SINGAPORE: Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow described the recent spate of rail disruptions in Singapore as “disappointing”, acknowledging the frustration experienced by commuters.
Writing on Facebook on 6 Aug 2025, Siow said, “This series of recent incidents is disappointing for all of us, and we can and will do better.”
He added that the “One Transport family” would continue working to strengthen the rail system.
His comments followed a significant disruption on the East-West MRT Line that lasted five hours on Wednesday morning, affecting many during peak commuting hours.
SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai stated the disruption was caused by a point machine fault near Jurong East station.
Point machines are critical for directing train movement at junctions.
This incident adds to other recent faults.
On 1 Jul, the Thomson-East Coast Line suffered a service disruption for over an hour due to a signalling fault.
In addition, two power faults led to suspensions of the Bukit Panjang LRT service in July.
Siow clarified that the faults were unrelated and occurred on different lines.
He acknowledged public frustration, saying, “I understand commuters’ frustration… because it messes up your day and throws off your plans.”
While complete elimination of delays is not possible, he noted that how information is shared with commuters can be improved.
Announcements are made at stations during disruptions, and operators deploy additional staff to assist.
Siow emphasised that while general travel time updates are indicative, actual delays vary based on commuters’ routes.
He added that The Land Transport Authority will work with operators to conduct more regular exercises on managing commuter support during service disruptions.
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