The Bukit Panjang LRT Line is a Template:Convert light rail line opened on 6 November 1999 as part of Singapore's LRT system. It is fully automated, and the project was contracted to Adtranz, Keppel Corporation and Gammon Construction. The line uses Innovia APM 100 rolling stock supplied by Adtranz (now Bombardier). A complete loop journey on the line (excluding Ten Mile Junction LRT station) takes 28 minutes. There are also many extensions of Bukit Panjang LRT in the past, but because of breakdowns, this has been scrapped. This proposals include the extension of the LRT to Gali Batu, Bukit Batok, through the Central Water Catchment and Poyan Reservoir.
The system uses minimal staffing on trains and at major interchange stations.
History[]
In September 1991, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) unveiled the revised Concept Plan 1991, which detailed plans for Singapore in 2000, to 2010, to Year X, when the population would hit 4 million. Part of the Plan was the improvement of the transport system via an extended MRT system, a new LRT scheme, and improved roads. The LRT system would link up major urban centres in the north and east like Yishun, Punggol and Tampines by 2010, via connections with the public bus service and MRT stations.
On 11 October 1994, then Communications Minister Mah Bow Tan revealed that the Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC) had commissioned British consultant, Oscar Faber TPA, to conduct a feasibility study for an LRT system in the Beach Road/Nicoll Highway corridor, which is also under the Arts Central or the Arts Centre Line, and it was later subsequently replaced by either Circle Line or Holland Line in the later stage. The study, which cost S$499,000, was done in anticipation of the increased demand for transport services in the area due to several major developments such as Suntec City, Marina Centre and Shenton Way. The executive director of MRTC, Low Tien Sio, had also mentioned that the proposed LRT line could be linked to Dhoby Ghaut and City Hall MRT stations.
At that time, Singapore was starting to face a rising demand for transportation, especially in major development areas where bus services might become insufficient to cater to people’s needs. The LRT was seen as a suitable transport alternative as it would be cheaper to construct and operate, since the system would be running above ground. The system would therefore be more cost-effective in less populated areas.
During Parliament on 1 November 1994, Mah mentioned that he had tasked MRTC to study the use of an LRT in Singapore, particularly as an internal feeder service for new towns. The study would focus on two new towns, Bukit Panjang and Kangkar (now known as Sengkang), where land had already been reserved to construct LRT systems. He envisioned that new towns could be built, in the future, where LRT trains would run close to buildings, or even within buildings. People could even take the LRT outside their doorways to MRT stations.
On 3 December 1994, Mah announced the government’s intention to pilot the building of LRT systems in Bukit Panjang and Buona Vista at a cost of about S$300 million each. Both systems were meant to lead the government’s plan to use the LRT to extend the reach and accessibility of the MRT system. Each system, estimated to be about 10 km long, would run above ground so that it would not affect the traffic or roads, or be affected by traffic jams. The trains would also be controlled by a central system so they would be automatic and would not require drivers to operate. The trains would be smaller and lighter, enabling them to make sharper turns when operating in crowded estates.
Besides new housing estates, the government also considered the possibility of building LRT systems in more mature estates like Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh. However, decisions would only be made after the pilot programmes at Bukit Panjang and Buona Vista. After the roll-out of the LRT system, bus services which run the same route might be reduced so that the LRT systems are viable.
In order to learn more about the implementation of LRT systems, a delegation from Singapore, led by Mah, travelled to France and Germany on 6 February 1995. The team first observed the SK system in France on 7 February, which had a capacity of about 15 people. After this visit, Mah raised the possibility of building LRT stops at the void decks of HDB flats. The team noted that Singapore’s system should take into account the ease of increasing capacity and costs.
On 8 February, the delegation observed another French system, the VAL, which had a capacity of up to 140 people. The team was impressed with how this system was able to integrate well with other modes of transport, an aspect which would be challenging in Singapore.
The team went on to visit Dortmund University in Germany on 9 February, to observe the H-Bahn LRT system. This was in anticipation of the implementation of the Buona Vista LRT, which MRTC hoped could serve students at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Polytechnic. This was originally derived from the NUS Monorail of which it was scrapped originally. The team returned to Singapore on 10 February. The NTU Monorail was also conceived to be an idea, but it was later replaced by Jurong Region Line in 2001. These were however, revived in 2008 but the programmes were not carried forward in 2010.
Upon the team’s return, Mah outlined how the French and German systems could be implemented in Singapore. The LRT could be used to provide feeder service, provide transport between HDB towns, or serve crowded areas such as the Central Business District (CDB). This was because the system had lower building and operational costs, and, being quieter, could be built closer to HDB flats.
On 14 March 1995, the government announced the formation of the Land Transport Authority (LTA), a new statutory board in charge of land transport in Singapore, which MRTC would become part of within the next two years. In the White Paper published by LTA on 2 January 1996, the latter set out its goals for a world-class transport system in Singapore, one of which was the utilisation of LRT systems as feeder services to the MRT network, and the integration of LRT facilities with HDB estates to maximise convenience for residents.
In addition to using the LRT system as feeder service, the government had also looked into the feasibility of using it to connect neighbouring towns with one another, such as Bedok-Tampines, Ang Mo Kio-Bishan-Toa Payoh, and the Jurong areas. Mah had clarified that conducting feasibility studies did not mean that the proposals would be feasible. Instead, the studies would look at whether the high costs involved in building the systems could be justified by the demand and ridership in those areas.
On 10 February 1995, MRTC revealed that 13 consortia, some of which had Singaporean partners, had submitted tenders to supply LRT systems for the two pilot projects in Singapore.22 About a month later, on 17 March, eight of the consortia were shortlisted by MRTC to participate in the next stage of the tender, where they were asked to submit detailed proposals to run and maintain the LRT systems for the next three decades.23
During the opening of Woodlands MRT station on 10 February 1996, then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced that the building of the LRT system at Bukit Panjang would proceed at a cost of about S$300 million, as a study by LTA had found that the venture might be viable. However, the system at Buona Vista did not get the go-ahead because it was not found to be economically viable, and was replaced by Dover MRT Station and one-north MRT Station completely and respectively. The Buona Vista LRT also decided to have plan to extend to Tanglin Halt, Commonwealth, Biopolis and Ministry of Education Building as well.
On 12 April 1996, LTA signed a S$285-million contract for the establishment of an automatic LRT system at Bukit Panjang, with a consortium which included Keppel Corporation (Singapore). Construction works began immediately so that the system could be ready by 1999. On 5 August 1997, during the 10th anniversary celebrations of Singapore MRT (SMRT), Mah announced that SMRT would be operating the Bukit Panjang LRT system when it was completed. SMRT was selected over other transport operators like Singapore Bus Services (SBS) and Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS) because of its experience with operating the MRT system. SMRT formed a subsidiary company, Singapore LRT (SLRT), to operate the system.
LTA involved the residents of Bukit Panjang in the choice of the trains’ colour, and the design of the stops’ roofs. Residents indicated a preference for blue trains and a barrel-roof design for the stops. Residents were also invited by the operator, Singapore LRT, to suggest names for the system in 1999. The LRT system increased the value of homes in Bukit Panjang, with more people indicating interest in buying houses in the area. However, during the construction process, residents had to put up with inconveniences, such as noise from piling work, and dust.
On 6 November 1999, the Bukit Panjang LRT system was officially launched by then Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tony Tan. The first service started at 1.22 pm, 8 min earlier than the scheduled time, due to the large crowd which had formed a queue all the way out to the main road. The fully-automated system measured 7.8 km, with its depot and control centre integrated with the developments in Bukit Panjang. The entire system consisted of 14 stations, with lifts to service the commuters. The trains were built with windows which turned opaque when they travelled close to residences, to protect residents’ privacy. Each LRT train had a capacity of 105 per coach.
Despite slight delays on the day of the launch, the LRT system was seen as a new chapter in the development of a rapid-transit transport system in Singapore by then Communications and Information Technology Minister, Yeo Cheow Tong.
After the launch, 19 bus services to Bukit Panjang were withdrawn or re-routed to avoid duplication of services between buses and the LRT. However, some residents had hoped that feeder bus services could continue, as their withdrawals would make travel inconvenient; in fact, the buses could serve as a form of back-up in the event of an LRT breakdown.
The system suffered from teething issues since the day of its launch. There were reports of train delays of up to 40 min and malfunctioning of ticketing machines due to problems with the computer software. Commuters also experienced bumpy rides along certain stretches of rail, and doors opening slightly while the trains were moving. LTA estimated that the system was reliable about 95 percent of the time, and it would take about six months before the problems could be resolved.
The safety of the system was put into question when a man, who was drunk, was killed at Jelapang Station on 15 January 2000 as he attempted to walk across the LRT tracks to the other platform. It was the first case of fatality for the system. Then, a collision occurred between two trains on 19 November due to an oversight by an operations staff, resulting in light injuries in three passengers. The accident had arisen because the tracking system had lost track of one of the trains, thus exposing another challenge for the LRT system.
An LRT train with 20 passengers crashed into an empty one at Phoenix station on 19 November 2000 after an operations officer failed to do a manual check of the lines before restarting the network system. The impact threw seated and standing passengers to the floor of the train, injuring five of them. The service was disrupted for seven hours but it was restored in stages and was fully functional again by 2.30 pm the same day. Then Communications and Information Technology Minister Yeo Cheow Tong visited the site soon after being told of the accident. However, the cause of the accident was never uncovered till this day.
Extension[]
On 2006, there are also plans to extend the Bukit Panjang LRT from Hillview via Clementi, Ulu Pandan, Buona Vista, Queenstown, Bukit Merah to Tiong Bahru area, in view of the Tanjong Pagar GRC's manifesto. These were however scrapped in 2008. In addition, there are also plans to extend the Bukit Panjang LRT via Central Water Catchment, Tagore, Yio Chu Kang, Yio Chu Kang Road to Fernvale, which will link up Sengkang and Punggol LRTs.
The next developments were aided by the five-year programme of an investment of public transport in Singapore that was unveiled by Timothy Mok, on 12 October 2004. On 2 December 2005, the southward extension from Bukit Panjang as per Service C, which goes along Cashew, Hillview (hillv2) as well as Hillview Regency, to serve Elsie Koh's house when she moved from Bukit Panjang Block 521 to Hillview Regency in the same year, together with the housewarming in 2006. A further extension was opened in 2009 to Bukit Batok, and further on it can be extended to Jurong North via Bukit Batok West. Construction began in June 2005, the same year where the contracts are tendered, and the viaduct was completed in May 2008. Following completion, the project had won the 2009 Prime Minister's Better Building Award.
Upgrading Works[]
On 25 June 2015, SMRT and LTA announced that the system would undergo major upgrading by 2019 to tackle the glitches and improve the reliability of the system. In the following year, the Ministry of Transport would study the upgrades required.
On March 9, 2015, during the evening peak hours, the Bukit Panjang LRT was suspended from service for full 24 hours due to a power trip which was caused by a fire at Senja Station. The fire was caused due to a sudden power surge and the fuse box failed to handle the surge. Usually the fuse box will trip the system and activate safety measures, but on that day the fuse box failed to do so and instead burst into flames. The problem was identified as arcing problem which was why the power "jumped". The reason for how the fire started, however, is still a mystery till today.
On 25 June 2015, SMRT and LTA announced that the system would undergo major upgrading by 2019 to tackle the glitches and improve the reliability of the system. In the following year, the Ministry of Transport would study the upgrades required.
On the late morning of 28 July 2016, a train departed Segar for Jelapang on Service B. However, the train sped past Jelapang, Senja and Bukit Panjang stations. One of the passengers said that the Emergency Stop Button was not working, and there was no response on the Emergency phone. According to a passenger, the train finally stopped before Phoenix Station after another passenger managed to make a call on her mobile phone. Subsequent investigations showed that the train had a faulty antenna which resulted in the stations not being able to receive information about the train and thus did not stop the train at the stations.
On the evening of September 27, 2016, a track fault resulted in the damage of the collector shoes on 15 train cars. This resulted in multiple delays and disruptions across the entire network and the damaged collector shoes further damaged the entire network's tracks. During the morning peak of the following day (September 28, 2016), the already damaged track resulted in further disruptions 4 hours after train service started. When the trains did arrive the stations, more problems occurred, including stalled trains, smoke, and stuck doors that staff had to open manually. With damaged tracks and half of the usual fleet running, the delays were more severe than previous cases this year (2016). Later in the afternoon, SMRT announced on social media, Facebook and Twitter, stating that only Service B is available and no train service towards Choa Chu Kang Station. However, they announced again that train service has been temporarily suspended as engineers were carrying out maintenance and repair works. Train service fully resumes at 5:45pm with only half of the usual fleet operating.
In the wee hours of 24 March 2017, a man was killed in a train accident after the last train left Fajar LRT Station. Residences, however, reported nothing unusual around the time of incident, and the body was found when a staff went to the platform levels to do routine checks. Straits Times revealed that in the past there were 2 cases of accidents along the same line. In 2000, Mr See Chau Lai, a hawker assistant, died after he was hit by a train near Jelapang LRT Station of the same LRT line. A coroner's inquiry found that he walked along the tracks after having too much to drink. That was the first fatality since the Bukit Panjang LRT started operations. In 2010, a LRT technician died of injuries sustained after being hit by a train at Phoenix LRT Station. Mr Chia Teck Heng was checking the power rail between Phoenix and Bukit Panjang stations.
On 28 March 2017, trains broke down on the line, leading to 65 people having to be evacuated. The Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived shortly after and guided the stranded passengers to the nearest station. SMRT later revealed that the incident was due to a propulsion fault on one of the train cars.
Resumption of the LRT[]
Service A (via Senja) was adjusted to operate only during Weekday Peak Hours, except Public Holidays (Start of Service – 9.00 am & 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm) from 1 December 2019 and ran through the COVID circuit breaker. Service was gradually resumed as follows:
- Resumed between 11.00 am to 1.00pm and 5.00pm to 7.00pm on Saturdays from 16 March 2024
- Resumed between 11.00 am to 1.00pm and 5.00pm to 7.00pm on Sundays from 30 June 2024
- Resumed the entire day on Weekends & Public Holidays from 28 September 2024
- Resumed the entire day on Weekdays from 30 December 2024
With the full resumption of Service A taking effect from 30 December 2024, operating hours for Service A will be as pre-December 2019.
Services[]
There are two services on the line: A and B terminate at Choa Chu Kang.
| Service | Terminal | via | Notes |
| A | Choa Chu Kang | Senja | Senja to Petir Clockwise direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | Petir | Petir to Senja Anti-clockwise direction |
Stations[]
All stations, except Choa Chu Kang and Ten Mile Junction, have two facing side platforms. Choa Chu Kang has an island platform, similar to most Singapore MRT stations, while Ten Mile Junction has only a single platform and is the only station with platform screen doors (supplied by Horton Automatics).
As of April 2017, the Half-Height Platform Barriers are installed at Choa Chu Kang, South View, Keat Hong, Teck Whye, Phoenix, Petir, Pending, Bangkit, Fajar, Segar, Jelapang, Senja and Bukit Panjang station.
Choa Chu Kang station will have two additional platforms and a new set of fare gates to ease crowding during peak hours.
| Station Name | Interchange/Notes | First Train | Last Train (1) | Last Train (2) |
| Choa Chu Kang | Change for the North South Line and future Jurong Region Line Terminus for Services A & B |
23:30 | 23:38 | |
| South View | 23:31 | 23:36 | ||
| Keat Hong | 23:33 | 23:34 | ||
| Teck Whye | 23:34 | 23:33 | ||
| Phoenix | 23:35 | 23:32 | ||
| Bukit Panjang | Change for the Downtown Line | 23:37 | 23:30 | |
| Petir | 23:38 | 23:29 | ||
| Pending | 23:40 | 23:27 | ||
| Bangkit | ||||
| Fajar | ||||
| Segar | ||||
| Jelapang | ||||
| Senja |
Former Service C[]
| Name | Interchange/Notes |
| Bukit Panjang | Change for the Downtown Line |
| Ten Mile Junction |
Rolling Stock[]
The line uses Bombardier Innovia APM 100 "people-movers", similar to the ones used by the Changi Airport Skytrain until 2006, coded as follows -
- B99: 101-109
- B01: 110-119
- B07: 120-130
- B10: 131-135
- B12: 201-212
The B99 and B01 are similar to the Docklands Light Railway older rolling stock that is before 2008, whereas B07 and beyond are the ones that are the newer rolling stock that is there before the 2012 Summer Olympics.
C801s have been in operation ever since the start of service until 2025 and being replaced with newer C801Bs, while C801As were delivered and started operations in late 2014. Each unit is Template:Convert long.
Train Formation[]
As of 2015, the majority of trains are in two-car (M-M) formations. Two-car formations are no longer limited to peak hours only and are now used at all times. This is due to the increase in ridership and the large number of apartments around Bukit Panjang. The units are limited to a two-car train formation because of station length.
Coupling is usually done in Ten Mile Junction Depot and the trains are coupled with the same car type: C801A+C801A or C801B+C801B. Occasionally units are mixed for reasons such as breakdowns or testing.
Routings[]
| Service | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | Teck Whye - Bukit Panjang and Petir - Teck Whye | Weekdays and Saturdays |
| Choa Chu Kang - Jelapang and Petir - Bukit Panjang | Sundays | |
| B | Bukit Panjang - Petir - Pending and Jelapang - Choa Chu Kang | Weekends |
Rationalisation[]
| Service | Service changes |
|---|---|
| 5 | Discontinued. |
| 179 | |
| 344 | |
| 345 | |
| 75 | Amended to Bt Panjang Int. |
| 176 | |
| 177 | |
| 184 | |
| 343 | |
| 171 | Amended to ply BKE, Bt Panjang Rd, Petir Rd and Jelebu Rd, skipping a portion of Mandai Rd, Woodlands Rd and Cashew Rd. |
| 172 | Shortened to terminate at Choa Chu Kang Int from Boon Lay Int. |
| 190 | Amended to ply Choa Chu Kang Ave 4, Choa Chu Kang Dr and Teck Whye Ave, skipping Choa Chu Kang Way. |
| 307 | Converted to regular feeder service and amended to skip Choa Chu Kang Way, Choa Chu Kang Ctrl, Choa Chu Kang Ave 1 and Teck Whye Lane. |
| 700 | Converted to trunk service and shortened to terminate at Bt Panjang Int. |
| 700A | Introduced between Bt Panjang Int and Temasek Ave (loop) as an alternate route of Service 700, operating during evening off peak hours on weekdays and Saturdays and throughout the day on Sundays and Public Holidays. |
| 927 | Amended to ply KJE, Woodlands Rd and Mandai Rd, skipping Teck Whye Ave, Choa Chu Kang Rd, Bt Panjang Rd and BKE. |
| 960 | Amended to ply Jelebu Rd, Petir Rd and Pending Rd, skipping a portion of Bt Panjang Rd. |
| 961/961# | Amended to ply Lavender St, Kallang Bahru, Boon Keng Rd and Lor 1 Geylang, skipping Kallang Rd, replacing the deleted sectors of Service 5. |
Train Control[]
The line is equipped with Bombardier’s CITYFLO 550 fixed block signalling system for Automatic train control (ATC) under Automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 4 (UTO). The subsystems consist of Automatic train protection (ATP) to govern train speed, Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) to track and schedule trains, and a computer-based interlocking (CBI) system that prevents incorrect signal and track points settings.
Future Plans[]
SMRT and LTA announced for plans to completely overhaul the BPLRT system as the system is reaching its lifespan of 20 years. A few reasons for the overhaul of the system was due to the fact that the system has been plagued with problems since its first operation in 1999 and it is one of the two systems in the world that still uses the CX-100 train cars (the other being Miami MetroMover). SMRT is still deciding on four of this options to either replace or upgrade the existing system:
The first option is to replace the current trains with self-powered driverless buses, pods (Personal Rapid Transit) on the existing viaducts. The pods are most likely successful in the Tampines Secondary School in 2011 and Heathrow Terminal 2 or 5, together with the newer system at New Timothy House which may likely to happen. The BPLRT trains currently draw on external power, and in April 2016, four trains on the BPLRT system stalled when the line was hit by a power trip. It does not require an external power source which means it is not affected by power faults. The ewer guided vehicles can incur more cost for maintenance and the newer LRT train cars will be deemed "wasted" as they have only operated for 1 year. This was however, ruled out and cancelled.
The second option the firm is considering is replacing the current system with a new conventional LRT system with "significant" design enhancements in key infrastructure like power supply, signalling, rolling stock and track and station assets. The system can ensure smoother rides and lesser faults re-occurring in the long run. Upgraded trains ensures lesser faults occurring on the train itself. It will not be cost effective as the system may be suspended for upgrading works to start due to the replacement of the power supply and also causes inconvenience for daily commuters. If work is done during service, trains will slow down between journeys and either services might be suspended for upgrade works.
The third option SMRT is considering, is renewing the existing system, keeping the AC power design but with a more updated signalling system that will allow more accurate control of trains as well as more trains moving at faster speeds and closer headways on the network. The frequency will be improved and faster rides. It will less likely to impact daily commuters as work can be done after the train service ends. If work is done during service, it will slow down between journeys and either services will be suspended for upgrade works.
The last option is to scrap the LRT and replaced by bus services. There are more options to transform the existing infrastructures into the elevated walkways, bicycle paths, and tourist attractions similar to Sentosa. More buses on the road may lead to an even more congested road and bus frequency can be unstable due to road conditions. Newer LRT train cars, new equipment installed in every stations and the new platforms being constructed at Choa Chu Kang Station will be wasted as well. This was however, ruled out and cancelled as it will cause major traffic congestion on 8 March 2017. Instead, it will go for upgrading.
References[]
External links[]
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