Speech by Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow at Cross Island Line Phase 3 Gazette Event

1.           Good morning everyone. A special welcome to my fellow Grassroots Advisers, Ms Poh Li San and Ms Cassandra Lee, as well as our Union friends. Thank you all for coming down to the Singapore Rail Test Centre today. I know some of the camera crew especially had to come down bright and early to set up – and some of them live in the east, so for them it is quite literally a journey to the west!

2.           Let me explain why we are here at the Singapore Rail Test Centre.  

a.           First, this is where LTA is testing the first batch of Cross Island Line trains. Earlier this year, I previewed them in China at the CRRC Qingdao Sifang manufacturing facility, and I am excited for you to see them too, during the tour later.

b.           Second, we are building a new Cross Island Line western depot, connected to this facility. It is therefore fitting that we are sharing an update on the Cross Island Line here.

Cross Island Line

3.           Last July, at the Cross Island Line Phase 2 groundbreaking ceremony, I said that I would share our plans for Phase 3 when the studies on station locations were complete. I am glad to be doing so today.

4.           The Cross Island Line holds special memories for me. When I was in the Ministry of Transport as a senior civil servant more than a decade ago, we had many rounds of discussions to make the Cross Island Line a reality. It was a difficult endeavour, we had to build the Cross Island Line across the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

a.           These conversations were not easy. But MOT, LTA, nature groups and experts worked together as one team, and arrived at an outcome we can all be proud of.

5.           The Cross Island Line will be Singapore's eighth MRT line.

a.           It will be the longest underground line we have ever built, spanning 67 kilometres, from Changi Terminal 5 in the east to Gul Circle in the west, including the Punggol extension.

6.           As you can imagine, building an MRT line across the length of Singapore is no easy feat.

a.           Above ground, there are many competing uses for land, and many stakeholders to manage.

b.           Even underground, LTA has to navigate increasingly complex and crowded conditions – immovable boulders, abandoned piles, construction detritus left behind by some earlier projects.

c.           Whenever this happens, even our powerful tunnel boring machines have to come to a halt, and our workers have to go in and manually clear the obstruction.

7.           A unique feature of the Cross Island Line is the depth of the tunnelling we are doing under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. To avoid disturbing the biodiversity and ecosystems, LTA is tunnelling over 80 meters below ground. This is roughly the height of a 25 storey HDB block! At this depth, every part of the work becomes much harder and more dangerous, carried out in confined and highly compressed conditions.

8.           Even with these difficulties, I am glad to say that so far, LTA has kept the project on track. In 2023, we began construction on Phase 1 of the Cross Island Line, from Aviation Park to Bright Hill, and from Pasir Ris to Punggol. Last year, construction started on Phase 2, which will add six stations from Turf City to Jurong Lake District.

9.           Today, I am happy to unveil the plans for Phase 3 – the final stage of the Cross Island Line.

a.           Phase 3 comprises four new stations, two of which will be interchanges – one connecting to the Jurong Region Line, and the other to the East-West Line at Gul Circle.

b.           These stations will serve residents in Taman Jurong, and workers across our western industrial estates, and will substantially improve connectivity to the rest of the island.

10.        Once the full Cross Island Line is open, commuters travelling to and from the western parts of Singapore can save up to 50 minutes in travelling time. 

11.        The Cross Island Line plays a critical role in our MRT network. It connects with all of our existing radial lines. 11 of its 27 stations will be interchanges.

a.           This will significantly strengthen the resilience of our train network. During a service disruption, more commuters will have alternative routes, and still remain on the MRT network.

Tuas Connectivity

12.        Of course, for the Tuas region, transport connectivity will also be improved. Today, the transport connectivity of the Tuas area today mainly depends on the existing East-West Line.

13.        Some of us would remember when Boon Lay was the westernmost station on the East-West Line. But today, from Boon Lay station, it takes you another 30 minutes by vehicle to reach industrial estates in Tuas South, or longer still if you are entering the port or Jurong Island.

14.        The situation is better now that we have extended the East-West Line from Boon Lay to Tuas West. When the Cross Island Line and the Jurong Region Line open, connectivity will be substantially improved.

15.        But even more can be done to improve the connectivity to Tuas South, especially now that there are more industries in this area, and Tuas Port is now progressively coming on board.

16.        I had an engagement with the Maritime Unions recently. One topic that was discussed was on transport connections in the area. One of our maritime union leaders recently told me:

a.           When candidates apply for jobs in Tuas Port, some do not realise how long it takes to get there.

b.           On the day of the interview, when they try to find a bus or call a taxi, and realise how difficult it is to travel there, they end up skipping the interview altogether.

17.        We set up a tripartite committee – unions, industry, and Government – to work on more solutions beyond the MRT.

a.           For example, increasing the frequency of public buses serving the area.

b.           And coordinating demand across company shuttle buses.

18.        As technology improves, I think more options will open up.

19.        One promising option is autonomous vehicles.

a.           Since September last year, LTA has been trialling autonomous vehicles in Punggol. Public feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, the safety record has been exemplary.

b.           Autonomous vehicles may be particularly useful in areas like Tuas which human drivers are less willing to travel to.

c.           But autonomous vehicles will take a few years to realise still. There are only 7,000 such vehicles worldwide, and although we do want more such vehicles in Singapore, it will take time to scale up.

d.           Autonomous buses are also a possible solution, but even further down the horizon, because the technology is less mature.

20.        Another option that I have asked LTA to study for Tuas South is a Bus Rapid Transit system.

a.           What is a Bus Rapid Transit system?

b.           You may have already seen this in some cities.

i.            They are articulated high-capacity buses or track-less trams.

ii.           They travel on long dedicated lanes, with priority at traffic junctions, and stations optimised for quick boarding and alighting.

iii.          Traditionally, systems of this capacity required their own dedicated infrastructure – rails, power, signalling.

c.           But today, Bus Rapid Transit systems are already running in major cities such as Shanghai and Seoul on the road, without such dedicated infrastructure.

d.           These variants are more flexible, cheaper and more quickly deployable.

21.        If feasible in Tuas, Bus Rapid Transit systems can be a promising and cost-effective mode of transport for the rest of Singapore, sitting in between buses and trains. I’ve asked LTA to study this possibility, and to see if we can apply the Bus Rapid Transit system here in Tuas South, and we will give you an update probably by next year.

Conclusion

22.        Ladies and gentlemen – today we have set out the full plan for the Cross Island Line, from Changi Terminal 5 to Gul Circle.

a.           Building this will take another decade of hard work by engineers, planners, and workers.

b.           For a project that spans decades, not many people typically have the opportunity to see it through from beginning to end. Some will move to other projects. Some may even retire before it is completed.

c.           But every single person is an important part of the process. Each generation lays the track for the next. And knowing we have contributed to something tangible for future generations gives us all the more pride in our work.

23.        So thank you, to all the teams past and present, who have been a part of this journey so far. Our work is only just beginning, and I hope that even more will join us to turn this plan into reality, and make West, the Best.

24.        Thank you.