LTA to conduct 'breakdown' exercise with SMRT, SBS this month

LTA to conduct 'breakdown' exercise with SMRT, SBS this month

SINGAPORE - Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan has asked the Land Transport Authority to conduct a "breakdown" exercise with SMRT and SBS Transit this month, and has said that he will be present to observe the exercise.

In a blog post titled "If and when it happens..." on Monday (Oct 12), Mr Khaw said that there must be "comprehensive contingency plans" for rail breakdowns in order "to recover service speedily and to minimise inconvenience to commuters".

"More importantly, there must be actual and regular walk-throughs and 'live rehearsals'. This will ensure smoother execution of such plans when disruptions happen," he wrote.

He also stressed that it is important that the rail operators "actually walk through each contingency plan related to each station, and for the scenarios that they have envisaged with LTA".

"There must be Table Top Exercises, and also Ground Deployment Exercises where we put to test our contingency plans in a real-life environment."

Mr Khaw also pointed out that the top management of the operators need to be present at such exercises, "as otherwise, the staff may carry them out half-heartedly, just to put a 'tick' in the check-boxes".

LTA said that the exercise that Mr Khaw will be observing this month will be a ground deployment exercise.

sinsh@sph.com.sg

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