A Review of 2013 and the Progress We Have Made - Operational Performance

SMRT remains committed to improving Operational Performance in safety, reliability and capacity. To cope with an ageing network and higher capacity needs, we have on-going upgrading and preventive maintenance works which include Circle Line power cable replacement, sleeper replacement programme, re-signalling and the third-rail change out. All these projects take time and require a massive effort with detailed coordination and integrated planning with the Land Transport Authority. We are proceeding as quickly as possible in order to attain higher service standards and regain public trust and confidence in the system.

SMRT earlier announced that it has been making steady progress in its sleeper replacement programme with the introduction of specialised machinery used to accelerate the programme so that work can be completed by 2016. The Circle Line power cable replacement will also be completed ahead of time by the end of the year instead of the initially announced target of 2015.

To further enhance the overall travelling experience of our commuters and bring the overall reliability of our train network to a higher level, we have embarked on an extensive renewal plan for our fleet: from end-of-life extensions for our oldest trains and mid-life upgrades for our second generation trains, to the addition of new trains.

In the area of rail service reliability and resilience on the North-South and East-West lines, measures that we have put in place have started to show some results. The number of train withdrawals decreased to a monthly average of 37 withdrawals in the first four months of 2013, compared to about 59 withdrawals in the first four months of 2012. On the whole, the number of incidents causing disruptions of more than 10 minutes has also declined from 0.20 to 0.16 for every 100,000km of train run. We have also maintained train service reliability at a healthy 99.81% for our North-South and East-West lines, and 99.98% for our Circle Line compared to a national target of 98%.

For bus operations, we have met most of the Quality of Service Standards since the start of the financial year in April 2013. SMRT also recently launched its new fleet of Toyota Prius hybrid taxis, making us the largest operator of hybrid taxis.

SMRT President and CEO Desmond Kuek said: “SMRT remains committed to providing a world-class transport service that is safe, reliable and responsive. The public has high expectations of us, and we will do our utmost to deliver a positive travel experience. We are also mindful that commuters play an equally crucial role in shaping that experience for themselves and their fellow passengers. We are open to all feedback and suggestions on how to improve the system, and look forward to gaining the public’s trust, confidence and cooperation as we continue with concerted efforts to improve our rail system each day, and for the future.”