The company supplying the new signalling system for the East-West Line (EWL), on which a train collision occurred last week, "could have done better", says Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan.

Early closures on East-West Line also on the cards to speed up works in wake of collision.

In retrospect, the collision – unfortunate as it was with 38 people injured – is a powerful lesson as signalling failures can have far more dire consequences.

Commuters travelling along the East-West Line and North-South Line will experience shorter operating hours over the weekend and full closures on some Sundays in December at 19 stations.

Commuters said the planned early closures of MRT stations next month would be an inconvenience, but worth it if the maintenance work to be done during that time paid off.