**SINGAPORE** – In a frustrating turn of events for train commuters, a signalling fault disrupted service on a key stretch of the Circle Line (CCL) during the busy lunchtime rush on December 23. Delays began around noon and continued for over an hour, affecting the train service between Paya Lebar and Botanic Gardens stations due to a malfunction between Bartley and Lorong Chuan stations.

In response to the emergency, the train operator, SMRT, activated free shuttle bus services to help mitigate the inconvenience for affected commuters. An initial post on X (formerly Twitter) at 12:46 PM alerted passengers to anticipate an additional 15 minutes of travel time between the impacted stations.

By 1:19 PM, SMRT announced that services had resumed to normal and the shuttle bus service was terminated. In a follow-up update on Facebook at 1:50 PM, the operator confirmed that their engineers had successfully resolved the fault and reassured passengers that announcements had been made throughout the system to keep everyone updated.

Understanding the frustration that comes with such disruptions, SMRT extended their apologies to commuters, emphasizing their commitment to providing reliable transport.

However, this incident marks the third disruption affecting the CCL within just ten days. On December 16, another signalling fault caused a 30-minute delay for passengers traveling between Farrer Road and HarbourFront stations. Moreover, on December 14, train services were halted for roughly an hour after a train stalled at Tai Seng station.

The frequency of these disruptions has raised concerns among commuters about the reliability of the Circle Line. Many passengers took to social media to express their dissatisfaction, questioning the protocols in place for maintaining signal integrity and ensuring timely repairs.

As Singapore continues to expand and enhance its rail network, commuters hope that improvements will be made to prevent similar inconveniences in the future. For those reliant on the Circle Line for their daily commute, the recent spate of delays serves as a stark reminder of the importance of a well-functioning public transport system.