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SMRT to end late start times for train services on Sundays

SINGAPORE — SMRT train services on the North-South (NSL) and East-West lines (EWL) will resume regular start times on Sunday mornings from November 6, the train operator said in a statement on Monday (Oct 24) citing better than expected progress with maintenance and renewal work.

An MRT train leaves Bukit Gombak station. Normal train service times on Sundays will be resumed from Nov 6. TODAY file photo.

An MRT train leaves Bukit Gombak station. Normal train service times on Sundays will be resumed from Nov 6. TODAY file photo.

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SINGAPORE — SMRT train services on the North-South (NSL) and East-West lines (EWL) will resume regular start times on Sunday mornings from November 6, the train operator said in a statement on Monday (Oct 24) citing better than expected progress with maintenance and renewal work.

Since June, train service at 13 stations from Joo Koon to Queenstown on the EWL, and from Bukit Gombak to Jurong East on the NSL, have commenced later than usual — up to an hour at some stations — to give SMRT engineers and maintenance staff more time to carry out their work over the western segment of the NSL and EWL.

"The additional hour has doubled track access time each night, essentially doubling the time available for engineers to work on their respective projects, and carry out maintenance and inspection work," SMRT said.

"As engineering staff have made good progress with work on the tracks, the plan to start Sunday rail services later on Sundays over a 6-month period (from 5 June 2016 to 18 December 2016) has been shortened to 22 Sundays — seven Sundays ahead of schedule."

SMRT added that its engineering staff have replaced more than 2,300 sleepers and more than 3.2km of additional third rail over the past 20 weeks. Mr Lee Ling Wee, managing director for SMRT Trains, thanked commuters inconvenienced in recent months for their patience. 

The train operator further announced that the paid parallel bus service to cater to commuters who travelled in the west before 7am on Sundays, and which has been plying the route between Joo Koon and Bukit Gombak stations, will end on Sunday Oct 30.

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