Shuttle buses will ply four routes during train station closures in December

Shuttle bus services will be rolled out to offset next month’s planned closures of the MRT network for maintenance works, public transport operator SMRT said on Monday (Nov 27).

The bus services will ply four routes along affected stations during the closures from Dec 8 to 31.

The four routes – each available in both directions – are: Outram Park to Jurong East, Jurong East to Joo Koon, Joo Koon to Tuas Link and Jurong East to Choa Chu Kang.

Commuters may have to switch between buses, depending on their journeys. For example, a commuter travelling from Clementi to Boon Lay stations will have to take two shuttle services, the Outram Park-Jurong East loop and the Jurong East-Joo Koon loop service , with a transfer at the Jurong East Temporary Interchange.

The shuttle buses will follow the same fare structure as trains, and will be available every three to five minutes during peak periods, and every five to 10 minutes for non-peak periods.

SMRT staff will be stationed at bus stops to assist and guide commuters.

From Dec 8 to Dec 31, 17 East-West Line (EWL) stations – from Tiong Bahru to Tuas Link – and two North-South Line stations – from Bukit Batok to Bukit Gombak – will close at 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and open at 8am on Saturdays and Sundays.

These stations will also close the whole day on Dec 10 and Dec 17.

This will give engineering staff more time to carry out planned maintenance and renewal works on tracks in the stations and train depots, and test the Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system on the EWL.

LTA and SMRT’s engineering and track access time will hence increase from three hours to seven and a half hours each night.

Instead of the end of the year, re-signalling works on the EWL will now be completed by June.

More information on the closure can be found on SMRT’s website, Facebook page and Twitter, as well as in stations and trains.

Mr Lee Ling Wee, chief executive of SMRT Trains, said that previous occasions of early closure or late opening of MRT service have seen valuable time gained to work on tracks and trackside infrastructure.

“We thank all commuters for supporting us in this effort to rejuvenate the North-South and East-West Lines, speedily yet safely.”