In response to transport experts’ analysis that MRT train services on the North-South and East-West Lines would have to be shortened by at least 30 minutes on weekdays to allow rail workers to carry out maintenance and asset renewal work (“To carry out maintenance, weekday operating hours of NSEW Lines need to be cut by at least half an hour: Experts”; Nov 8), Facebook users were divided in their views.

Some griped about having to bear the inconvenience or extra costs of taking other modes of transport, or having to answer to their employers about working hours. Others were supportive of the idea provided there are other options such as buses to complete their trips. There were also those who thought 30 minutes is too short and it should be longer, or that maintenance work could be done over the weekends instead.

How about closing for longer hours on weekends? But inform in advance for people to plan their activities. MEI QI WAN

Half an hour is not enough. Please start service one hour later and end service one hour earlier on both Saturdays and Sundays. Better still, if sections can be shut down without affecting operations in other parts of the line, then shut down sections completely to work on them. CHEN QIUYAN

Will 30 minutes before and after help with the maintenance? Can we ask employers to delay 30 minutes to start work and end early? DAVID LIM

Sometimes I have to reach workplace at 7.15am and I have to take the train at 5am or so. Also not forgetting students who have to reach school around 7am-7.30am. Some of them live really far from their schools. Not a wise solution. JEAN JEAN

Please give us an indication of budgeted hours you need to troubleshoot, instead of half an hour. It can be half an hour till infinity, and even after troubleshooting all this nonsense, what will SMRT do should major disruptions happen again? BEN SLACKER

This is no more just an SMRT issue but a nationwide issue. We need to band together and solve this. Ending the train service early is more feasible than starting late. But SMRT and LTA (Land Transport Authority) must have a timeline on how long they need to do this. It cannot go on indefinitely. Since the commuters will need to sacrifice due to shortened operating hours. LTA will need to work with bus companies to provide more buses in terms of frequency during this period. DANNY CHIN

I personally feel it’s a good idea to give a little more time for the maintenance work to be done, in order to have a better and more reliable system. If, with this maintenance, it helps all of us, and the trains will have fewer breakdowns, why not compromise a little for the benefit of all people travelling and using MRT daily? EDMUND LAI

Why should people who need to work early or late regularly have to suffer this cut in operating hours due to SMRT’s years of negligence? HAN WONG

Sounds good on paper. Half hour here. Half hour there. A lot can be done. But anyone with a full-time job can tell you, you don’t do work the moment it starts one. You will dilly-dally, surf Facebook, make coffee, chit-chat... If it has to be done, provide bus bridging services, close different sections for a full Sunday, work on it. With the number of problems, closures, delays, I have now forgotten, what are they repairing now exactly? ISAAC JUEHAO

If you are doing your work efficiently, three hours is enough. If you are not efficient, even 30 days are not enough. KEV KEV

I guess time is indeed much needed for an overhaul. Give them a break, folks. KELVIN KWEK

They need time! I’m totally supportive of controlled closure to speed up the work and get better reliability... Of course, they cannot just leave people without options. Alternative bus services, temporary bridging bus need to be arranged. And how early is early? If they end half an hour early, it’s 23:30. If they start 30 minutes later, it’s 06:00. Will a lot of people be affected?... I think using data is the most objective way. Find out how many people take the first train and last train. How many buses are needed to ferry them along the closed line? How much earlier do those buses have to operate... Cannot let the vocal minority hold the majority hostage. I use the MRT. I am also affected by breakdowns. And I want it fixed. DONALD TAN

Maintenance is a must, and must be periodical. Asset renewal must be cyclical. All such timings for maintenance and renewal must be factored into the operations of the whole system. Therefore the start time of trains must remain status quo. So is it the timing that has impeded the maintenance? ZAMURI BIN MOHAMED ZAIN

I don’t mind. If SMRT provides free taxis and bus rides covering islandwide while the trains are scheduled for maintenance, why not? BERTRAND FINN

Then who will help those who need to get to work early? Not everyone can afford to take Uber or taxi. VICKI GOH PEI JING

Because they have been cutting maintenance work... now they want to cut short the service hours to try and repair their mistakes? This is public transport and there are people who need to get to their workplace early. SMRT should increase the number of crew members to do the maintenance. KEVIN AU YONG WK

Singaporeans hard to please. More workers doesn’t mean things can be fixed faster. More chefs doesn’t mean you can cook the soup faster either. WONG JT

You can increase manpower or equipment, but given that maintenance time is fixed, there is just so much that can be squeezed... Half an hour is too little. Should make it one hour. EDWIN ZHANG

Will shortening the operation hours by one hour allow them to solve the problems? If your car needs an overhaul, do you still drive the car while doing the maintenance at the same time? EVAN CHONG

I totally agree with you. Breakdown, complain.... Want solve the problem, also complain. Then what? The train system will repair by itself? It’s a long-term thing. Maybe SMRT have to come out with a plan like express buses or have scheduled maintenance but inform us beforehand. I think we should go ahead with this... We need to see the bigger picture... Get it fixed. GEORGE SIRROM

How about shutting down parts of the lines for a full weekend, subject to power supply constraints? A full shutdown in sections on weekends may be less disruptive. ZHI MING NG

Has someone modelled the economic cost of shorter hours to the commuters? You know, cost of using alternative transport... SMRT buses, Uber etc? How about time away from work, lost productivity? I see how this is presented as 30 minutes here and there, but when a few 100,000 commuters are affected, the total lost time and money is a little bit bigger, isn’t it? LIU FELIX

*Comments were first posted on TODAY’s Facebook page and are edited for language and clarity.