Statistics on MRT Train Delays Not More Than Five Minutes for Past Three Years

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport what are the incidences of MRT train delays of not more than five minutes for each of the MRT lines in each of the past three years.

The number of short delays between two to five minutes is tabulated below:

Performance continued to improve, in tandem with overall improvements in rail reliability. Such minor delays did not exceed one per day, with the exception of the East-West Line which is our longest MRT line.

While delays below two minutes are logged, we do not track the statistics as they have less to do with reliability issues. For example, they could be due to trains being held back slightly to allow more passengers to board and alight.

Tracking the absolute number of delays is no substitute for the use of Mean Kilometres Between Failure, or MKBF. The latter measures the average distance travelled by trains between delays lasting more than five minutes. This allows performance to be compared between lines of different lengths and operating intensities. MKBF is an objective and internationally recognised measure of rail reliability, which is why we use it to benchmark our performance against leading metros around the world.