| Light Rail Transit (LRT) 轻轨列车系统 Sistem Rel Ringan இலகு கடவு ரயில் |
|
|---|---|
| Info | |
| Owner | Land Transport Authority |
| Locale | Singapore |
| Transit type | automated people mover |
| Number of lines | 3 |
| Number of stations | 43 (9 not in operation) (includes Sengkang and Punggol) |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 6 November 1999 |
| Operator(s) | SMRT Corporation SBS Transit |
| Technical | |
The Light Rail Transit (LRT), also known as the Light Rapid Transit, is the light rail component of Singapore's rail network, consisting of localised rail systems acting as feeder services to the Mass Rapid Transit network. The first LRT line was opened in 1999 and the system has since expanded to three lines, each serving a public housing estate.
The system is closer to an automated people mover system such as those found in many airports around the world than a traditional light rail system. All the lines are fully automated and elevated, and run on viaducts in order to save scarce land space in Singapore.
Although the Singapore Changi Airport Skytrain people mover, the Sentosa Express and the Jurong BirdPark Panorail is relatively similar to the LRT, they are not part of the system.
Lines are constructed by the Land Transport Authority, with operating concessions currently handed to SMRT Corporation and SBS Transit.
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The concept of having rail lines which could bring people from door to door without requiring the use of road-based buses was much favoured by the government transport planners, especially with the increased emphasis on a rail-based public transport network. For intra town travel, LRTs were favoured over buses because trains run on dedicated elevated guideways, bypassing any traffic congestion and traffic lights on the roads, and do not add to road traffic. Train arrival and departure times are also almost guaranteed this way. It is also cleaner as the trains are electrically powered, and therefore lessens the effects of air pollution.
The Bukit Panjang LRT opened on 6 November 1999, with all 14 stations opened at the same time.
The Sengkang LRT opened in two main stages, the East Loop opening first on 18 January 2003 and most of the West Loop on 29 January 2005. Farmway Station on the West Loop opened on 15 November 2007, but Cheng Lim and Kupang stations remain closed and will only be opened for passenger service when the areas surrounding these stations are further developed.
For the Punggol LRT, the East Loop started operating on the same day as the Sengkang LRT's West Loop, with two stations closed. Oasis was opened for service on 15 June 2007, after more residents moved into HDB flats in the station's vicinity.[1] Damai Station is scheduled to open on June 20, 2011. The West Loop remains closed and will only be opened for passenger service when the station surroundings are further developed.
| Line (Operator) |
Operational | Stations | Length (km) |
Terminals | Depot | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bukit Panjang LRT (SMRT Light Rail) |
6 November 1999 | 14 | 7.8 | Choa Chu Kang | Ten Mile Junction | Ten Mile Junction | |
| Sengkang LRT (SBS Transit) |
18 January 2003 | 6 | 10.7 |
|
Sengkang | ||
| 29 January 2005 | 91 |
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| Punggol LRT (SBS Transit) |
29 January 2005 | 8 | 10.3 |
|
Sengkang | ||
| Not in operation | 8 |
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Note: 1. Includes two completed stations on the West Loop (Cheng Lim and Kupang) but operationally postponed.
Since the LRT was built in the 1990s, plans for barrier-free facilities were included during the planning stages. All 43 stations are equipped with these facilities, thus there will be no difficulty for the handicapped. Barrier free facilities include, lifts, ramps, tactile guidance system, toilets with handicapped friendly facilities, all stations include wide faregates. These barrier free facilities will be included in all future LRT stations.
The Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) is a 7.8 km light rail line opened in 1999 and part of Singapore's light rail system. It is currently operated by SMRT Light Rail, a subsidiary of SMRT Corporation.
The Sengkang LRT (SKLRT) is a 10.7 km light rail line which partly opened on 18 January 2003. It is currently operated by SBS Transit. It forms part of the LRT system together with the other two lines.
The Punggol LRT (PGLRT) is a light rail line in Singapore within the LRT system. Its first phase, which comprises a 10.3 km light rail line with 15 stations, began operating on 29 January 2005 (with the exception of Oasis, which was opened on 15 June 2007 and Damai LRT Stations, which was opened on 20 June 2011). It is currently operated by SBS Transit.
The LRT network has 43 stations currently, but only 34 stations are currently in operation, as the stations' surroundings are not yet built up and will open at a later date. This includes, Cheng Lim and Kupang on the West loop of the Sengkang LRT Line and the entire West Loop of the Punggol LRT Line.
The LRT system consists of two depots, which run the maintenance, inspection, train overhaul facilities and house the cars overnight. The Ten Mile Junction Depot houses cars for Bukit Panjang LRT, and the Sengkang Depot houses cars for the Sengkang LRT & Punggol LRT, together with the North East Line of the Mass Rapid Transit.
The Land Transport Authority has announced that unless there is a new township that is going to be heavily built up, there are currently no plans to expand the LRT network further. All plans to expand the LRT network, whose role can be fulfilled by feeder buses, have been put on hold.[2]
Past plans included a northern spur line for Punggol LRT, in addition to the current east and west loops. Another plan put on hold is the Jurong Region Line,[3] which was aimed to serve residents of Jurong East and West housing towns, and the campus of Nanyang Technological University (NTU).[4][5]
The trains on the LRT system are fitted with rubber tyres, rather than steel wheels, on specially-constructed guideways from which its power is also sourced. All cars are fully automated and driverless, and are controlled from their respective depots.
19 Bombardier CX-100s operate on the Bukit Panjang LRT. Capable of operating at a maximum speed of 55 km/h, its pioneers can be traced to as early as 1990, when Westinghouse and Adtranz (acquired by Bombardier) co-operatively built the skytrain system for the Singapore Changi Airport with the same design. However, the Bombardier stock was fraught with unreliability and technical glitches. The CX-100 cars can be coupled to operate in pairs during peak hours.
The Mitsubishi Crystal Movers are the newer rolling stock of the Singapore LRT system, operating on the Sengkang LRT and Punggol LRT. Built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, it currently maintains a cleaner record of reliability. The Crystal Movers are now used on Singapore Changi Airport Skytrain system.
The Light Rail Transit uses the same ticketing system as the Mass Rapid Transit. It uses the contactless EZ-Link smart card and a standard single trip ticket. EZ-Link adult fares range from S$0.68 to S$0.90 (excluding a transfer rebate of $0.50). Single trip ticket fares for adults on the LRT range from S$1.00 to S$1.20.
Numerous incidents have occurred on the Bukit Panjang LRT since its inception in 1999. Two Bombardier CX-100 trains collided head to back at Phoenix station in 2000, the Land Transport Authority fined SMRT S$10,000 for the collision. The Bukit Panjang LRT had service disrupted more than 100 times. Again in 2002, a dislodged train wheel caused the entire shut down of the system for a few days, as it crippled the power system and the rail at the incident was damaged and had to be repaired.
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