SINGAPORE – Train services will not run between Tanah Merah and Tampines stations from Dec 7 to 10, so that works can be carried out to connect tracks from the East-West Line (EWL) to the new East Coast Integrated Depot.
Affected passengers can take a shuttle bus service, Shuttle 7, for travel between Tampines, Simei and Tanah Merah stations, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operator SMRT on Nov 5.
The shuttle service will run at a frequency of three to five minutes, with up to 55 double-decker buses being deployed on all four days. Fares for the shuttle will be the same as that for an MRT journey along the same stretch.
It will take around 15 minutes for the shuttle buses to travel between Simei and Tanah Merah stations and 18 minutes between Simei and Tampines stations, but this is dependent on traffic conditions.
Alternatively, an LTA spokesperson said commuters travelling to and from Tampines and Tanah Merah stations can consider using the Downtown Line (DTL) or other travel routes.
Passengers can switch from the EWL to the DTL at Tampines and Expo stations before continuing their journeys.
The closure between Tanah Merah and Tampines will affect adjacent sections of the EWL.
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But trains will continue to run every five minutes between Tampines and Pasir Ris stations. They will also run every eight minutes between Tanah Merah and Expo stations, and every 11 minutes between Expo and Changi Airport.
An estimated average of 100,000 commuters will be affected by the suspension of train services each day, with their travel times prolonged by 20 to 30 minutes.
The closure of the affected stretch of the EWL will also lead to westbound trains taking a longer time to turn around to travel towards Tuas Link, said LTA and SMRT.
On Dec 7 and 8, westbound EWL trains coming from Tanah Merah station will turn around at Tuas Link station.
To cope with the increased traffic from the working crowd on Dec 9 and 10, every EWL train will alternate between turning around at Paya Lebar station and at Tuas Link station during peak hours, so that train frequency will go up to every 2？ to five minutes.
LTA noted that the frequency on the DTL may also be stepped up when necessary, and that there are no plans to adjust the train frequency for the rest of the EWL.
It added that the affected stations and bus stops are expected to be crowded and that journey times may be longer during those four days.
Commuters are advised to plan their travel using LTA’s MyTransport.SG mobile app.
LTA and SMRT said the connection of the EWL tracks to the East Coast Integrated Depot requires workers to remove about 80m of existing tracks, sleepers that hold the running rail in place, and the third rail that supplies power to trains.
Slated to be completed by 2026, the integrated depot already has 97 per cent of its structural works completed, LTA said. The fitting of rail tracks and the installation of electrical, mechanical and system services are ongoing.
When operational, the integrated depot will house 220 trains from the DTL, Thomson-East Coast Line and the EWL, along with a bus depot that can accommodate about 760 buses.
The upcoming works will involve new tracks located off Upper Changi Road, right beside the existing EWL tracks, to allow trains to move from the EWL to the new depot.
After removing the existing tracks, new tracks that turn out towards the depot have to be installed, along with sleepers and the third rail along this section. Testing of the signalling, power and communications system will then be carried out.
As the area is relatively narrow, these works can be done only when trains are not running to ensure the safety of workers.
Trains cannot be allowed to run between Tanah Merah and Tampines stations during this time because these are safety buffer zones where the power has to be completely turned off to allow the safe removal of the third rail across the entire stretch.
LTA said it has planned and completed all possible preparatory work beforehand to minimise the overall duration of the closure. This includes completing the viaducts and other works to allow the connection of the tracks.
It added that further track closures will be required in 2025 and 2026 to complete works for the depot. More details will be provided when ready.
Stretches of rail lines have been closed to facilitate track works in the past. In January, one platform each at Telok Blangah and HarbourFront stations on the Circle Line were closed for almost four months to allow the integration of Stage 6 of the line – which closes the loop between HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations – with the existing MRT network.
Veteran transport engineering consultant Gopinath Menon said such rail closures are common, as they are implemented to ensure the safety of staff and commuters, while reducing the need to carry out intermittent work in separate phases.
Pasir Ris resident Rachel Low, 26, said it would be a hassle to take other routes to get to work, as her current journey involves a 55-minute direct train ride on the EWL to her office in Buona Vista.
She told The Straits Times she finds changing trains between multiple lines to get to work “troublesome”, and is worried about traffic congestion if she takes the replacement shuttle bus.
The human resources executive said she plans to stay in that weekend and work from home on Dec 9 and 10.