Comments on: Singapore's Circle Line Next Step for a Network of Automatic Metros http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:43:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Hinn http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-375207 Hinn Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:28:59 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-375207 Hi alon actually it doesn't really matter that circle line isn't a circle...however I do agree that some stations on the line aren't that well sited. I think part of the problem is that the main method of construction is cut and cover thus most of the time the tunnel route has to follow major roads. Dhoby ghaut is not a minor area at all, the government has quite major plans for that area hence it makes sense that there is a major interchange there. My main gripe about the mrt system is that trains do not come frequently enough. Also certain details such as the train stop signage hasn't been very well designed. I agree with you it's not the best train system out there , it's overcrowded and the info systems are not well integrated between sbs transit and smrt, but I would have to disagree with you on the placement of stations, I think the station positions do make quite a lot of sense if one takes into account future developments in singapore Hi alon actually it doesn’t really matter that circle line isn’t a circle…however I do agree that some stations on the line aren’t that well sited. I think part of the problem is that the main method of construction is cut and cover thus most of the time the tunnel route has to follow major roads. Dhoby ghaut is not a minor area at all, the government has quite major plans for that area hence it makes sense that there is a major interchange there. My main gripe about the mrt system is that trains do not come frequently enough. Also certain details such as the train stop signage hasn’t been very well designed. I agree with you it’s not the best train system out there , it’s overcrowded and the info systems are not well integrated between sbs transit and smrt, but I would have to disagree with you on the placement of stations, I think the station positions do make quite a lot of sense if one takes into account future developments in singapore

]]> By: Alon Levy http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-287477 Alon Levy Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:30:51 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-287477 I'm not saying those lines are overkill - I'm just expressing skepticism over the government's choice of where to build them. For example, it prefers building a new downtown in Marina Bay to serving the existing downtown more, leading to the awkward self-intersecting shape of the Downtown Line... I’m not saying those lines are overkill – I’m just expressing skepticism over the government’s choice of where to build them. For example, it prefers building a new downtown in Marina Bay to serving the existing downtown more, leading to the awkward self-intersecting shape of the Downtown Line…

]]> By: soo munwai http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-287104 soo munwai Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:49:42 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-287104 @alan levy. Building the circle line and other lines are not overkill. It has been done precisely to ease congestion on the existing lines. Some of the passengers on the existing lines can get to the outer lying satellite towns by avoiding the downtown stations. Getting to Bishan directly from Bouna Vista is also faster by 14 mins, within 26 mins. It is also in line with the government's plans to attract more foreign investment and immigrants. The transport infrastructure is far from and still too slowly developed. The mentality of many, including the government and foreigners, is that the population is too small. When Singapore's population jumped to the current 5 million plus since 2006 due to the government's liberal immigration policy, the government was cuaght off guard, resulting in the current bad situation of extremely overcrowded trains. You sometimes have to wait 3 trains later before you could get onboard during peak hours. It also resulted in great votes lost during the recent elections. The huge surplus immigrant population cannot be sustained with the current transport infrastructure and mindset about public transportation. Having learnt from their mistake, the government has even brought forward the timetable for completing construction of the future lines. @alan levy.
Building the circle line and other lines are not overkill. It has been done precisely to ease congestion on the existing lines. Some of the passengers on the existing lines can get to the outer lying satellite towns by avoiding the downtown stations. Getting to Bishan directly from Bouna Vista is also faster by 14 mins, within 26 mins. It is also in line with the government’s plans to attract more foreign investment and immigrants.
The transport infrastructure is far from and still too slowly developed. The mentality of many, including the government and foreigners, is that the population is too small. When Singapore’s population jumped to the current 5 million plus since 2006 due to the government’s liberal immigration policy, the government was cuaght off guard, resulting in the current bad situation of extremely overcrowded trains. You sometimes have to wait 3 trains later before you could get onboard during peak hours. It also resulted in great votes lost during the recent elections. The huge surplus immigrant population cannot be sustained with the current transport infrastructure and mindset about public transportation. Having learnt from their mistake, the government has even brought forward the timetable for completing construction of the future lines.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-1378 Alon Levy Sat, 30 May 2009 17:44:32 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-1378 I went to college at NUS, and was intimately familiar with the crush-loaded 95 and 96 buses shuttling people from campus to Buona Vista and Clementi, the two nearest MRT stations. Buona Vista is located in front of an unwalkable office park; Clementi is located in between housing projects, with no significant retail or office space in sight. The new Kent Ridge station is going to be located on the outskirt of campus, rather than in its center or at least its main entrance. And Dhoby Ghaut, the transfer point between the North-South, Northeast, and now Circle Lines, is a minor mall located between open fields. Orchard and Somerset, which are closer to the main shopping and job centers, are not getting more service. I went to college at NUS, and was intimately familiar with the crush-loaded 95 and 96 buses shuttling people from campus to Buona Vista and Clementi, the two nearest MRT stations. Buona Vista is located in front of an unwalkable office park; Clementi is located in between housing projects, with no significant retail or office space in sight. The new Kent Ridge station is going to be located on the outskirt of campus, rather than in its center or at least its main entrance.

And Dhoby Ghaut, the transfer point between the North-South, Northeast, and now Circle Lines, is a minor mall located between open fields. Orchard and Somerset, which are closer to the main shopping and job centers, are not getting more service.

]]> By: Ned http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-1377 Ned Sat, 30 May 2009 09:28:36 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-1377 Singapore's MRT is a nice, clean, straight forward system. Though the number of new lines are a bit of overkill considering the population density of the island as compared to Shanghai and Hong Kong. The new Circle Line will actually be quite useful. I always am at meetings in the Suntec Centre and really hate the walk to City Hall MRT - especially in the tropical heat. It will be really nice when the new stations open there. Singapore’s MRT is a nice, clean, straight forward system. Though the number of new lines are a bit of overkill considering the population density of the island as compared to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The new Circle Line will actually be quite useful. I always am at meetings in the Suntec Centre and really hate the walk to City Hall MRT – especially in the tropical heat. It will be really nice when the new stations open there.

]]> By: jon http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-1376 jon Fri, 29 May 2009 21:36:32 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-1376 considering they didnt have any subway until about 20 years ago, I'd say its pretty remarkable what they have now and what they will have in the next 20 years. here in the US we are lucky if we can build a single light rail line in a timeframe of 15 years and yet singapore is building a huge underground rapid transit network in that same timeframe. considering they didnt have any subway until about 20 years ago, I’d say its pretty remarkable what they have now and what they will have in the next 20 years.

here in the US we are lucky if we can build a single light rail line in a timeframe of 15 years and yet singapore is building a huge underground rapid transit network in that same timeframe.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-1375 Alon Levy Fri, 29 May 2009 21:03:36 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-1375 Singapore's subway development is deeply overrated. The Circle Line will never form a complete circle; the full plan is for it to be a spiral. The Downtown Line will cross itself. Neither of the lines will provide relief to the overcrowded Orchard stop, serving the city's main shopping intersection. And the existing lines rarely get you to where you want to go, which is why the government built light rail loops to shuttle people from their housing projects to the MRT. Often to get from point A to point B, you need to take a bus to the subway to another bus, all three of which will be overcrowded. Singapore’s subway development is deeply overrated. The Circle Line will never form a complete circle; the full plan is for it to be a spiral. The Downtown Line will cross itself. Neither of the lines will provide relief to the overcrowded Orchard stop, serving the city’s main shopping intersection. And the existing lines rarely get you to where you want to go, which is why the government built light rail loops to shuttle people from their housing projects to the MRT. Often to get from point A to point B, you need to take a bus to the subway to another bus, all three of which will be overcrowded.

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