Thomson-East Coast Line Experiences Major Service Disruption During Morning Peak Hours
Train Fault Causes Peak Hour Delays
A train fault on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) caused significant disruptions during morning peak hours on November 18, impacting commuters traveling between Caldecott and Gardens by the Bay stations.
Affected Areas and Impact
The disruption affected services across 11 stations along the TEL, with passengers experiencing additional traveling time of approximately 30 minutes.
The incident occurred during the critical morning period when commuters were heading to work and other commitments.
Station announcement boards displayed information about the service disruption from as early as 6:37 AM, with public announcements made at affected stations to inform commuters about the situation.
Alternative Transport Arrangements
To mitigate the impact on passengers, SMRT implemented free regular bus services at all affected stations. These bridging services were made available to help commuters complete their journeys while train services were disrupted.
Passengers were advised to allow for additional traveling time and consider alternative transport options where possible during the disruption period.
Service Restoration Timeline
The disruption was reported during morning peak hours, with normal service resuming by around 9:00 AM.
The full timeline of the disruption included initial fault detection during morning peak period, implementation of alternative bus services, progressive restoration of train services, and full service restoration by 9:00 AM.
Official Response
SMRT issued an official apology for any inconvenience caused by the disruption and thanked passengers for their understanding throughout the incident.
The company advised passengers to continue checking official SMRT channels for the latest service updates and to allow additional traveling time during their journeys while the system returned to normal operations.
Commuters were encouraged to monitor official communication channels for real-time service updates and travel advisories.