Public Others Government Business Arts Community
Entertainment Lifestyle Services People Travel Internet Stuff

 

 

     Community Issues - MRT Accidents

   MRT Accidents

Letters

Excerpt of letter by Lai Soh Fun (Ms) to Straits Times Forum page on 2 Sep 2004

"...Recently, SMRT installed metal plates with huge, raised bubbles - to guide blind commuters - along the yellow line on the platform, what are called Tactiles. However, these are too close to the yellow line and are a hazard. Commuters who move forward when a train approaches might trip over them and fall onto the track.
"My elderly parents usually travel on the MRT alone and I am very worried that they might trip over the metal plates.
"SMRT should have had the plates installed some distance away from the yellow line so that even if someone trips, he won't end up on the track."

 

Excerpt of letter by Patrick Teo Yu Yeow to Straits Times Forum page on 2 Sep 2004

"...The metal plates with huge, raised bubbles installed on open train platforms by SMRT pose a big danger to passengers when it rains.

"On a wet day, rain spills into the platforms and the metal plates get wet. Once wet, they become extremely slippery.
"The danger increases when the platform is packed, as newly arrived commuters force those before them to move forward onto the slippery plates.
"I shudder to think about the consequences should someone lose his footing just as the train approaches..."

 

Excerpt of letter by Jennifer Lim (Ms), Executive Director, Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, to Straits Times Forum page on 4 Sep 2004

"...We would like to correct the misconception that the tactiles installed on platforms of MRT stations are a hazard to commuters, and could be the cause of the recent accidents of falls off the platforms onto the tracks.

"Tactile ground surface indicators (TGSI) are warning indicators that serve as a safety feature, and they provide both visual and physical cues for everyone.
"The physical cues are detectable either underfoot or with a white cane, and this source of orientation information enables the visually handicapped to travel independently and safely.
"The Code on Barrier-free Accessibility in Buildings 2002 has recommended the installation of warning (or decision) tactiles at hazardous locations, including railway platforms.

"Based on the code, a considerable amount of research has been undertaken. This research has confirmed that the provision of TGSi at a height of 5mm is sufficient to impart tactile information while, at the same time, not impact adversely on other pedestrians.
"TGSI can also be found in train stations in places such as Hong Kong, the US and Australia."

 

Excerpt of letter by Maria Ng Shuyi (Miss) to Straits Times Forum page on 4 Sep 2004

"...I agree with Ms Lai that the metal plates with huge, raised bubbles (tactiles) are hazardous because people may trip over them.

"On quite a few occasions I have tripped over the bubbles on the metal plates but, thankfully, the incidents occurred within the MRT station and not on the platform.
"I applaud SMRT for installing the tactiles in its stations to guide the visually impaired commuters. However, it may not have realised the potential negative effects these may have on other commuters.
"Perhaps SMRT can take a leaf from the book of Hong Kong's MTR, where the stations also feature tactiles but these are made of a black rubber material.

"Although not as aesthetically pleasing as the metal tactiles, the bubbles are softer. One is less likely to fall if one trips over the rubber bubbles."

 

Excerpt of letter by Han Liang Yuan (Ms), Senior Manager, Corporate Communcations, Land Transport Authority, to Straits Times Forum page on 8 Sep 2004

"...The raised metal plates they referred to are a tactile guidance system which assists visually impaired commuters in an MRT station. Tactile tiles are laid to form a route within a station to guide a visually impaired commuter from a station entrance to the waiting point on the platform.

"Tactile tiles have a raised surface of rounded and elongated studs which are 5mm high. This height has been found to be able to assist the visually impaired commuters while not adversely affecting other pedestrians.
"The design of the tactile guidance system used in Singapore's MRT stations meets an internationally accepted standard adopted by countries like the United States, Britain, Australia and Malaysia.
"On open platforms, tactile tiles are placed 715mm from the edge of the platform, just behind the yellow line. This is farther than the 600mm stated in standards used in Britain and Australia.

"The tactile tiles are extremely important to visually impaired commuters, as they warn them that they are approaching the edge of the platform.

"The tactile guidance system and other barrier-free facilities were introduced after consulting the various interest groups.

"As the system was retrofitted recently in our stations, it is understandable that commuters will have to adjust to its presence..."

 

News

Platform doors for elevated MRT stations

"The Land Transport Authority will spend more than $126 million to install platform screen doors at elevated MRT stations to prevent track intrusions...

"Track intrusions have gone up from an average of 16 cases a year in 2004 and 2005 to 30 in 2006 and 31 last year..."

Source: The Straits Times Page B2 3 Sep 2008

 

Safety at MRT and LRT stations

"Despite the various safety measures in place, there have been more than 220 cases, where commuters were found trespassing on the tracks at above-ground MRT and LRT stations, between 1991 and 15 September 2004.

"Eighty-seven percent of such cases were non-accidental acts, which involved commuters jumping onto the tracks to retrieve personal items, walking, running or taking short cuts to another platform, and acts of suicide....."

More

SMRT to conduct more patrols on platforms

SMRT has doubled the number of patrols at its 35 open-air platform stations to try to make sure commuters stay behind the yellow safety line until the trains have stopped. It will not put up full-height screen doors, estimated to cost more than S$220 million, at these platforms.

Source: Straits Times 21 Sep 2004 H5

Man fatally hit by MRT train after fall

A man died when he fell and was hit by an oncoming train at Bishan MRT station yesterday afternoon. This is the second fatal accident at this station.

Source: Straits Times 16 Sep 2004 (H6)

12 people killed by oncoming trains since 1991

Since the MRT system started in 1991, there had been 224 cases of people straying onto the tracks. Of these, 12 were killed by oncoming trains.

Source: Straits Times 3 Sep 2004 (H1)

Two women fall into path of MRT trains, 1 dies

A 50-year-old Chinese woman died after she fell off the platform and was hit by an MRT train at Bukit Batok MRT station yesterday afternoon. In a separate incident, another woman, in her 40s, suffered serious head injuries and an open fracture in her right leg when she fell off the platform and was hit by an MRT train at Redhill MRT station yesterday evening. These are the third and fourth such incidents in just over a month. LATEST: The second woman has died in hospital. (1 Sep 2004)

Source: Straits Times 1 Sep 2004 (3)

Man falls on MRT tracks, survives being run over by train

A man who fell onto the tracks at Bukit Batok MRT station yesterday suffered crushed toes when a train pulling into the station ran over him.

Source: Straits Times 15 Aug 2004 (3)

Man falls and dies at Bishan MRT station

A 31-year-old Chinese man died after falling on the track in front of an oncoming train in Bishan MRT station at about 1pm yesterday. The tragedy disrupted the northbound service between Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio MRT stations for about an hour.

Source: Straits Times 29 Jul 2004 (6)

Man hit by MRT train dies

A man was killed when he was hit by an MRT train near Marsiling station at about 11.40pm on Saturday night. Mr Tan Ngak Yam, 70, a Malaysian, was walking along the MRT tracks when he was hit by a northbound train about 500 m from the station.

Source: Straits Times 2 Dec 2002 (H5)

Boy injured in accident at Bishan MRT station

A 10-year-old boy was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital yesterday evening, after being dragged by an MRT train along the platform at Bishan MRT station. Moses TAN had a fractured right leg, a fractured right shoulder, bruises on his limbs and chest, and lacerations on his head after the incident. It is not known how the incident happened.

Source: Straits Times 8 Nov 2002 (3)

Three injured in LRT accident

An LRT train with 20 passengers crashed into an empty one in Choa Chu Kang on Sunday 19 Nov 2000 after an operations officer failed to do a manual check of the lines before restarting the network system. The impact threw seated and standing passengers to the floor of the train, injuring three of them. The service was disrupted for seven hours but it was restored in stages and was fully functional again by 2.30pm the same day. Communications and Information Technology Minister YEO Cheow Tong visited the site soon after being told of the accident.

Source: Straits Times