MRT Downtown Line | Inching Closer To Reality

[JediAlf]

Originally Posted by ddes

So what exactly is "meeting the standards"? I think this is very subjective because right now, both SMRT and SBS Transit "meet the standards" set by LTA or PTC or what-have-you.

The standards specified in the contract agreed by the bidder and the LTA.

[ddes]

Originally Posted by JediAlf

The standards specified in the contract agreed by the bidder and the LTA.

Which is??

[JediAlf]

Originally Posted by ddes

Which is??

I guess you did not read annual reports published by SMRT and SBS Transit and... parliament that had passed the bill amendation on rail agreement.

The operators have already stated they have met LTA standards in their reports. Do you know that SMRT Corporation got its contract to renew its operation after the MRTC (used to be an authority) merged with other agencies to become LTA.

• "Exceeding performance standards
  Our ability to surpass the stringent operating
  performance standards set by the Land Transport
  Authority (LTA) is a testimony to our continued
  efforts to ensure our passengers enjoy a level
  of service comparable to the best in the world.
  In terms of service punctuality, 95.1% of trains
  arrived on time while 98.6% departed on
  time, both of which exceeded LTA’s standards.
  The high level of train service availability,
  which is a measure of reliability, was maintained
  at 99.9%. Reliability of the automatic fare collection
  gates and train signalling system remained
  as high as the previous year. There were also further
  improvements in the reliability of ticket vending
  machines and escalators." - SMRT Annual Report 2001

• "More significantly, we have managed
  to maintain service availability of
  99.5% for NEL and 99.2% for LRT
  during the year – far surpassing LTA’s
  minimum requirement of 98%." - SBS Transit Annual Report 2004.

• You can find this in SMRT history too.
  1987 - SMRT and MRTC signs 10-year Licence and Operating Agreement (LOA)
  1988 - SMRT signs 30-year Licence and Operating Agreement (LOA) with Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA).
  SMRT Milestones

• Here is the damning proof that LTA has been empowered by the Parliament to become a regulator for rail operators.
  
  SPEECH FOR THE SECOND READING OF THE RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2002
  
  6. The Bill will empower the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the industry regulator, to impose conditions, restrictions and performance standards on rapid transit licensees, both existing and future, through a legislative framework. The imposition of these conditions, restrictions and performance standards on the licensee is not new. Currently, they are provided in the Licence and Operating Agreement negotiated between LTA and the licensee. What this Bill will allow us to do is to put these conditions, restrictions and performance standards on a legislative footing. In this way, we achieve greater transparency in our regulatory framework.
  
  8. Clause 2 of the Bill amends section 15 of the Act to empower the LTA to impose: (a) conditions on its licensees on matters relating to corporate governance; (b) restrictions on the licensees' involvement in non-public transport businesses; and (c) standards on the licensees' performance in areas such as the provision of RTS services and their maintenance.
  
  9. LTA has a duty to retain regulatory oversight over key issues of corporate governance and other business activities of its licensees because the RTS infrastructure is paid for by public funds. Such LTA oversight ensures that the huge capital investments and the public interest are adequately safeguarded.

• From old news:
  SMRT appeals to LTA to review S$400,000 penalty
  By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 March 2008 2104 hrs
  
  SINGAPORE: SMRT has asked the Land Transport Authority to review the S$400,000 penalty imposed, following a severe disruption to train services on 21 January 2008.
  
  Some 57,000 MRT passengers in the eastern part of Singapore were affected that morning.
  
  Train services between Tanah Merah and Pasir Ris MRT stations were disrupted for seven hours and 17 minutes.
  
  SMRT is requesting the review under the Licence and Operating Agreement.
  
  It said there is a provision for LTA to moderate the penalty amount by considering mitigating actions which SMRT had put in place.
  
  In a letter, SMRT said it had provided free shuttle bus services to help affected commuters.
  
  SMRT also mobilised more than 300 staff for on-site recovery, crowd management, dissemination of information and preparation for resumption of service.
  
  The LTA concluded that the incident was the result of SMRT not complying with operating procedures.
  
  It had not secured the parked portion of the maintenance train, made up of a locomotive and a wagon, during maintenance works. - CNA/vm

Shaking my head...Ddes, next time, do check the internet before you start to question me. I think you misunderstood the roles of LTA and PTC.

Both roles would be further redefined again when LTA takes on centralized bus planning.

It is likely that the parliament would amend the bill on Public Transport Act (Chapter 259B) which sets up PTC as a role to regulate bus services and provide licence to bus operators in 1987 as well as regulate bus and rail fares.

This Act has been amended in clauses 10 times with only revised Act (1998 and 2000).

LTA regulates agreement and provide licence to rail operators and sets the standards for all rail operators under Rapid Transit Systems Act (Chapter 263A).

In other word - PTC and LTA are regulators. PTC audits the bus services. LTA audits rail services.

[JediAlf]

Rapid Transit Systems Act

Public Transport Council Act

[ddes]

My dear jedialf, I'm not questioning you.

I'm merely wondering if there were any proper guidelines that specifies something that would actually make the transport operators actually fear that they may lose their licenses after their contract expires.

From what you've highlighted, it seems that the transport operators are driven more by the fear of "fines" and "public backlash" than some guideline set to them by the LTA or whoever set those guidelines in the first place.

And also, I'm just an slightly-more-than-average Singaporean who finds himself interested in stuff that SSC discusses about and looks at it from the point of the average commuter and logic and a little bit of analyzing.

It's your job to correct, point and show us the govt's point of view, since you seem to generally know more insider knowledge than an average Singaporean ought to. Winks.

[oahiyeel]

It's not his job actually...

[JediAlf]

Originally Posted by oahiyeel

It's not his job actually...

Nod nod. This is right, oahiyeel.

Ddes, it is similar way as doctors, lawyers, engineers and accountants governed by the codes of ethics and the sets of regulations and rules upon them in the course of work and professionalism.

Even our nature is also governed by its natural laws and sets of rules. Even our heart arteries have to function in pumping bloods out, not in. Veins are responsible for carrying bloods in, not out.

If any tissues, not acting according to the sets of "rules", can manipulate into cancerous tissues that can shut down the daily operations of the human body.

Under the clause in the Rapid Transit Systems Act, you can see that LTA has authority to cancel or suspend and provoke the operators' licence. LTA can even take over the MRT systems if LTA gives good reason for not appointing the operator to run the system.

Such regulations are necessary to facilitate the operation. Not meant to instill fear as you make it out.

If LTA does not set the standards in Licence and Operating Agreement, the operators can say "We can do whatever we like in this contract and won't obliged to any standards you set in 30 years of operation in this agreement."

LTA would be powerless to do anything as contract is meant to be carried out and honoured. Then the commuters would suffer, waiting for 10 min train intervals or more or experience frequent train breakdowns.

It won't do a corporate good if the authority has provoked the licence or operator fails to comply with simple sets of rules.

Once the licence is taken away, the corporate reputation can be tarnished badly and the corporate overseas projects would be heavily hit. This affects the morale of workers.

Unfortunately, I do not sign any agreement or contract to execute this obligation - "It's your job to correct, point and show us the govt's point of view, since you seem to generally know more insider knowledge than an average Singaporean ought to."

However I am obliged to provide the facts that are made available through resources - Internet, corporate annual reports, Government books, national archives and credible national newspapers clippings that contain statistics, details and announcement by authorities.

This is to reinforce and aid the arguement and disagreement that I put forward in the forum.

[ddes]

i see.

[rich888]

Why detailed soil investigation tender 9131 for downtown line 3?
May be they found gold or oil is it? aha aha!

[^tamago^]

lol... delays delays delays.

[ddes]

If I'm not wrong, the reason could probably be that the geology of the eastern part of Singapore is one of the weakest, after the stations on reclaimed land and the stations near the Kallang/ Serangoon River basin.

[kurakura]

we go investigate?!

[^tamago^]

I think they're for Gali Batu Depot...

[Ken148]

Originally Posted by rich888

Why detailed soil investigation tender 9131 for downtown line 3?
May be they found gold or oil is it? aha aha!

Earlier on, I have told you all about the recent emergence of Soil investigation workers in Tampines. Something is wrong maybe. Saw them digging in various nearby areas of those old digging spots done a few months ago.

Delays are okay, but what if they need to redraw the line because the soil and rock inside is just not right? Can something be done to alter the soil and rock formation inside?

[oahiyeel]

Originally Posted by ^tamago^

I think they're for Gali Batu Depot...

Don't think so leh. It says DTL3... Gali Batu is directly connected to DTL2... DTL3 Section 1 is the end from Chinatown and Section 3 from the other end from Expo...

[oahiyeel]

Award Of Civil Works Contract (C903)
For Downtown Line 1 Bugis Station

1. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is pleased to announce the award of Contract 903 for Downtown Line 1 (DTL1) civil works to Soletanche Bachy – Koh Brothers Joint Venture.

Scope Of Contract

2. The approximately S$582 million contract is for the construction and completion of DTL1 Bugis Station and its associated tunnels up to the contract boundaries with Contract 902 (Promenade Station and associated tunnels) and Downtown Line Stage 2.

3. Bugis Station will be an interchange station serving the existing East West Line and the new DTL1.

4. The DTL1 Bugis Station is linked to the existing East West Line Bugis Station by the paid and unpaid link at the station mezzanine and concourse levels. (Please refer to the artist’s impression of DTL1 Bugis Station.)

5. Construction on the C903 is scheduled to commence in first quarter of 2009 and is targeted to complete in 2013.

6. To facilitate the construction of the station and tunnels, Rochor Road will be diverted in stages in accordance with the sequence of construction.

The Downtown Line 1

7. The Downtown Line Stage 1 (DTL1) will be a 4.3km fully underground rapid transit system with six stations. It will run from Bugis Station on the East-West Line (EWL) to Chinatown Station on the North East Line (NEL). The six stations on DTL1 are Bugis, Promenade, Bayfront, Landmark, Cross Street and Chinatown. (Please refer to the attached map for the location of DTL1 Bugis Station and tunnels.)

8. Commuters will have more transport choices in the city as the DTL 1 will serve existing and upcoming developments in the Marina Bay area, including One Raffles Quay, The Sail @ Marina Bay, Marina ina ina ina Bay Sands Integrated Resorts and the Marina Bay Financial Centre.

About The Contractor

9. Soletanche Bachy is a major civil engineering contractor from France. They are involved in DTL1 Cross Street station and as a specialist diaphragm wall contractor in DTL1 Bayfront station and Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort. Koh Brothers is a local civil engineering contractor and is involved in URA’s Combined Services Tunnel project and PUB’s Marina Barrage.

DTL1 C903 Bugis Station Fact Sheet

Artist's impression of DTL1 Bugis Station

Map of DTL1 Bugis Station

Last Updated on 21/11/2008

http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_press_content.asp?start=2049

[oahiyeel]

Looking at the artist impression photos, it showed DTL coloured blue, countary to LTA's map on their website which showed DTL in brown... Haven't made up their minds.. have they?

[ddes]

I am somewhat surprised at the location of the exits at Bugis station.

Nice renderings too. Nice architecture at Bugis station platform, but then again, most of the city's CCL1 stations except for Nicoll Highway has somewhat similar architecture.

[rich888]

Originally Posted by Ken148

Earlier on, I have told you all about the recent emergence of Soil investigation workers in Tampines. Something is wrong maybe. Saw them digging in various nearby areas of those old digging spots done a few months ago.

Delays are okay, but what if they need to redraw the line because the soil and rock inside is just not right? Can something be done to alter the soil and rock formation inside?

Those are probably the underground passage ways to exit that they are checking cos Tampines is going to be a Station Hub( bus,train and mall) connecting EW Tampine station to Downtown Tampines station and the bus station which are distance apart. There are going to be few exits and long passage ways underground.

[ddes]

I was at Tampines bus interchange just a while ago.

I was wondering if anyone could speculate on the exact station box of Tampines station because Tampines Bus Interchange is receiving heavy Alterations & Additions Works. So I guess the bus interchange will remain there for a long while more?