SINGAPORE: Services on the Punggol LRT were disrupted for about three hours on Saturday morning (13 Sep) after a system fault prevented trains from being launched from the depot.
The disruption began at around 5.15am, when operator SBS Transit issued a Facebook alert about a “systems fault”.
By 6.08am, the company announced that free regular and bridging bus services were being provided at Punggol Bus Interchange and designated stops near affected stations.
Commuters were advised to follow directional signs to these boarding points and to use the SBS Transit or LTA MyTransport mobile apps for alternative transport options.
Passenger service teams were also deployed to assist.
At about 8.10am, SBS Transit confirmed that the fault had been rectified and full service had resumed.
Fault in New Signalling System
In a statement, Jeffrey Sim, Group CEO of SBS Transit, explained that the fault had affected train services across all 15 stations of the Punggol LRT.
“Trains could not be launched from the depot at the start of operations,” he said, adding that preliminary findings pointed to a premature failure in the new signalling control system which manages train movements.
“When the system is down, trains are unable to operate,” he explained.
SBS Transit is working with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to investigate the issue and prevent a recurrence.
The company apologised for the inconvenience caused.
Recent Spate of Disruptions
This incident marks the third disruption to the Punggol LRT service in just over a month.
On 12 August, a power fault caused a five-hour disruption to the Sengkang–Punggol LRT, while another on 15 August disrupted services for more than three hours across all 29 stations on the network.
The problems were not limited to the Punggol line.
On 2 September, a train fault on the North–South Line caused a 25-minute delay between Woodlands and Yishun stations.
Earlier, on 6 August, the East–West Line suffered a five-hour breakdown.
In July, the Thomson–East Coast Line experienced an hour-long disruption due to a signalling fault, and the Bukit Panjang LRT saw two suspensions in the same month caused by power problems.
Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow has acknowledged growing public concern, describing the series of incidents as disappointing.
Writing on Facebook on 6 August, he said that Singapore’s transport operators “can and will do better”.
He also stressed that the “One Transport family” would continue working to strengthen the reliability of the rail system.
Netizens Say Breakdowns ‘No Longer Surprising’
The breakdown on the Punggol LRT, however, did not surprise many netizens, who noted that such incidents have become increasingly frequent.
On platforms such as Reddit, CNA and The Straits Times’ Facebook pages, users commented that the disruption was neither shocking nor new.
One netizen reacted with sarcasm, saying that Singapore might soon become number one in the world for MRT breakdowns, as the country always seemed intent on being first in everything.
On Reddit, there is even a bingo dedicated to train breakdowns.
The “MRT breakdown bingo”, uploaded by user goldenpummel, tracks MRT disruptions in September.
Some redditors remarked that it was time to update the bingo card following the latest incident.
Criticism of Maintenance
Several users pointed to poor maintenance as a recurring issue.
“With proper planning, maintenance and engineering expertise plus competence, this type of problem shouldn’t happen at all,” one user wrote.
Another netizen added that the focus should be on properly maintaining the current system before expanding with new lines, questioning the value of building more routes when the existing ones were not functioning reliably.
One netizen argued that the operators were aware that sustained investment in maintenance was necessary to fix the issues.
However, the comment suggested that committing significant funds to preventive work would reduce profits and negatively affect shareholder value, meaning that maintenance was unlikely to be treated as a priority.
Calls for Accountability
There were also demands for stronger accountability from authorities and operators.
Some netizens criticised what they saw as a tendency to blame every breakdown on external factors such as power, track, or signalling faults, without acknowledging possible lapses within the transport system itself.
They expressed frustration that operators and authorities rarely admitted responsibility, saying they wanted to see a clear acceptance of fault rather than repeated technical explanations.
Others expressed frustration at the frequency of disruptions, saying it was unacceptable.
“If the current Minister of Transport can’t handle it, please step aside and let those more capable take over,” one user commented.
Another user asked: “When will the respective heads be fired? Enough is enough.”
One netizen called for a deeper investigation, urging the Ministry of Transport to work with LTA experts and the operator to identify the root cause of the repeated disruptions and to implement lasting solutions, emphasising that excuses were no longer acceptable.
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