Signal and train faults delay rush-hour commute on Circle, East West Lines

SINGAPORE – Morning rush-hour commuters were delayed by two separate faults on the Circle Line (CCL) and the East West Line (EWL) on Wednesday.

An ongoing train fault at Joo Koon station on the EWL is causing delays of up to 30 minutes for commuters travelling between Queenstown and Tuas Link stations.

SMRT first reported the EWL delays on Twitter at 8.25am, about two hours after it first alerted commuters to a signalling fault on the CCL.

The signalling fault, which caused trains to move slower between Botanic Gardens and Haw Par Villa, took about two hours to clear.

It caused delays of about 20 minutes between Buona Vista and Harbour Front stations, in both directions.

The fault was cleared at around 8.34am, though SMRT warned that commuters on the affected stretches of the CCL should expect delays of up to five minutes due to congestion.

One commuter, Mr Stan Ng, told TODAY that the delays on the CCL started before SMRT's announcement, and that the train he was on stalled in the tunnel between Bishan and Caldecott stations at around 6.10am.

The 35 year-old-old credit analyst, who was headed to the one-north station, added: "I boarded the train at Serangoon station at around 6.04am. Now it is almost 7am and I’m still stuck in the tunnel!” 

The last reported fault along the Circle Line occurred on the morning of Sept 11, where commuters experienced train delays of up to 30 minutes between Paya Lebar and Buona Vista stations due to a train fault.