang Housing Board estates, and take commuters to shopping malls such as Serene Centre, Beauty World and Ten Mile Junction.

The Downtown Line is being built in three stages and will have 40 stations, with trains running from the north-

western and eastern areas of Singapore to the Central Business District and Marina Bay.

Stage 2 will intersect other MRT lines at Little India, Newton and the Botanic Gardens.

Details of this phase were announced yesterday. This section spans 16.6km, from Rochor in the south to Bukit Panjang in the north.

Taking the train is expected to shave travelling time from Bukit Panjang to Marina Bay by almost half an hour.

Major construction on the line is expected to start in the middle of next year, and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said very little land acquisition will be needed.

LTA deputy chief executive Lim Bok Ngam said builders will face new challenges.

For one thing, the area's rocky soil, unlike the marine clay encountered in most previous lines, is hard, so tunnel boring will be slower.

The all-underground line will also go under the Rochor Canal, which will have to be diverted during construction.

The line is expected to be well used, said LTA chief executive Yam Ah Mee. He expects it to account for 180,000 rides a day - more than a third of the $12billion Downtown Line's anticipated total ridership of 500,000.

Besides giving Bukit Timah residents quicker access to the city, the line will bring another benefit: The values of their properties are expected to rise.

Jones Lang LaSalle's head of research (South-east Asia) Chua Yang Liang said: 'Typically, properties within walking distance of MRT stations would see an enhancement in value.'

But Mr Nicholas Mak, director of research and consultancy at Knight Frank, said the completion date is a long way off. In that time, 'the economy and financial market will have a stronger effect on property prices'.

Stage 1 of the Downtown Line is a 4.3km stretch with six stations. It will be completed in 2013. Stage 3, spanning 19.1km with 15 stops, will be ready by 2016.

When the line is completed, a commuter can travel from Bukit Panjang to Tampines in 65 minutes.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JOYCE TEO

[email protected]

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fatz2

July 18, 2008         
LTA rejects MPs' idea of moving MRT's Petir station
By Maria Almenoar

MOVE one of the Downtown Line's stations nearer the existing Bukit Panjang LRT and bus interchange?

It cannot be done because of technical constraints, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has said.

It was responding to Members of Parliament who had asked for Petir, the last of the Downtown Line's 12 stations, to be relocated closer to the Bukit Panjang LRT line.

As it stands, Petir is about 120m away.

The MPs had argued that integrating the Downtown Line with Bukit Panjang's LRT system and bus interchange would make more convenient for commuters needing to make connections to the main train system.

The LTA has explained that it comes down to how much a railway track can curve.

'The railway alignment is not able to swing sharply to meet Bukit Panjang LRT station and yet be able to run to Woodlands Road within such a short distance,' it said in an e-mail reply.

It added, however, that it would build a covered linkway between Petir and Bukit Panjang LRT station, and hinted at 'future developments' on a reserve site between the two stations.

The concern over the placement of the Petir station appeared to be the only one following Monday's unveiling of the 12 stops on Stage 2 of the Downtown Line, expected to open in 2015.

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New platform for commuters at Bishan MRT station
By Ng Lian Cheong & Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 27 July 2008 1846 hrs



SINGAPORE: From Sunday, commuters at the Bishan Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station can wait for their trains in air-conditioned comfort at a brand new platform.

Passengers taking the South-bound train to the city will be the first to enjoy the fruits of the improvement works.

The new platform features full-screen doors which not only allow the area to be air-conditioned, but also prevent people from falling onto the tracks.

Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the old platform at the station did not have sufficient capacity to cope with an increase in ridership.

More people are expected to come through Bishan MRT station when it becomes an interchange, with the opening of Stage 3 Circle Line in mid-2009.

With the new platform, LTA said the total standing capacity increases by 62 per cent, from 1,250 to 2,020 people.


- CNA/so

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SBS Transit, SMRT submit applications for fare adjustments
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 August 2008 1938 hrs



SINGAPORE : The wheels are in motion for another round of public transport fare hikes. Singapore's two public transport operators, SBS Transit and SMRT, have submitted their applications to the Public Transport Council (PTC) for fare adjustments.

However, both companies would not give specifics as to the quantum requested.

SBS Transit and SMRT attributed the need for a fare increase to soaring energy and fuel prices.

SMRT said even a maximum fare adjustment of 3 per cent will not fully mitigate the inflationary pressures.

The company said its energy costs rose by 18 per cent to nearly S$90 million due mainly to higher electricity and diesel prices.

Diesel cost for buses amounted to more than S$42 million, 17 per cent higher than the last financial year.

SBS Transit said it is proposing to keep concession, children and students fares unchanged.

While the new fare formula allows for the maximum adjustment to be capped at 3 per cent, the PTC has said that any increase this year is likely to be less than the 1.8 per cent hike imposed last year.

Bus fares went up by 1 to 2 cents last October, while train fares remained unchanged, because the PTC deemed that SMRT had healthy profits last year.

The PTC will decide on the adjustment in September, and the new fares will take effect in October.

Separately, the Competition Commission of Singapore has rejected the Singapore School Transport Association's application to impose a fuel surcharge and the need for a collective price recommendation.

It said guidelines restrict independent pricing decisions, which is against free competition. However, the commission has no objections to fare increases, so long as it is decided on individually by bus operators.

It added that it is monitoring the situation and will launch an investigation if it has reasons to suspect that prices are being coordinated among the school bus operators. - CNA/ms

fatz2

MRT rides surge to a high
Monthly total hits 44m in a sign that drivers are leaving cars at home
By Yeo Ghim Lay



EFFORTS to get drivers to ditch their cars for public transport appear to be working.

Commuters took 3.6 million more train trips on SMRT trains last month, pushing the month's total number to a record 44.9 million.

The previous high was logged in May, with 41.9 million trips.

SMRT put the increase in ridership down to the Government's push for a greater use of public transport in order to keep traffic gridlock at bay.

The public transport operator, in comparing ridership on trains between June and July, noted that July had one day more and more weekdays as well; it was also when most people returned to work after their June vacations.

The surge in ridership on the East-West and North-South lines coincided with a jump in the cost of driving.

July was when five new Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantries went up in the city, charging up to $2 to pass under them from 6pm to 8pm on weekdays; two of the five sited along the Singapore River also began collecting road tolls on Saturdays between 12.30pm and 8pm.

Driving through existing Central Business District gantries also became more expensive from July 7.

ERP charges were not the only thing hitting motorists in their pockets: Petrol prices too, played a part in pushing some to take the train.

Dental surgeon Michael Lim, 45, for example, who frequently goes to town in the evenings from his Bedok clinic, no longer drives to Raffles Place or Orchard to keep his appointments.

Four times a week since late June, he has been leaving his car at the Raffles City Shopping Centre and taking a train to his destination.

He said: 'It doesn't make sense to drive there anymore. I'd have to pay for ERP everywhere, and looking for a parking lot in Orchard takes time too.'

Parking at the Raffles City carpark on weekday evenings costs him a flat $2.50.

'Besides, all the walking up and down escalators at the MRT stations is good exercise for me,' he quipped.

Another driver who is driving less now is Ms Foo Jye Huah, 33. She started taking the North-East line to her workplace near Clarke Quay from her Farrer Park home this month.

Said the manager: 'The train may be packed during peak hours, but it is bearable because my ride takes only 10 minutes.'

Previously, she found herself paying $3 to pass under two gantries to get to work. Her train ride now costs only 81 cents each way. She reckons she has saved over $100 in ERP and carpark charges and petrol in just two weeks.

With more people getting on the trains, SMRT will from Monday begin handing out breakfast discount flyers to the early birds who exit selected downtown MRT stations between 7am and 7.30am.

This is an attempt to encourage people to make their trips earlier, before the trains become really crowded during the morning peak hour. They carry up to 800 commuters each between 7am and 7.30am in the city, and pack in 1,400 from 7.30am to 9.30am.

The nine stations where breakfast discount flyers will be distributed are Orchard, Somerset, Dhoby Ghaut, City Hall, Raffles Place, Lavender, Bugis, Tanjong Pagar and Outram Park.

With these flyers, commuters can buy beverages and breakfast foods more cheaply at participating merchants like Spinelli's and Toast Box between 7am and 8.30am on weekdays.

The discounts are on top of the current 10-cent savings commuters get for boarding trains outside the city and alighting in the city before 7.30am.

SMRT's director of transport planning Chew Hooi Lian said: 'We want to raise awareness of this current scheme and reward commuters with delicious breakfast offers when they choose to travel earlier before the peak hour kicks in.'

The breakfast discounts will end on Oct 31, but the 10 cents off the fare will continue for early-bird commuters.

[email protected]

fatz2

Commuters think SMRT should improve on new initiative
By 938LIVE | Posted: 18 August 2008 1809 hrs



SINGAPORE: A new SMRT initiative to get city-bound travellers to board the trains before the morning rush hours was off to a slow start on Monday, despite the transport operator handing out flyers a week before to inform commuters at nine MRT stations of the new promotion.

The nine MRT stations are Orchard, Somerset, Dhoby Ghaut, City Hall and Raffles Place on the North-South Line, and Lavender, Bugis, Tanjong Pagar and Outram Park on the East-West Line.

From Monday until October 31, commuters who exit any of the nine MRT stations before 7.30am will enjoy discounted breakfasts and a 10-cent discount on their fares.

But some commuters said the incentives are not good enough to get them out of the house earlier.

Teo Cher How said: "I'm always early so I fit into the timing anyway. I think it's not as tangible as having direct discount on travel cost. I guess (a) greater discount on travel cost (may help)."

However, Shannon Koh, who boarded the train from Yishun, welcomed the gesture and even claimed her discounted breakfast at one participating outlet

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New e-payment system and next generation card for public transport
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 26 August 2008 1621 hrs


Commuter tops us EZ-Link card at the MRT station

SINGAPORE: All EZ-Link cards, the stored-value cards used to pay for train and bus rides will be phased out starting next year.

Starting August 29, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is piloting a trial of its next-generation smart cards which can be used across systems.

The new cards look just like the current EZ-Link cards. But the difference is the markings on the card which indicate that it can be used for multiple applications like car parks or ERP payments, or even to pay for shopping.

Currently, public transport commuters use the EZ-Link card to pay for their fares, while motorists use a CashCard to pay for Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates and parking charges.

Lim Bok Ngam, deputy chief executive, Infrastructure & Development, LTA, said: "Under today's system, public transport and the non-public transport are two separate sectors. So those who take public transport make use of EZ-Link Card and those who drive (through) ERP (gantries) make use of Nets CashCard.

"Going forward, we want to develop a system whereby one card can be used across all the systems - which means transit and non-transit. Also we want to introduce competition, so hopefully bring down the cost for commuters."

Commuters now pay S$5 for EZ-Link cards without any stored-value. The new smart card also does not require a S$3 deposit. Currently, the EZ-Link card has a S$3 travel deposit, which is not shown as part of the card balance.

But those with the new card will not be able to use it at merchants which currently offer payment by EZ-Link, unless these merchants upgrade their card readers.

The LTA is pumping in about S$100 million to develop the new system.

These include the upgrading of the card readers at trains and buses as well as the printing of the new CEPAS-compliant cards. There are now about 10 million EZ-Link cards issued. Half of them are active, of which some 2.5 million are regularly in use.

Mr Lim said: "All these are commercial decisions to be made by the card issuers so if they want to compete in the market and they want to ensure that their cards are widely used for all sectors, then I think they have to build up their business model."

There are currently two card issuers in Singapore - EZ-Link and Nets. LTA said the new system can support up to four card issuers in the market.

Some 10,000 commuters will be involved in a two-month trial of the new smart cards which are Contactless ePurse Application (CEPAS) compliant.

Details of the replacement exercise will be announced later in the year.

With the new CEPAS-compliant card, the CashCard is not needed if a vehicle is fitted with the second generation IU.

All new cars will be fitted with the second Generation IUs from next year. Meanwhile, new motorcycles will come with the new IUs from the end of this month. - CNA/vm

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On trial: New ez-link card
It can be used to pay for ERP, parking and cab charges, as well as a meal or merchandise.
By Christopher Tan, Senior Correspondent


The new ez-link card can be used to pay for ERP, parking and cab charges, as well as for a meal or merchandise.

FOUND: 10,000 public transport commuters to 'test-ride' a new ez-link card between Aug 29 and Oct 28.

Of these pre-selected users, those who clock at least 100 rides with the new card - which will eventually have several non-transit applications - will receive $20 public transport vouchers.

The new ez-link card is the first stored value card here to comply with the new Cepas standard.

Cepas stands for Singapore's 'Contactless ePurse Application' - a secured platform for all non-cash transactions using contactless cards.

Besides train and bus fares, the new ez-link card can be used to pay for electronic road-pricing (ERP), parking and cab charges, as well as a meal or merchandise.

Currently, few outlets other than McDonald's and 7-Eleven offer this payment option.

The current ez-link card will be phased out by end of next year. There are now about 10 million valid ez-link cards in circulation.

The Land Transport Authority said on Tuesday that it hopes commuters taking part in the trial can clock one million rides.

It said this number would give it ample opportunity to identify and weed out any glitches there might be before the new card is launched by 'end of this year or early next year.''

LTA deputy chief executive Lim Bok Ngam said the authority has invested some $100 million to roll out the new card. The sum includes development cost, modifying the 22,000 card readers on buses and at trains stations, getting the new cards manufactured and other related costs.

'We currently have two card platforms in Singapore. One for public transport, and another for cars and other commercial transactions. With the new Cepas-compliant ez-link card, you can make all transactions with just one card,'' he said.

The move also opens up the market for new card issuers to enter the transit market, which has so far been exclusive to LTA-owned EZ Link Pte Ltd.

The competition, Mr Lim said, would ultimately be good for consumers. For one, the price of the card should come down (both Nets' Cashcard and the current ez-link card costs $5 today).

Observers said there is little to prevent a card issuer from giving the card free of charge - like credit cards.

Mr Lim foresees card companies to build in loyalty programmes as well, so as to attract and retain customers.

As for motorists, they can look forward to using the new ez-link card for ERP payments from early next year, when a new-generation in-vehicle unit is installed in new cars.

Owners of existing vehicles who want the new gadget can have it installed, for $150, excluding GST.

fatz2

Singapura : 9 September 2008         
         
TEMPOH CUBAAN BASIKAL LIPAT DALAM BAS DILANJUTKAN

PROJEK percubaan untuk menilai sama ada basikal lipat boleh dibawa masuk ke dalam bas akan dilanjutkan hingga 24 November ini.

Tempoh lanjutan itu bertujuan membolehkan Penguasa Pengangkutan Darat (LTA) dan pengendali bas menilai secara mendalam sama ada langkah membenarkan basikal lipat dibawa ke dalam bas mengganggu operasi bas dan penumpang lain.

Lanjutan kali ini melibatkan masa tidak sibuk pada hari-hari biasa, termasuk hari-hari Sabtu, Ahad dan cuti umum dan akan dimulakan Isnin akan datang.

LTA, bersama syarikat SMRT dan SBS Transit, melancarkan projek percubaan selama enam bulan melibatkan bas dan kereta api itu pada 24 Mei lalu.

Namun projek percubaan melibatkan bas akan disemak selepas tiga bulan.

'Semakan selepas tiga bulan bagi bas telah berakhir pada 24 Ogos tahun ini. Dalam tempoh itu, LTA telah mengambil maklum balas daripada penunggang basikal, pengguna bas, pemandu dan pengendali bas.

'Tidak ada maklum balas negatif atau kecederaan yang dilaporkan dan kebanyakan pengguna didapati memberi kelonggaran kepada penunggang basikal,' ujar LTA lagi.

Dengan lanjutan itu, tempoh penilaian bagi basikal lipat di dalam bas dan kereta api kini sama. Penilaian itu akan berakhir pada 24 November ini.

'Dalam tempoh itu, LTA dan pengendali akan terus mengambil maklum balas daripada penunggang basikal dan para pengguna,' tambah LTA lagi.

fatz2

Sep 16, 2008
Rush for Park & Ride sets
Slots for popular carparks are sold out within hours
By Yeo Ghim Lay



SOME motorists woke up extra early yesterday while others snuck out of work for a longer than usual lunch break.

They all wanted the same thing - to beat the queue that starts every 15th of the month for a chance at snagging a season parking ticket for a lot at popular carparks outside the city limits.

Under the Park and Ride scheme, motorists get to pick a carpark on their route to work, park their vehicles there and then make the rest of the journey to their office in the city on bus or train, easing congestion on city roads.

The scheme, first introduced in 1990, is now being reviewed to make it more attractive - a move announced by Senior Minister of State for Transport Lim Hwee Hua in Parliament last month.

Seen as a way to get more drivers onto public transport, the scheme allows motorists to purchase a $70 Park and Ride set, consisting of a monthly season parking ticket at a carpark in the heartlands and an ez-link card.

Currently, over 4,000 Park and Ride sets are up for grabs each month, with an equal number of parking lots spread over 36 carparks islandwide.

Only about a third of these lots are snapped up but the utilisation rate is not uniform, Mrs Lim had said in Parliament.

A check by The Straits Times yesterday found that carparks close to MRT stations are fully utilised while others have had almost no takers.

According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Park and Ride sets for the carparks at Yio Chu Kang Sports Complex, Ghim Moh Road and Mei Ling Street are always fully sold out, sometimes within hours of being offered every 15th of the month.

The three carparks, with 80, 50 and 50 Park and Ride spaces each respectively, are all close to an MRT station.

In comparison, Park and Ride users are few and far between at the Boon Lay, Chai Chee and Serangoon Sports Hall carparks - all situated a 10-minute walk or a bus ride from the nearest MRT station.

Only a tenth of the available Park and Ride spaces at these carparks are sold each month.

As part of the review, the LTA is also looking at the problem of motorists misusing the scheme - specifically, those who park but do not ride.

They work near Park and Ride carparks and use a Park and Ride season parking ticket as a cheap parking alternative.

Engineer Kim Lim, 33, uses a Park and Ride set for Toa Payoh and then walks to her workplace nearby. She said parking at her workplace would cost her more than $60.

In comparison, a $70 Park and Ride set gives her a $30 season parking ticket and an ez-link card with $40 travel value, which she uses on weekends.

Ms Lim was among those purchasing Park and Ride sets yesterday, when sets for the month of October first went on sale at TransitLink ticket offices.

While some drivers had no problems getting a lot at their preferred carpark, some had to settle for an alternative because they did not get to the ticket office in time.

Ms J. Huang, 36, had already prepared herself for disappointment when she showed up at the Raffles Place MRT station after noon.

Park and Ride lots for the Yio Chu Kang carpark near her home were all sold out by then, and she had to buy a set for the Ang Mo Kio carpark instead.

'They should provide more lots at Yio Chu Kang because it is such a hot spot and so difficult to get,' said the bank officer.

Other regular Park and Ride users like shipping manager Agnes Lim, 43, are also hoping that they can buy the sets online to end the hassle of making a beeline for the ticket office every month.

Member of Parliament Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC), who has raised the Park and Ride issue in Parliament before, hopes the LTA will consider making the scheme more affordable for certain motorists.

'Some of my residents say they are already paying for a season parking lot at their home and don't want to pay again for another one near the MRT. Perhaps those staying within a certain distance from the carpark can be offered a discounted rate,' he said.

[email protected]

fatzcomel

Singapura : 18 September 2008         

JAWAPAN BAGI PERTANYAAN BERTULIS PARLIMEN

BUNYI BISING MRT DIKAWAL TAPI TAK BOLEH DIELAK

PENGUASA Pengangkutan Darat (LTA) memberi jaminan kepada penduduk bahawa ia melaksanakan pelbagai langkah bagi mengehadkan bunyi bising yang berpunca daripada kereta api dan landasan MRT, kata Menteri Pengangkutan, Encik Raymond Lim.

Beliau menyatakan demikian sebagai menjawab pertanyaan bertulis Encik Zaqy Mohamed (GRC Hong Kah) di parlimen kelmarin.

Encik Zaqy bertanya apakah langkah yang diambil Kementerian Pengangkutan (MoT) dalam memantau dan mengurangkan bunyi bising yang berpunca daripada landasan dan kereta api MRT yang telah dimakan usia, terutamanya yang terletak dekat di estet-estet perumahan.

Encik Lim berkata, semua kereta api yang beroperasi di sini telah diuji sebelum dibawa masuk ke negara ini, demi memastikan ia menuruti had kawalan bunyi bising yang dilaksanakan dengan ketat.

Kedua, rekaan kejuruteraan landasan MRT dibuat dengan tujuan mengurangkan bunyi bising.

'Landasan MRT kita dilengkapi tunggul kayu, sebagai mengurangkan kesan bunyi bising apabila roda besi kereta api tersentuh kerangka besi landasan.

'Sistem ini juga mengurangkan bunyi bising yang menular disebabkan gegaran yang berlaku sepanjang struktur landasan itu,' katanya.

SMRT juga, tambahnya, membuat pemeriksaan kerap ke atas kereta api dan landasannya dan memeriksa roda kereta api setiap tiga minggu bagi mengenal pasti keadaan luar biasa yang mungkin berlaku ke atasnya hingga menyebabkan bunyi bising yang keterlaluan.

LTA menjalankan audit ke atas amalan penyenggaraan bagi memastikan SMRT melaksanakan pemeriksaan itu mengikut piawaian yang ditetapkan.

Keempat, LTA turut bekerjasama dengan SMRT dengan mengukur tahap bunyi bising kereta api setiap tiga bulan di tempat-tempat yang dekat dengan estet perumahan utama.

'Apabila bunyi bising melepasi had ditetapkan, SMRT akan menjalankan kerja-kerja penyenggaraan pencegahan,' kata Encik Lim.

fatzcomel

Oct 13, 2008
21 strayed onto MRT tracks
By Serene Luo


So far this year, 21 people have fallen or found their way onto the tracks. Last year, 31 people did so, and 30 the year before, an SMRT spokesman said. -- ST PHOTO: SAMUEL HE

EVERY time someone strays onto the MRT tracks, thousands of other commuters are likely to face delays of up to an hour - more, if the perpetrator is hit by a train.

So far this year, 21 people have fallen or found their way onto the tracks. Last year, 31 people did so, and 30 the year before, an SMRT spokesman said.

More than 70 per cent of the cases were intentional, that is, the perpetrators were drunk, high on drugs or trying to commit suicide.

The others had unintentionally slipped onto the tracks when they felt faint, lost their balance or were careless.

All the cases took place on the above-ground portions of lines operated by SMRT. SBS Transit, which operates the wholly underground North-East Line, has not had any cases of people straying onto the tracks since it opened in 2003.

Underground stations have platform screen doors that remain closed until a train pulls into the station.

As a safety measure, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it would complete installing half-height platform screen doors at three above-ground MRT stations - Pasir Ris, Jurong East and Yishun - by the end of next year.

Though the LTA will fit the 1.5m-tall doors at the 33 remaining above-ground stations by 2012, it wants to assess their suitability first at these three stations, a spokesman said.

hangjebat

Originally posted by iansuryani at 16-11-2004 02:29 PM
salah satu station yang ian tak pernah turun ialah kembangan...dan yang paling favourite sekali ialah bugis...atmosphere best kat bugis...sebab ian dengan makcik selalu tengok wayang kat bugis da ...

yes ... bugis
my fav station
slalu lepak situ lepas turun bas dr queen str.

sbnrnya, bugis - lavender - bugis
2-2 station tu je yg aku pegi utk kerja

fatzcomel

SMRT to add 112 train trips on weekdays
By Greta Georges, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 17 October 2008 1403 hrs



SINGAPORE: Starting from October 24, SMRT will add 112 train trips during weekdays to ease morning and evening peak hour rush.

SMRT says this is the fourth significant train service enhancement it has made since February 2008.

However, this enhancement is not applicable to public holidays that fall on weekdays.

With the latest improvements, SMRT will have added about 900 extra train trips per week.

- CNA/yt

gadis_aries

MRT BOON LAY EXTENSION DIBUKA FEB

LALUAN MRT Boon Lay Extension (BEL) dijadual mula beroperasi 28 Februari depan. Sepanjang 3.8 kilometer, ia sebahagian Laluan Timur-Barat dan merangkumi dua stesen - Pioneer (just depan my blok) :pompom: :pompom: dan Joo Koon.

Menurut Penguasa Pengangkutan Darat (LTA), pembukaan BLE akan membolehkan penduduk Jurong West dan pekerja di estet Perindustrian Jurong menjimatkan masa perjalanan sehingga 15 minit.
Ia memberi mereka kemudahan langsung ke sistem MRT. Sebelum ini, mereka perlu menaiki bas ke stesen MRT Boon Lay. Stesen MRT BLE dilengkapi kemudahan mesra pengguna, termasuk penumpang kurang upaya, seperti lif, tanjakan dan lantai bertaktil.

Semalam, Menteri Pengangkutan, Encik Raymond Lim, dibawa melawat Stesen Pioneer dan menaiki kereta api ke Stesen Joo Koon. Beliau kemudian memberitahu media BLE sebahagian pelan peluasan khidmat kereta api di bawah Pelan Induk Pengangkutan Darat (LTMP).

virgomal

PIAWAIAN BARU BAGI PATUHI MASA TUNGGU MRT

Oleh
Nazri Hadi Saparin

PENUMPANG kereta api kini boleh menjangkakan masa menunggu yang lebih singkat pada waktu-waktu sibuk; sebelah pagi, petang dan waktu makan tengah hari.

Ini menyusuli satu piawaian operasi baru yang diperkenalkan Penguasa Pengangkutan Darat (LTA) semalam.

Piawaian yang dinamakan headway indicator itu membolehkan LTA mengambil tindakan ke atas pengendali khidmat kereta api jika mereka gagal mematuhi masa menunggu yang ditetapkan.

Sebagai contoh, penumpang di stesen MRT Yishun menghala ke bandar tidak seharusnya menunggu lebih daripada tiga minit untuk menaiki kereta api pada waktu paling sibuk sebelah pagi, antara sekitar 7.45 pagi dengan 8.30 pagi.

Ini dilakukan sebagai memenuhi keperluan semasa yang menyaksikan jumlah pengguna khidmat MRT yang semakin bertambah.

Pengendali yang gagal memenuhi piawaian baru itu boleh dikenakan saman antara $10,000 sehingga $1 juta.

Ini bermakna, penyedia khidmat kereta api perlu memastikan setiap perkhidmatan kereta api menepati piawaian yang ditetapkan.

Ini diumumkan LTA di sidang media yang diadakan sempena lawatan Menteri Pengangkutan, Encik Raymond Lim, ke stesen MRT Pioneer dekat Boon Lay semalam.

Stesen MRT Pioneer yang merupakan salah satu daripada dua stesen di Laluan Boon Lay Extension akan mula beroperasi Februari depan.

Satu lagi stesen yang akan dibuka Februari nanti ialah stesen Joo Koon.

Mengulas mengenai piawaian baru itu, Encik Lim berkata selama ini pengendali sudah pun diwajibkan mematuhi jadual perjalanan.

'Namun, kami rasa perlu piawaian ini diketatkan kerana ia sudah pun diperkenalkan untuk perkhidmatan bas,' ujarnya.

Memberi respons beliau, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif SMRT, Cik Saw Phaik Hwa, berkata pihaknya tidak mempunyai masalah menepati piawaian itu kerana telah pun melakukannya sekian lama.

Dalam pada itu, LTA juga telah mengetatkan petunjuk muatan penumpangnya kepada 1,600 penumpang berbanding 1,700 yang dibenarkan bagi setiap kereta api sekarang.

SMRT berkata, buat masa sekarang jumlah muatan maksimumnya ialah sekitar 1,450.

Untuk mengurangkan masalah kesesakkan dalam kereta api, syarikat itu akan membuat perubahan kepada 10 buah kereta apinya dengan memindahkan 84 daripada 300 tempat duduk.

Ini akan menyediakan lebih banyak ruang berdiri untuk penumpang.

Encik Lim menekankan pelbagai langkah telah diambil pemerintah dan syarikat pengendali kereta api untuk menangani masalah kesesakan.

Untuk terus mengatasi masalah tersebut, kerjasama antara kedua-dua pihak dan juga penumpang penting, ujar beliau.

Menurut LTA, dalam beberapa bulan lalu, jumlah penumpang pengangkutan awam telah mencapai paras rekod.

Bagi MRT, jumlah penumpang di stesen-stesen Jurong East dan Bukit Batok telah mencapai 1,400 penumpang semasa waktu paling sibuk pada sebelah pagi.

SweetCandy

yahooo.. i m so happy!!