Detrainment of Passengers in Bukit Panjang LRT Breakdown
Ministry of TransportSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the detrainment procedures and safety protocols for the Bukit Panjang LRT during breakdowns as raised by Mr Liang Eng Hwa. Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan stated that safety is prioritized by halting services and cutting traction power before Customer Service Officers guide passengers along emergency walkways. These officers provide safety briefings and assist passengers with special needs to ensure they avoid trackside equipment while moving towards the nearest station. The Minister affirmed that the Land Transport Authority reviews every disruption to refine incident management plans and continuously improve the detrainment process. Furthermore, Public Transport Operators must conduct regular exercises to maintain staff operational readiness for managing passenger evacuations safely and effectively.
Transcript
7 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Transport (a) how is the detrainment of passengers carried out when there is a Bukit Panjang LRT breakdown; (b) what are the measures taken to ensure passenger safety during detrainment; and (c) whether there is a need to strengthen the detrainment process.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Detrainment procedures are designed to ensure the safety of passengers and are similar across all our rail lines. During a breakdown, the first priority for any operator is to resolve the fault and resume service quickly, so that passengers can alight at the platform. If this cannot be done, passengers may need to be detrained to the tracks.
During any detrainment, the safety of passengers is the key consideration. Prior to detrainment, train services must be halted and traction power switched off in the affected zone. Passengers will be informed through in-train announcements that a detrainment is necessary, and that assistance is on its way. Customer Service Officers (CSOs) will be dispatched to the affected train to guide passengers to the nearest station safely. Before exiting the train, the CSOs will brief passengers on how to detrain safely, including how to exit the train cabin and where to walk on the emergency walkway in order to avoid trackside equipment. Any passengers with special needs, such as those on wheelchairs, will also be assisted by the CSOs, with the help of fellow passengers.
The current detrainment process is safe and has worked well so far. The Land Transport Authority monitors and reviews how our Public Transport Operators (PTOs) respond to each train disruption. The lessons learnt are used to continuously improve incident management plans, including the detrainment process. The PTOs also conduct regular exercises to ensure that staff are operationally ready to manage a detrainment.