Three new stations to close loop for Circle Line
Rail extension will offer direct routes to city, Marina Bay area when it is completed in 2025
By Adrian Lim, The Straits Times, 30 Oct 2015
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The Circle Line (CCL) will finally be true to its name in 2025, when a 4km rail stretch with three new stations - Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward - is completed.
This sixth stage of the CCL will link existing terminal stations HarbourFront and Marina Bay, offering commuters direct routes to the city and Marina Bay area.
For example, a trip from Telok Blangah to Marina Bay now requires two transfers - from the CCL to the North East Line, and then the North-South Line. With the completion of the extension, a commuter can reach his destination in a single train ride, cutting travelling time by a third, or about 10 minutes.
The additional stations will also expand the rail network to areas such as Prince Edward, Everton Park and the southern edge of the city.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Ng Chee Meng, who unveiled the new stations during a visit to the Tuas West Extension, said yesterday: "(The) CCL6 will support direct east-west travel, enhancing overall connectivity between areas such as Paya Lebar and Mountbatten, and areas such as Pasir Panjang, Kent Ridge and Harbour-Front."
He added that the extension will enhance the CCL's role as an orbital line allowing commuters to transfer between MRT lines without entering the city centre.
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This extension will cost $3.7 billion and construction is expected to start in the middle of 2017. More than 400,000 commuters use the line daily and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) expects ridership to grow further, though it did not provide a projection.
The extension will also support future developments, such as the Greater Southern Waterfront proj-ect, a 1,000ha slice of coastal land that will be freed up by the relocation of ports from Pasir Panjang and Tanjong Pagar to Tuas by 2027.
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The Keppel station will provide commuters with access to the area, along with the current Keppel Distripark.
Meanwhile, the Cantonment station will be near the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and offer access to Spottiswoode Park Estate and Cantonment Towers. It will be beneath a section of the old station's track platforms and LTA said it will work to see how the platforms can be preserved.
Rail extension will offer direct routes to city, Marina Bay area when it is completed in 2025
By Adrian Lim, The Straits Times, 30 Oct 2015
This sixth stage of the CCL will link existing terminal stations HarbourFront and Marina Bay, offering commuters direct routes to the city and Marina Bay area.
For example, a trip from Telok Blangah to Marina Bay now requires two transfers - from the CCL to the North East Line, and then the North-South Line. With the completion of the extension, a commuter can reach his destination in a single train ride, cutting travelling time by a third, or about 10 minutes.
The additional stations will also expand the rail network to areas such as Prince Edward, Everton Park and the southern edge of the city.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Ng Chee Meng, who unveiled the new stations during a visit to the Tuas West Extension, said yesterday: "(The) CCL6 will support direct east-west travel, enhancing overall connectivity between areas such as Paya Lebar and Mountbatten, and areas such as Pasir Panjang, Kent Ridge and Harbour-Front."
He added that the extension will enhance the CCL's role as an orbital line allowing commuters to transfer between MRT lines without entering the city centre.
The extension will also support future developments, such as the Greater Southern Waterfront proj-ect, a 1,000ha slice of coastal land that will be freed up by the relocation of ports from Pasir Panjang and Tanjong Pagar to Tuas by 2027.
Meanwhile, the Cantonment station will be near the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and offer access to Spottiswoode Park Estate and Cantonment Towers. It will be beneath a section of the old station's track platforms and LTA said it will work to see how the platforms can be preserved.
The Prince Edward station will be near Palmer Road, where heritage landmarks like the Hock Teck See Temple and Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque are.
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To cater to the construction, four part lots of private land - including open areas, container stacking lots and driveways - will be acquired. The combined land space gazetted is 7,721.6 sq m.
One of the four is a 648.6 sq m plot in the Tanjong Pagar Distripark that is currently a driveway and carpark for Bougainvillea Realty. The firm is a holding company under Mapletree Investments, whose spokesman said it will need time to evaluate the impact, and will work with the authorities to facilitate the acquisition.
One of the four is a 648.6 sq m plot in the Tanjong Pagar Distripark that is currently a driveway and carpark for Bougainvillea Realty. The firm is a holding company under Mapletree Investments, whose spokesman said it will need time to evaluate the impact, and will work with the authorities to facilitate the acquisition.
Commuters interviewed are looking forward to the full loop.
Exciting news: Our Circle Line (CCL) will finally live up to its name and become a full circle with the opening of CCL6...
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Part of Tanjong Pagar rail terminus to make way for MRT station
LTA seeking advice from heritage groups on 'possible solutions' for affected platforms
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 30 Oct 2015
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Parts of the historic Tanjong Pagar Railway Station's platforms will be making way for the construction of the new underground Cantonment station on the Circle Line.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday it will seek advice from the heritage community on "possible solutions" for the two affected parallel stretches. The railway station was gazetted a national monument in 2011, alongside two 80m stretches of the platforms. The remaining 350m on each side are not part of the gazette.
The Straits Times understands that the authorities met six heritage experts on Tuesday and presented them with three options.
They were: to preserve the old platforms by dismantling, storing and reinstating them; to produce a replica; or to create a "new interpretation" of the railway platforms.
LTA seeking advice from heritage groups on 'possible solutions' for affected platforms
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 30 Oct 2015
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday it will seek advice from the heritage community on "possible solutions" for the two affected parallel stretches. The railway station was gazetted a national monument in 2011, alongside two 80m stretches of the platforms. The remaining 350m on each side are not part of the gazette.
The Straits Times understands that the authorities met six heritage experts on Tuesday and presented them with three options.
They were: to preserve the old platforms by dismantling, storing and reinstating them; to produce a replica; or to create a "new interpretation" of the railway platforms.
All the experts picked the first option. Singapore Heritage Society (SHS) president Chua Ai Lin said: "It is the only choice if you are serious about preserving history. The platforms must be reinstated as they are crucial in maintaining the railway's integrity."
LTA has also engaged Studio Lapis, an architectural conservation specialist consultancy, to assess the heritage significance and condition of the former railway station, and advise on mitigation measures.
Its co-founder, architectural restoration specialist Ho Weng Hin, said the second option is not feasible. It is unlikely that builders can replicate the former station's reinforced concrete platform structures to the "same level of craftsmanship and proportions", he said.
The 1932 station, designed by colonial architectural firm Swan and Maclaren, was the southern terminus of the Malaysian KTM railway company's network for 79 years.
The Cantonment station, slated to be ready by 2025, is one of three new stops for the sixth stage of the Circle Line. The other two stations are Keppel and Prince Edward.
LTA chief executive Chew Men Leong said the Cantonment location was selected as it fits in with the overall alignment, will serve existing catchments, and cater to future developments such as the Greater Southern Waterfront. LTA stressed that measures will be taken to sensitively integrate the new station with the railway building.
Experts said locating Cantonment station alongside the old railway complex could provide a sense of historical continuity. To achieve this, heritage enthusiast and naval architect Jerome Lim suggested that the old structure serve as a thoroughfare for future commuters.
But the authorities have yet to decide if the former railway will be accessible to the public when the new station is ready. The Tanjong Pagar Railway property, managed by the Singapore Land Authority, is now usually open on public holidays.
Experts also raised the question of why the platforms were not fully preserved in the National Heritage Board's (NHB) gazette.
Heritage law expert Kevin Tan said: "Without its platforms, the railway station will lose its sense of coherence. It would be like a head without its body."
In a joint reply, NHB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority said the critical parts adjoining the former railway station building were gazetted as part of the national monument. They said the rest of the platforms were not gazetted to provide the flexibility for future developments in the area to be designed and integrated meaningfully with the national monument.
They said: "We did not foresee it at the point of gazette, but this flexibility has facilitated plans to incorporate the new MRT station at the site, which will be critical to the former railway station's future success as a community node."
SHS exco member Yeo Kang Shua said the construction of the Prince Edward station, located in the heart of the historic Tanjong Malang, presents an opportunity for an archaeological impact assessment. "There should be an investigation into the first few metres of earth where the cultural layer lies."
Biggest underground train depot set to become even bigger
By Adrian Lim, The Straits Times, 30 Oct 2015
When it opened in 2009, Kim Chuan train depot was hailed as the biggest underground depot in the world. By 2025 it will be even bigger.
The 12ha facility, which stables trains for the Circle Line (CCL), will be expanded by another 16ha, allowing it to hold 133 trains, up from the current 70. The project will cost $2.3 billion.
This will give the Land Transport Authority (LTA) the "ability to expand the (train) fleet" in tandem with expected passenger growth on the CCL, which will become a complete loop by 2025, said chief executive Chew Men Leong.
To optimise land use, the expanded section of the Kim Chuan depot will also have an above-ground facility to house 550 buses.
Yesterday, Senior Minister of State for Transport Ng Chee Meng announced the alignment and station locations for the sixth stage of the CCL (CCL6) - a three-station, 4km link joining the existing HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations.
More than 400,000 commuters use the Circle Line every day.
Mr Chew said: "With the closure of the Circle Line (loop), this will certainly expand. We don't have a full estimate... It also depends on the developments that will come as we complete the CCL6, that will create a new catchment and, therefore, new ridership."
By Adrian Lim, The Straits Times, 30 Oct 2015
When it opened in 2009, Kim Chuan train depot was hailed as the biggest underground depot in the world. By 2025 it will be even bigger.
The 12ha facility, which stables trains for the Circle Line (CCL), will be expanded by another 16ha, allowing it to hold 133 trains, up from the current 70. The project will cost $2.3 billion.
This will give the Land Transport Authority (LTA) the "ability to expand the (train) fleet" in tandem with expected passenger growth on the CCL, which will become a complete loop by 2025, said chief executive Chew Men Leong.
To optimise land use, the expanded section of the Kim Chuan depot will also have an above-ground facility to house 550 buses.
Yesterday, Senior Minister of State for Transport Ng Chee Meng announced the alignment and station locations for the sixth stage of the CCL (CCL6) - a three-station, 4km link joining the existing HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations.
More than 400,000 commuters use the Circle Line every day.
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Posted by Land Transport Authority – We Keep Your World Moving on Thursday, October 29, 2015
Mr Chew said: "With the closure of the Circle Line (loop), this will certainly expand. We don't have a full estimate... It also depends on the developments that will come as we complete the CCL6, that will create a new catchment and, therefore, new ridership."
Besides offering commuters direct routes to the Central Business District (CBD) and Marina Bay area, the new link will also extend the rail network into areas, such as Spottiswoode, Everton Park and the southern edge of the CBD.
There are currently 47 trains in the Circle Line fleet and another 17 will be added by the end of next year. Mr Chew said the LTA will be adding even more trains after that to meet rising demand.
An LTA spokesman told The Straits Times: "CCL6 was not built earlier as the catchment and ridership for that section of the line was projected to be insufficient for the additional stations to be viable."
With expected development and travel demand growth along the CCL corridor in areas such as Buona Vista, one-North, Paya Lebar Sub-Regional Centre and the CBD extension in Shenton Way and Marina Bay, there was now a greater need to support east-west connections on the CCL southern corridor by closing the loop.
Additional reporting by Christopher Tan
Additional reporting by Christopher Tan
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