Reveal details on economic cost of MRT disruptions

In “Khaw raises bar for rail reliability, sets new target” (July 28), Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan asked commuters to be patient, as train delays are bound to happen as teething problems surface.

I am glad that commuters are understanding of the inevitable issues that occur. It would be reassuring to know, however, if the economic impact is taken into account when decisions on testing the signalling system are made.

MRT disruptions have an impact on commuters, as well as businesses, in the form of lost productivity. Has this impact been quantified?

Mr Khaw said: “The experience has actually been less traumatic than what we had feared.” So some level of disruption was planned for, and this was not the worst-case scenario.

But unless we have an idea of the cost of the disruptions, how do we know what the optimal decision is on how much disruption is acceptable and what the correct balance is between cost and risk reduction?

It would be good to share such details, so that the public can be reassured about the thought process behind these decisions.