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SMRT still suitable operator to run new Thomson-East Coast Line?

The new Thomson-East Coast Line, set to open in stages from 2019, will be operated by SMRT for a nine-year period.

An artist's impression of a station on the Thomson-East Coast line. Photo: LTA

An artist's impression of a station on the Thomson-East Coast line. Photo: LTA

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Richmond Lee

The new Thomson-East Coast Line, set to open in stages from 2019, will be operated by SMRT for a nine-year period.

With the series of service breakdowns along the North-South Line, it seems like a good time to review if SMRT is really up for the task.

When announcing the winning bidder to operate the Thomson-East Coast Line on Sept 15, the Land Transport Authority said this in its press release: “...we have assessed that SMRT Trains will be able to offer a higher level of service, as it has committed to invest heavily in predictive maintenance and manpower training”.

Questions will inevitably be raised now on how committed SMRT is towards preventive maintenance, given the historical baggage it has with breakdowns on the older MRT lines.

On account of this, public sentiments will be directed towards how SMRT can cope with a new line on top of running three heavy-usage lines while perfectly maintaining them all.

Given the age of the East-West Line and North-South Line, it means that SMRT will definitely have to put in more effort in maintaining these lines to undo the neglect from past management teams.

It will be wise for SMRT to strongly focus, for now, on improving this area and tackling those “deep-seated” internal organisational issues it has while striving to improve and upgrade the two oldest lines to regain public trust and confidence, without taking a new MRT line under its wing.

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