No MRT EWL trains between Tanah Merah and Tampines on Dec 7-10

SINGAPORE — Train services will not run between Tanah Merah and Tampines stations from Dec 7 to 10, to facilitate the connection of tracks from the existing 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 55 double-decker buses to be deployed for all four days. Fares for the shuttle will be the same as that for an MRT journey along the same stretch.

Alternatively, passengers can switch from the EWL to the Downtown Line (DTL) at Tampines and Expo stations before continuing their journeys.

The closure between Tanah Merah and Tampines will affect adjacent sections of the EWL. Shuttle trains will run every five minutes between Tampines and Pasir Ris stations, 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 longer durations for eastbound trains 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 2½ to five minutes.

The frequency of train services on the DTL will also be increased from 23 to around 27 trips per hour, with an approximate frequency of slightly over two minutes each.

Commuters are advised to plan their journeys 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.

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Slated to be completed by 2026, the 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 depot will house 220 trains from the DTL, Thomson-East Coast Line and the EWL, in addition to a bus depot that can accommodate about 760 buses.

Works hence need to be carried out on 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 will also need 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.

Additionally, trains will not be allowed to run along the adjacent stations at Tanah Merah and Tampines stations 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 was 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.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.