No train service on Bukit Panjang LRT as train damages signal stop tape

 Train services were disrupted on the Bukit Panjang LRT after a train damaged a signal stop tape.

The disruption was first announced at 2.35pm today (Jan 12) when SMRT tweeted that there was no train service on the Bukit Panjang LRT due to a track fault.

[BPLRT] No Train Service on BPLRT due to Track Fault. Free Regular bus and Bridging Bus are now available at affected stations.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) January 12, 2018

Free regular buses and bus bridging services were available between the 14 affected stations.

In a Facebook post at 3.49pm, SMRT gave commuters an update on the situation, saying that a train had damaged a signal stop tape near Keat Hong station.

A signal stop tape is used to indicate to the driverless train precisely where it should stop.

In the post, SMRT said that the train that caused the damage has since been withdrawn from service for further checks.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused to BPLRT commuters," added the transport operator.

Stomper John was affected by the disruption as he had originally planned to take the LRT from Chua Chu Kang to Bukit Panjang, before finding out that train services were down.

He had arrived at the station at 3.45pm and boarded the free shuttle bus five minutes later.

"After thinking for a while, I just decided to cancel the trip and turn back. I saw that the engineers were on tracks, so I don't think they can fix it by 5pm," said the Stomper.

He told Stomp that he also saw many students at the station.

John added, "I think some were planning to go to school to collect their O'level results."

In a tweet at 6.30pm, SMRT said that all train services on the Bukit Panjang LRT has resumed.

[BPLRT] UPDATE: Train services on the entire BPLRT have resumed. Free regular and bridging bus services are still available.

— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) January 12, 2018

On Sep 9 last year, broken rail support brackets on the Bukit Panjang LRT resulted in train services on the entire line being unavailable for nearly six hours.