Singapore, 23 March 2018

Bukit Panjang LRT to close every Sunday from 15 April to 24 June for Planned Maintenance Work

1. SMRT will be carrying out planned maintenance work on the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (BPLRT) every Sunday from 15 April to 24 June 2018.  As such, there will be no LRT services on Sundays during this period. In lieu of LRT train services on these 11 Sundays, shuttle buses which run parallel to the BPLRT network will be available (Refer to Annex A) for commuters as an alternative travel option. This is in addition to the existing bus services which already serve the Bukit Panjang town.

2. The maintenance works include the replacement of sections of the power rails to improve the robustness of the current power rail system, and the replacement of track switch components which control train movement along the tracks. SMRT will also step up on-going replacement of parts of the doors and propulsion systems on LRT trains when services are not running on Sundays. This will improve the journey experience for commuters on the BPLRT network.

3. Mr Roger Lim, Vice President for Circle Line and BPLRT, said: “The BPLRT system is approaching its 20-year mark, and the renewal works by Bombardier are expected to commence within the first half of 2018. In the meantime, we are stepping up preventive maintenance for the ageing system. The BPLRT operates for twenty hours each day, providing commuters with connectivity to and from nearby MRT lines at the start and end of service each day. More intensive maintenance works, such as the replacement of sections of the power rails, are not possible with the short two to three-hour engineering window between services. Closing the network on Sundays will improve the productivity of our maintenance teams, and allow these works to be completed sooner. We seek commuters’ patience and understanding over the next three months as we strive to improve BPLRT service.”

4. In November and December 2017, the BPLRT maintenance crew was able to accelerate replacement of ageing rail mounting frames and rail expansion joints, and complete hot-spot replacement of track switch components. This was possible because of the additional time gained from the later start of BPLRT services on Sunday mornings.

Alternative Travel Options

5. Shuttle bus services will bridge LRT stations along the BPLRT network every Sunday from 15 April to 24 June 2018. 

6. Commuters are advised to plan their journeys ahead of time and to cater for additional travel time on these 11 Sundays. SMRT will deploy staff to stations and bus boarding points to provide assistance to commuters on the affected Sundays, and updates will be available on SMRT’s website, as well as through SMRT’s Facebook and Twitter feed.

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