Escalators in 32 MRT Stations Will be Upgraded; Can Operate With Different Speed Depending on Timing

By
Kimi Tan
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I’m sure we’ve all experienced those reallyyyyy slow escalators that move slower than snails. Then, when you want to walk up the escalator to get up faster, you realise the entire right side of it is blocked by people just standing there.

Eh, the right side is for walking leh. If you’re going to just stand, please stand on the left side.

Anyway, 290 escalators in 32 MRT stations will be upgraded so they’ll be faster and you won’t have to wait in agony anymore.

Reader: Wah, finally.

Just kidding. They’ll be slower.

Reader: Huh??? For what? 

290 Escalators at 32 MRT stations Will Be Upgraded

From 2026, about 290 escalators at 32 MRT stations will be upgraded in an attempt to improve passenger experience. This will take place at MRT stations on the North-East Line (NEL) and the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL).

Escalators earmarked for the refurbishment will get improved features such as the ability to operate at different speeds during peak and non-peak hours. The upgrade is expected to be completed by 2032.

Reader: Why do escalators need to operate at different speeds? Why can’t they just be fast all the time? I have places to go!

Well, escalators use a lot of energy. These escalators run day and night, non-stop, carrying thousands of people up and down them.

And right now, the escalators near National Stadium are really working overtime for Taylor Swift’s 330,000 audience members.

But during off-peak hours like early in the morning or very late at night, there are barely any people in MRT stations. It wouldn’t make sense for these escalators to keep running at full speed, right?

The ability to operate at a slower speed during non-peak hours is like giving an escalator a “sleep mode” that allows it to use less energy.

With this upgrade, the refurbished escalators will be able to move at 0.5m per second during off-peak hours instead of the usual 0.75m per second.

Not only does this save energy, but it also makes it more child- and senior-friendly.

Your ahma won’t be able to get on an escalator that’s moving quickly when she already walks so slow on normal ground; so, no, the escalators will not be upgraded to move faster.

16 of the NSEWL’s 62 stations have been earmarked for refurbishment, including Toa Payoh, Woodlands, and Dover.

Newer escalators such as those at Marina South Pier and Canberra stations on the North-South Line (NSL), as well as the six stations between Pioneer and Tuas Link on the East-West Line (EWL), do not need to be refurbished yet and will not be part of this exercise.

On the NEL, all 16 underground stations from Punggol to HarbourFront will be refurbished. These stations started running almost 21 years ago, so they’ve been waiting a long to be upgraded.

But, don’t worry about disruptions as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it will put in place measures to minimise inconvenience to passengers.

Works will be carried out in stages, so don’t fret about suddenly not being able to find a single escalator in an MRT station.

Previous Refurbishment For NSEWL Stations

Just recently, 231 escalators at 42 NSEWL stations just finished a S$47.3 million refurbishment exercise. The NSEWL’s operator, SMRT, took six years, from 2016 to 2022, to upgrade the escalators.

The exercise included features like the ability to operate at different speeds during peak and non-peak hours, light-up arrows that indicate the direction an escalator is moving in, and skirt deflectors, which are barriers between the escalator steps and the side panels that prevent people’s feet and clothes from getting caught in the gap.

But even with the light-up arrows, many people looking at their phones still get onto the wrong escalator sometimes.

The upgrading of each escalator involved removing, installing, and replacing more than 1,000 parts and major components. The newly refurbished escalators are now able to move at a slower speed during off-peak hours, making it safer for seniors and young children.

They were also upgraded with new safety features like handrail speed monitors that activate an emergency stop when a handrail slips from its groove.

At the time, SMRT owned the operating assets for the NSEWL, which has since been sold to the Government under the LTA’s New Rail Financing Framework. Under said framework, LTA owns the rail operating assets, allowing it to ensure more timely investments in capacity expansion, replacement, and upgrading the assets.

While the 290 escalators are being upgraded in 2026 to 2032, you could start to finally work on your New Year’s resolutions to keep fit. Take the stairs for once and start working towards getting in shape.

Maybe the gahmen is refurbishing escalators on purpose to make more Singaporeans take the stairs and lose weight.

Sekali the upgrading won’t even be completed by 2032, maybe they’ll drag on to 2040 to make you take the stairs for more years.

Other Transport-related News

It’s not just escalators that are being upgraded, the entire transport system is being upgraded too.

From new MRT stations to more sheltered walkways and senior-friendly facilities at bus stops, many announcements have been made about making commuting better and safer in coming years.

Soon, the circle line will be a complete circle, and some roads will even be repurposed to make way for wider pedestrian paths.

Oh, and you may no longer be able to use your mobility scooter soon.

And by the way, this is the reason why we’re reading so many announcements recently:

Over in TikTok, there’s a drama involving property agents that’s caused by us. Here’s what happened:

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Kimi Tan