August 2011

12 More Circle Line Stations to Open On 8 October

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Come October 8, commuters can take the train to places like the Botanic Gardens, Holland Village and Telok Blangah.

These are amongst the 12 stations of the Circle Line stages 4 and 5, which will add another 17km to the line.

The other nine new stations on the Western arc of the line are Caldecott, Farrer Road, Buona Vista, one-north, Kent Ridge, Haw Par Villa, Pasir Panjang, Labrador Park and HarbourFront.

2 12 More Circle Line Stations To Open In October

4 CCL Series Part 3: Testing, Testing

6 LTA’s National Day Honour Roll

8 Bouquets For The “Safest” Contractors

9 Work In Progress On Final Stretch Of Downtown Line

10 Students Impress In Inaugural Land Transport Debate

12 “Our Job Is Not Boring!”

14 Minister Befriends Friends

16 Circle Line Discovery Open House 2011

CONTENTS

12 More Circle Line Stations To Open In October

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The 17km long stretch traverses the research and business hub of one-north, the vibrant food and club scene in Holland Village and the joys of nature at the Botanic Gardens and Labrador Park.

Commuters can also enjoy significant time savings. For instance, those travelling from Bishan to Buona Vista will only take 26 minutes on the Circle Line compared to the current 40 minutes on the North South and East West Lines.

“I would like to thank the residents and Grassroots members affected by the Circle Line for standing together with us throughout the construction works. All Singaporeans will be able to enjoy the benefits that the new stations will bring to us very soon.”

LuiTuckYewTransport Minister

“The new station being right in the heart of Holland Village will make this place even more accessible and bring in the crowds. I believe business around here will go up with the increase in human traffic.”

AdamNg32, photography studio manager

1 Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew (in dark grey shirt) tours the new CCL stations.

2 Holland Village Station.

3 Harbourfront Station.

4 Botanic Garden Station.

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Every part of the Circle Line is rigorously tested before you step on board.

CCL Series Part 3: Testing, Testing

1 A new train arriving in Kim Chuan Depot. Each Circle Line train is made up of three cars and each train weighs 120 tons.

Did you know that before the different sections of the Circle Line are open, rigorous tests are conducted on every part of the system and the trains for over a year?

This, said Mr Kang Meng Liat, Senior Project Manager of Power Supply at the LTA, is to ensure that passengers using the Circle Line will enjoy a safe and pleasant journey.

“We want to make sure that what we design for works the way it is intended, particularly on safety related functions” said Mr Kang.

Especially since, in a fully automated rail line like the Circle Line, driverless trains move around the system under the direct supervision from the Operations Control Centre (OCC) without a driver on board the train.

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In order to achieve a safe, reliable and fully integrated system a lot of engineering effort and testing has to be carried out to ensure the various Electrical and Mechnical subsystems function as they should.

These are some of the tests which the Circle and Downtown Line (Electrical & Mechanical) project team conducts:

• To ensure that the train sways within reasonable limits when it makes a turn so passengers are comfortable, an empty train carriage is loaded up with sand bags to simulate a fully-loaded carriage. As it goes along the track making its turns, special sensors will detect how much the train is swaying.

• As the trains go on test runs, engineers make sure that the trains stop exactly where they are supposed to, so they do not go over or under the stop point. This also ensures that the train and station’s platform doors are aligned.

• There are thousands of control and monitoring points which have to be carefully and manually checked. For instance, when one control point from a system terminates and another takes over, engineers have to make sure that the transition is faultless by checking the intended action is executed correctly.

• Passenger information displays are tested so it accurately reflects the arrival times of the trains as well as other short messages.

2,4 Rigorous tests are carried out before any trains can begin service.

3 An empty train carriage is loaded up with sand bags to simulate a fully-loaded carriage during testing.

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CongratulationstoallLTAofficerswhohavebeenawardedthe2011NationalDayAwards.

LTA’s National Day Honour RollLTA extends warm congratulations to two members of its Board, Dr Wu Shen Kong, for being awarded the Public Service Medal and Mr Loh Khum Yean for receiving the Public Administration Medal (Gold).

Dr Wu Shen Kong – awarded the Public ServiceMedal.

Dr Wu was the President of BP Companies inSingpaore and Thailand until his retirement inDecember2006.

“I feel that the award adds another testimony to LTA; a very progressive organization staffed with many capable people, operating at the forefront at providing world class solutions to enable pleasant and seamless journeys for commuters and motorists.”

Mr Loh Khum Yean – awarded the PublicAdministrationMedal(Gold).

MrLohisthePermanentSecretaryoftheMinistryofManpower.

“I am humbled and honoured to receive the Award; and thankful to my many colleagues through the years for their continuing friendship and support.”

PuBLiCADMiNiSTrATioNMeDAL(SiLver)

Mr Wong Chee Kiong Frederick Group Director, Safety & Contracts

PuBLiCADMiNiSTrATioNMeDAL(BroNze)

Mr Shaik Sha Marican Bin Ahmed Kassim

3 Deputy Director, Downtown Line 1 Ms Goh Swee Yee Deputy Director, Tender

Mr Cheong Yew Seng2 Deputy Director, Civil Construction 1 (Downtown Line 2)

Ms Lim Tze Sin (posthumous) Deputy Director, Contracts (E&M1)

CoMMeNDATioNMeDAL

Ms Swee Wee Leng Alison Manager, Bus Regulation Mr Soong Kheng Boon Alvin Manager, Road Systems Safety

Ms Term Siok Lim Project Manager, Systems Integration Mr Mak Keng Seng Manager, Strategic Planning

Mr Victor Vijayan BalakrishnanSenior Project Manager (Services), Circle Line 2

effiCieNCYMeDAL

Mr Chan Yew Choong Higher Principal Engineering Officer Mr Ang Hai Poh Higher Principal Engineering Officer

Mr Tan Meng Fatt Higher Principal Engineering Officer Ms Mah Lay Hoon Executive Service Officer

Mr Lee Swee Kwang Principal Engineering Officer Mr Loke Kok Cheong Principal Engineering Officer

Mr Ng Hock Soon Higher Finance Officer Mr Chan Kok Leong Joseph Higher Principal Engineering Officer

Mr Ng Kah Yong Scott Senior Engineering Officer Mdm Kuah Siew Luang Cecilia Executive Service Officer, Operations

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LoNGServiCeMeDAL

Mdm Hasnah Binte Ali Senior Supervisor Ms Esther Rani William Senior Admin Assistant

Mr Goh Buay Eng @ Roland GohHigher Engineering Officer (Architecture)

Mdm Toi Miaw Jee, Brenda Corporate Admin Officer

Mr Stewart Darren ScottHigher Exe Srvs Officer, Taxi Enforcement

Mrs Noraini Bte Abdul Hamid Executive Service Officer, Admin

Ms Kow Hwee Mei Project Admin Officer Mdm Chia May Yock Admin Officer

Mr Lee Kam Chung Project Manager, Services (Depot Srvs) Mr Wong Chee Kiong Frederick Group Director, Safety & Contracts

Mdm Aw Bee Hua, Christine Principal Engineering Officer Mr Leung Fat Yuen, Sammy Principal Engineer, Signals

Mdm Lim Ai Lian Senior Executive, Contracts (E&M3) Mrs Yeo-Lim Seh Choo, Josephine Higher Principal Engineering Officer

Mr Lew Yii DerGroup Director, Corporate Planning & Research

Mr Toh Chin Hwee Higher Planning Officer

Ms Alice Tan Guong Khim Group Director, Corporate Services Mr Sukaimi Bin Mohamed Yun Senior Survey Field Assistant

Mdm Norlelah Bte Ariffin Senior Admin AssistantMr Leong Wing Soon @ Muhammad Danial Leong Abdullah

Higher Principal Engineering Officer (Systems Support)

Mr Tay Cheng Chua Principal Engineering Officer (CT) Mdm Tay Meow Cheng Higher Principal Engineering Officer (Systems Support)

Ms Lee Wee Leng Principal Engineering Officer (CT)

MrfrederickWong-awarded thePublicAdministrationMedal(Silver).

MrWongistheGroupDirectorofLTA’sSafety&ContractsGroup.

In National Day Award winner Frederick Wong’s 25 years with the LTA, his most memorable work moment was after the collapse of the Nicoll Highway in 2004.

“Against overwhelming odds, we managed to secure an agreement with all parties in the shortest possible time to re-start work on the Nicoll Highway and Stadium Stations, and Tunnels, after the incident,” said Mr Wong, who was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver).

The Group Director of LTA’s Safety & Contracts group, who had previously worked in London and Switzerland, ensures that LTA’s projects are built within budget in a safe environment, and are ultimately safe to use when open for operations.

Said Mr Wong, on the award: “It was a pleasant surprise and I felt the award also acknowledged the efforts, support and contributions given by my staff and supervisor.”

His word of advice to young officers: “Take on your job as a challenge as you never know what you can achieve until you have tried your very best.”

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On any construction site, there are potentially plenty of risks.

So it is no small feat that the LTA, despite an upsurge of road and rail construction activity, has achieved its lowest accident frequency rate of 0.2 accidents per million manhours worked for the last decade.

Shining the spotlight on the contractors who are hired to do the work on the ground, and who successfully make the effort to stay safe, LTA gave out awards to 16 contractors at its Annual Safety Award Convention on 27 July.

The top winner was McConnell Dowell South East Asia, which received the LTA Contractors Challenge Shield for its work on the construction of Beauty World station as part of the Downtown Line 2 project.

The LTA is also going to introduce a radio frequency identification (RFID) system which contractors can tap on to track workers while they are onsite, so they can be safely monitored.

Bouquets For The “Safest” Contractors

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1 One of the 3 finalists, Samsung- Solentanche Bachy JV for Contract 908 puts up a short skit on the theme of ‘Driving safety excellence through behaviour based safety’.

2 Mr Paul Thomas, Project Manager of C916-DTL2 project, represents top winner of the LTA Contractors Challenge Shield, McConnell Dowell S.E.A. to collect the winning trophy from Guest-of-Honour, LTA Chairman Michael Lim.

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Bringing us one step closer to the completion of the Downtown Line, work is kicking into high gear on the second half of the 42 km line – Downtown Line 3.

On 26 July, contractor Nishimatsu Construction organized a ground-breaking ceremony at Ubi, to start installing special walls in the ground to hold back the earth for tunneling works.

The new MRT line will weave from Ubi to Kaki Bukit, Tai Seng and then Bedok, and will include the building of one of the longest tunnels along the Downtown Line.

LTA Chief Executive Chew Hock Yong was there with Nishimatsu’s President Mr. H. Kondo to symbolically break the ground with a special rig.

Work in progress on final stretch of Downtown Line

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1 LTA Chief Executive Mr Chew Hock Yong with Nishimatsu’s President Mr H. Kondo, operating the diaphram wall rig to symbolically break the ground.

2 Traditional sake barrel breaking for good luck.

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Two teams of six young debaters, whittled down from 32 teams of over 150 students, stood on stage as they furiously argued in front of the Transport Minister: Should public transport be operated by the state?

There was never a dull moment during the grand finals of the inaugural Land Transport Debate Championships on 5 August as Minister Lui Tuck Yew and LTA’s head honchos laughed, nodded and sometimes shook their heads at the teenagers’ arguments.

But one thing was clear: The junior college students, aged between 17 and 18, showed an admirable grasp of economics and how it is applied in land transport.

Both the final teams from Victoria Junior College and Temasek Junior College liberally tossed out terms like scarcity, natural monopoly and public good to fight their respective cases.

To get students and teachers thinking about land transport, an inter-school debate for junior colleges and Integrated Programme schools was organised, to great success.

Students Impress In Inaugural Land Transport Debate

As Minister Lui said himself later: “I don’t think I was able to do that at your age!”

The winner: Victoria Junior College.

The debate was organised by the LTA Academy, with support from the Society for Associated Inter-tertiary Debaters and the Ministry of Education’s Economics Unit.

It is part of an initiative which started in 2009 to get students and teachers thinking about land transport, when four land transport economics videos were launched.

Following the debate, Minister Lui took to the rostrum where the student audience asked him questions about issues like central bus-planning.

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“Through this debate, I have seen that land transport is much more multi-faceted than I thought, and that it affects different people on different levels.”

fuLiren(left)17, Victoria Junior College,

Best Speaker of the Grand Finals

“The Land Transport Debate 2011 has indeed achieved its high aim of engaging our youths on the difficult economic and social trade-offs which have to be made in implementing a public transport system for the overall betterment for all Singaporeans. The event has made a clear impact on all the participating students.”

MrLokeWingfatt(left)President of Society for Associated Inter-Tertiary Debators (SAID)

and Chief Adjudicator for the Land Transport Debate Championship

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Two of our LTA’s engineers will be featured in a Mediacorp infotainment programme called “Behind Every Job 2”. They tell us what they do and why they love their jobs.

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LTA engineers don hard hats and boots and do humdrum technical work on a construction site all day long.

Wrong!

Ask LTA project engineers Alvin Sim and Candice Choong if that is all they do and straight off, they will tell you no.

In fact, both Nanyang Technological University alumni, who chose to join the LTA straight after graduation, find that every day offers a different set of challenges, from technical to project management to communication.

“My job actually involves a lot of communication,” said Mr Sim, 27. “For instance, every month, I make presentations to grassroots members and Members of Parliament and talk to residents when they have issues. As a LTA project engineer, soft skills are equally important. It’s a job which encompasses many different skills.”

Mr Sim, who is currently overseeing two road diversions at MacPherson and Ubi, does a lot of talking these days as he has to explain the diversions to the residents.

“A resident insisted that he wanted to discuss his concerns with a Chinese-speaking engineer. I talked to him and he was very happy,” said Mr Sim, a hard-core backpacker who debunks the myth that engineers are boring people.

CatchCandiceandAlvinon“BehindeveryJob2”,onChannel8inNovember.

Likewise, Ms Choong, 26, talks to people every day on the job.

Now stationed at the Bencoolen station, she joined the LTA as she wanted to work on big projects which are “not just about money, but also about benefiting society”.

On a technical level, she is excited about the works at Bencoolen as it is the deepest MRT station at 43m deep - almost six levels - compared to the normal 3-4 levels. “The challenge is that we have to complete the station in the same amount of time. We have to work fast,” she said.

At the community level, she is talking to the many business and hotel owners around the site, who are concerned about how their clients will be affected by the construction. “I try my best to engage them,” said Ms Choong.

She added: “My job really requires me to meet stakeholders, know fully what is going on and the challenge is to translate technical terms to layman terms. It is all very exciting.”

1-2 Behind the scenes at the filming of “Behind Every Job”. Local celebrity host, Mark Lee lets viewers in on what it is like to be an LTA engineer.

3 LTA engineers, Alvin Sim and Candice Choong.

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Stagger school and working hours to ease road congestion. Build more parking lots for bicycles. Set aside designated train carriages for women.

In their first dialogue with new Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, 14 Friends of LTA, members of the community who are passionate about land transport, came prepared with a laundry list of suggestions to improve the commuting experience.

After the 27 July event, Minister Lui left with a better idea of what they hoped to see, while the Friends of LTA emerged with a better understanding of the thinking behind land transport.

Minister Befriends Friends

New Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew met 14 Friends of LTA for the first time in a wide-ranging discussion which covered a range of transport issues.

Said one participant, grassroots leader Chris Ng: “It was a very fruitful dialogue as many views were heard.”

The dialogue is a highlight in a series of activities which Friends of LTA get to take part in.

The diverse group of people have in common a desire to play a part in shaping Singapore’s land transport landscape.

Said Mr Ng: “I am someone who likes to give constructive feedback.”

Their voices are heard.

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Friend of LTA, student Willis Chong, 15, counts as a highlight how the LTA took note of his feedback about the signs at the new Jurong East MRT station platform, and changed it so it was clearer.

A tour was organised for Friends of LTA before the station was officially open.

“I feel happy not only for myself but for the commuters who use the train because they will have a better experience,” said Willis, a trainspotter who sometimes hops onto MRT trains for rides to nowhere.

Willis added: “As a Friend of LTA, I also find that I better understand the reasoning behind some transport policies. It’s a different perception, but I find that I am more enlightened.”

WhoArefrieNDSofTheLTA?

These are people from all walks of life living in Singapore, including grassroots leaders, housewives, taxi-drivers, students and ex-Members of Parliament, who are happy to spend time giving valuable insights into the land transport system.

hoWMANYofTheMAreThere?

As of August 2010, there were 320 Friends of LTA, up from 100 in October 2008 when the scheme was newly-started.

WhATDoTheYDo?

Amongst other activities, they take part in surveys, focus group discussions and dialogues, are invited to special previews of MRT stations before official openings to give their feedback, and they get to go on special tours of MRT construction sites.

CANiBeAfrieNDofLTA?

You have to be invited. However, the LTA has been recruiting more Friends who are senior citizens, are youth or are new Singapore citizens, to better reflect the Singapore’s diversity.

fACTBoX

1 Transport Minister meets Friends of LTA for the first time at LTA’s Hampshire Road office.

2-4 Friends of LTA have the opportunity to participate in many LTA events, including visiting the JEMP platform before it opened and viewing of the new DTL trains.

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