The rail network’s organized expansions over the next ten years will increase its capacity to handle everyday commuter traffic, increase transportation options, and strengthen rail resilience, he added.  ,
When Stage 6 of the Circle Line is finished in 2026, riders in the west will have another way to get to the center of town.  ,
By the first 2030s, the Cross Island Line may improve communication among the north, east and northeast areas, with about third of its stations being interchanges, said the travel secretary.  ,
The public van community also plays a vital role, providing first-mile and last-mile connection within cities, he added.  ,
They offer alternatives to the road system and some endurance. That is why, even when we need to rationalise van service, we retain at least one tree road that runs parallel to Tod lines” . ,
Even with the addition of crossing buses, he noted, buses cannot totally replace road capacity when there is a train disturbance.  ,
A six-car station on the East-West line can hold more than 1, 000 travellers and works at two- to three-minute distances during peak hours at speeds of up to 80kmh, while a double-deck vehicle carries up to 120 passengers and typically runs at much lower speeds based on customers conditions.  ,
” Thus, even with up to 80 double-deck bridge cars deployed per time, these were unable to meet the full power of the East-West line”, said Mr Chee, recalling the upheaval in September.  ,
The transport minister said that the Singaporean government “worked very hard” to improve the quality and reliability of its MRT service a decade ago.  ,
” We are determined to maintain a high level of reliability, safety and service quality”, he added.  ,
Once the scale of the East-West Line disruption was assessed, LTA and public transport operators activated their plans quickly, said Mr Chee.  ,
” We took the necessary time to finish the repairs and conduct rigorous testing before safely resuming services because the safety of commuters was paramount.”
He further stated that the findings of the disruption investigation will be made public.  ,
He declared,” We will learn from this episode, stay vigilant, and work closely with our tripartite partners to continually improve our public transportation system.”  ,