Light Rail Transit

Light Rail Transit (LRT) 轻轨列车系统 Sistem Rel Ringan இலகு கடவு ரயில் File:Singapore LRT logo.png
Info
Owner	Land Transport Authority
Locale	Singapore
Transit type	Automated people mover
Number of lines	3
Number of stations	43 (9 stations closed)
Operation
Began operation	6 November 1999
Operator(s)	SMRT Corporation SBS Transit
Technical
System length	28.8 km

The Light Rapid Transit (LRT) is the light rail component of Singapore's rail network, consisting of localised rail systems acting as feeder services to the Mass Rapid Transit network. The first LRT line was opened in 1999 and the system has since expanded to three lines, each serving a public housing estate, namely Bukit Panjang, Sengkang and Punggol.

The system is closer to an automated people mover system such as those found in many airports around the world than a traditional light rail]] system. All the lines are fully automated and elevated, and run on viaducts in order to save scarce land space in Singapore.

Although the Changi Airport Skytrain people mover, the Sentosa Express and the Jurong BirdPark Panorail is relatively similar to the LRT, they are not part of the system.

Lines are constructed by the Land Transport Authority, with operating concessions currently handed to SMRT Corporation and SBS Transit.

History

Conception

The concept of having rail lines which could bring people from door to door without requiring the use of road-based buses was much favoured by the government transport planners, especially with the increased emphasis on a rail-based public transport network. For intra town travel, LRTs were favoured over buses because trains run on dedicated elevated guideways, bypassing any traffic congestion and traffic lights on the roads, and do not add to road traffic. Train arrival and departure times are also almost guaranteed this way. It is also cleaner as the trains are electrically powered, and therefore lessens the effects of air pollution.

Opening of lines

The Bukit Panjang LRT opened on 6 November 1999, with all 14 stations opened at the same time.

The Sengkang LRT opened in two main stages, the East Loop opening first on 18 January 2003 and most of the West Loop on 29 January 2005. Farmway Station on the West Loop opened on 15 November 2007, but Cheng Lim and Kupang stations remain closed and will only be opened for passenger service when the areas surrounding these stations are further developed.

For the Punggol LRT, the East Loop started operating on the same day as the Sengkang LRT's West Loop, with two stations closed. Oasis was opened for service on 15 June 2007.⁽¹⁾ Damai Station was open on June 20, 2011. The West Loop remains closed and will only be opened for passenger service when the station surroundings are further developed.

Infrastructure

Current Network

Network map	Line (Operator)	Opening Year	Latest Extension	Termini		Station	Length (km)	Depot along line
	Bukit Panjang LRT (SMRT Light Rail)	1999	N.A.	Choa Chu Kang	Ten Mile Junction	14	7.8	Ten Mile Junction
	Sengkang LRT (SBS Transit)	2003	2005	Sengkang		14	10.7	Sengkang
	Punggol LRT (SBS Transit)	2005	N.A.	Punggol		15	10.3	Sengkang

Facilities

Since the LRT was built in the 1990s, plans for barrier-free facilities were included during the planning stages. All stations are equipped with these facilities, thus there will be no difficulty for the handicapped. Barrier free facilities include, lifts, ramps, tactile guidance system, toilets with handicapped friendly facilities, all stations include wide faregates. These barrier free facilities will be included in all future LRT stations.

Lines

Bukit Panjang LRT

The Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) is a 7.8 km light rail line opened in 1999 and part of Singapore's light rail system. It is currently operated by SMRT Light Rail, a subsidiary of SMRT Corporation.

Sengkang LRT

The Sengkang LRT (SKLRT) is a 10.7 km light rail line which partly opened on 18 January 2003. It is currently operated by SBS Transit. It forms part of the LRT system together with the other two lines.

Punggol LRT

The Punggol LRT (PGLRT) is a light rail line in Singapore within the LRT system. Its first phase, which comprises a 10.3 km light rail line with 15 stations, began operating on 29 January 2005 (with the exception of Oasis, which was opened on 15 June 2007 and Damai LRT Stations, which was opened on 20 June 2011). It is currently operated by SBS Transit.

Depots

The LRT system consists of two depots, which run the maintenance, inspection, train overhaul facilities and house the cars overnight. The Ten Mile Junction Depot houses cars for Bukit Panjang LRT, and the Sengkang Depot houses cars for the Sengkang LRT & Punggol LRT, together with the North East Line of the Mass Rapid Transit.

Expansion

The Land Transport Authority has announced that unless there is a new township that is going to be heavily built up, there are currently no plans to expand the LRT network further. All plans to expand the LRT network, whose role can be fulfilled by feeder buses, have been put on hold.⁽²⁾

Past plans included a northern spur line for Punggol LRT, in addition to the current east and west loops. Another plan put on hold is the Jurong Region LRT,^{"Other Rail Projects" (3)} which was aimed to serve residents of Jurong East and West housing towns, and the campus of NTU.⁽⁴⁾⁽⁵⁾

Rolling stock

The trains on the LRT system are fitted with rubber tyres, rather than steel wheels, on specially-constructed guideways from which its power is also sourced. All cars are fully automated and driverless, and are controlled from their respective depots.

19 Bombardier Innovia APM 100s operate on the Bukit Panjang LRT. Capable of operating at a maximum speed of 55 km/h, its pioneers can be traced to as early as 1990, when Westinghouse and Adtranz (acquired by Bombardier) co-operatively built the skytrain system for the Singapore Changi Airport with the same design. However, the Bombardier stock was fraught with unreliability and technical glitches. The CX-100 cars can be coupled to operate in pairs during peak hours.

The Mitsubishi Crystal Mover are the newer rolling stock of the Singapore LRT system, operating on the Sengkang LRT and Punggol LRT. Built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, it currently maintains a cleaner record of reliability. The Crystal Movers are now used on Changi Airport Skytrain system.

Fares and ticketing

The Light Rail Transit uses the same ticketing system as the Mass Rapid Transit. It uses the contactless EZ-Link smart card and a standard single trip ticket.

Safety

Numerous incidents have occurred on the Bukit Panjang LRT since its inception in 1999. Two Bombardier Innovia APM 100 trains collided head to back at Phoenix station in 2000, the Land Transport Authority fined SMRT $10,000 for the collision. The Bukit Panjang LRT had service disrupted more than 100 times. Again in 2002, a dislodged train wheel caused the entire shut down of the system for a few days, as it crippled the power system and the rail at the incident was damaged and had to be repaired.

References

1. Daphne Chuah, "This Oasis opens for business today", Today, 15 June 2007
2. "Groundwork begins for new MRT lines", Christoper Tan, The Straits Times, 13 March 2006
3. "Other Rail Projects", Land Transport Authority, Retrieved 12 April 2006
4. "Development Plans for Jurong West", Housing and Development Board, Retrieved 12 April 2006
5. SPEECH BY MR YEO CHEOW TONG MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF DOVER STATION ON 23 OCT 2001, TUESDAY, 3.00PM, Ministry of Transport