Saturday, April 17, 2010

11 Circle Line stations open today

gTRAVELLING by train between the north-east and Central Business District gets easier from today.

Eleven stations on Singapore’s newest train line, the Circle Line (CCL), will be open to commuters from 5.37am.

The stations – Tai Seng, MacPherson, Paya Lebar, Dakota, Mountbatten, Stadium, Nicoll Highway, Promenade, Esplanade, Bras Basah and Dhoby Ghaut – extend the reach of the first five Circle Line stations, which officially opened last May.

The Circle Line’s 16 stations are expected to serve some 200,000 people daily.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim, who officiated at the opening of the new stations at an event held at Bras Basah station with 500 invited guests, said: ‘The Circle Line will enhance the quality of commute for the public – connecting homes, workplaces and social and recreational destinations more quickly and seamlessly.’

More than that, he added, the stations will connect commuters to the ‘doorsteps of major cultural destinations’ like the Esplanade and Fort Canning Park.

Residents from neighbourhoods in the north-east and east of Singapore stand to benefit the most from this 11km stretch.

It links them to areas like Suntec City and Bras Basah without having to pass through the busy interchanges of City Hall and Raffles Place.

Commuters will also save on time and money. A commuter travelling from Woodlands to Paya Lebar, for example, will shave about 15 minutes off his journey.

Adult fares for the new line will be costlier than those for the North-South and East-West lines, but comparable to North-East Line charges.

Fares range from 73 cents to $2.07 with the use of an ez-link card.

The stations themselves have also been designed to be part of a unique commuter experience, with each station featuring works by Singapore artists.

MPs noted that the new line will hopefully ease the complaints of crowding on the main North-South and East-West lines, as well as on the roads.

MP Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade GRC) said: ‘Even when the first five stations opened, residents who had stations near their homes were opting to take the train instead of their cars on occasions. Peak-hour congestion on the roads in the area eased a bit.’

When the entire 33km Circle Line is fully opened by next year, it will close the link with neighbourhoods along the south and west coast, including Telok Blangah, Holland Village and Kent Ridge near the National University of Singapore.

Currently, the frequency of the trains on the CCL will be 3-1/2 minutes during the morning peak period, and seven minutes for the rest of the day.

Said SMRT’s deputy director for station operations Chia Chun Wah: ‘This frequency will be sufficient to handle the expected passenger load, but it will be monitored closely and adjusted if necessary.’

Mr Lim noted that the opening of the CCL was part of the Government’s overall plan to make public transport a choice mode for commuters.

Plans are already under way to build new lines such as the Downtown Line that links the north-west and Bukit Timah areas with the city centre.

For buses, the Government is taking on the role of central bus planner to plan both the bus and rail systems in an integrated manner.

Yesterday, Mr Lim also thanked residents who had to endure the inconvenience and endless noise during the construction stages of the CCL.

‘The journey towards the opening of this stretch of the Circle Line has not been an easy one…I am confident that you will enjoy the benefits that the Circle Line brings,’ he said.

Source: Straits Times, 17 Apr 2010

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