Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) published the Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2040 which unveils the long-term plans to build a convenient, well-connected, inclusive and fast land transport system the next two decades and beyond.
On railway transport, the LTMP 2040 strategy includes the expansion of the network, including several new stations and rail lines which will be developed over the next two decades.
By 2030, the North South Line (NSL) will be extended with two new MRT stations of which one of the them – Sungei Kadut station will be an interchange hub connecting to the Downtown Line (DTL), by extending the DTL beyond Bukit Panjang station, to serve the north-western region. Residents who live in the north-western region can look forward to faster commutes, with time savings of up to 30 minutes to the downtown area.
The Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) extension will be constructed by around 2040 to provide a direct rail connection from Changi Airport to the city. It will also seamlessly link Changi Airport to stations along the TEL up to Woodlands North.
LTS will elaborate a feasibility study of proposed rail line to serve new and growing developments in the north and northeast regions which may not currently have direct access to the rail network. This could relieve congestion along the northeast corridor and strengthen the overall resilience of the MRT network. More than 400,000 households could potentially benefit from this new line, with commuters saving up to 40 minutes when travelling to the city centre. LTA’s feasibility study will examine the demand, alignment, station locations and determine its implementation timeline.
The strategy also envisages the development and expansion of the bus network, with new integrated transport hubs, the construction of 700-km of cycling paths by 2030 and by 2040, with futher 1,000 km. To make streets more conducive for walking, LTA will add at least 150 km of covered linkways between MRT stations, residential areas and amenities by 2040. This comes on top of the 200 km of covered link ways that were completed last year under LTA’s Walk2Ride programme.
Another key recommendation of the LTMP 2040 is to ensure Singapore’s land transport system is inclusive.
To reduce the carbon footprint of public transport, LTA has committed to a 100% cleaner energy public bus fleet by 2040, comprising alternatives like electric or hybrid vehicles.
Railway PRO December issue offers you more details on the transport strategy in Singapore.
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