When it was announced that there would be fewer trains due to fewer passengers during the Circuit Breaker period, people went apeshit.
Reader Da Bao: Isn’t the whole idea of having fewer passengers is to have safe distancing?
Reader Char Siew Bao: Simi sai? Now is just nice but fewer trains would mean I might accidentally kiss the guy in front of me! And I don’t know how he looks like because he’s a mask on!
Reader Bao: Doesn’t matter. I’m still stuck at home.
The fewer train system started yesterday (17 April), and it didn’t start well.
Before COVID-19 disrupt our lives, the North-South, East-West, North East, Circle and Downtown Lines (i.e. all the lines we take daily) operate at train frequencies of no more than three minutes during peak periods and around five minutes during off-peak periods.
Since yesterday, that has been changed to no more than five minutes during peak periods and around 10 minutes during off-peak periods.
People then started to complain on social media that it’s become much more crowded.
Yesterday at about 5:15pm:
Yesterday at about 6:30pm:
Reader Bao: Oh man now it matters. I don’t want to stay home after 4 May 2020 just because there are fewer trains running!
And thankfully, LTA has noticed that.
Transport Minister: Over-Provide Rather Than Under-Provide
Transport Minister and Hui-Ge-Lookalike Khaw Boon Wan has spoken on Facebook.
He said that the adjustment has “caused some crowding in some stretches of NSEWL and CCL during the usual morning peak hours.”
And in view of this, “LTA is studying the data and will refine the headways for implementation on Monday.”
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He has also told LTA to “err on the side of generosity, i.e. to over-provide rather than under-provide.”
He then urged non-essential workers to work or stay at home.
Here’s his post:
LTA: Will Monitor and Make Necessary Adjustment
LTA has also responded, saying that “ensuring that commuters can maintain a safe distance from one another when on board our trains and buses remains a priority, especially during the circuit breaker period.
“LTA and the respective public transport operators are closely monitoring the situation and will make the necessary adjustments.”
But why the adjustment in the first place?
Fewer Passengers so Fewer Trains
It was announced on 14 April 2020 that after assessing the situation, there has been a 75% decrease in train ridership since Circuit Breaker started.
With this in mind, they’re making the adjustment to “help to mitigate the significant financial impact caused by the reduced riderships, and help keep public transport operations financially sustainable.”
It was also mentioned then that “LTA and the operators will ensure that there is sufficient space for commuters to maintain safe distancing from one another.”
It’s unknown if there would be indeed adjustments made on Monday; let’s just wait and see.
With so many new measures being announced daily, I won’t be surprised if the authorities decided to just get everyone to stay home and send every households combat rations. After all, we’ve lots of those combat rations, don’t we?
Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:
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