Speech by Minister Khaw Boon Wan for Visit to Bukit Panjang LRT Depot

1.     Thank you for joining us today. The Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) started operations 20 years ago, in 1999. It is Singapore’s first LRT line and the first driverless rail system used in public transport.

2.     Residents looked to the BPLRT with great expectation and confidence. The LRT would connect them to CCK MRT station and they could hop onto the North-South Line, bringing the city much closer.

3.     Unfortunately, the BPLRT suffered from a number of challenges. When I entered politics in 2001 and as SMS (Transport), I remembered having to defend the BPLRT’s reliability record. The local MPs were not too convinced.

4.     When I returned to MOT in 2015, I was determined to address the BPLRT problem decisively. Our approach is to completely renew the BPLRT, with new trains, new signalling system, new power rails, and to tap on new technology not available 20 years ago, like condition monitoring system. It will allow us to upgrade our maintenance approach from preventive and corrective to predictive maintenance. Given the scale, the renewal project will take several years. When completed in 2024, residents can look forward to BPLRT version 2.0 with greater confidence this time. I am sure their confidence will not be misplaced.

5.     Meanwhile, SMRT has intensified daily maintenance of the BPLRT. The intensified maintenance has shown results. It has doubled BPLRT’s reliability from 33,000 car-km MKBF in 2015, to more than 60,000 car-km MKBF in 2019. Not bad, but can be much better. As a reference, SPLRT’s MKBF is about 340,000 car-km. BPLRT version 2.0 should be able to close the gap with the SPLRT in due course.

6.     The project is on track. This visit is for the teams to brief the local MPs and to reassure them that the renewal is on track to be completed by 2024.

7.     Thank you for joining us today.