Workers in Tuas can look forward to four new MRT stations in the industrial estate by 2016. The stations are part of the Tuas West Extension project that was announced under the Land Transport Masterplan in 2008.
Yesterday, Transport Minister Raymond Lim - who also revealed that the Circle Line will be fully open by the fourth quarter of this year - gave the details: The 7.5-km stretch will run through new stations to be built at Tuas (along Tuas Road), Tuas Crescent (along Pioneer Road), Tuas West (near Tuas Avenue 12) and Tuas Link outside Raffles Marina Country Club.
The project is estimated to cost $3.5 billion and will include the cost of new stations, a new depot, 13 new trains and a viaduct running along the train line.
The extension of the East-West Line is set to have 100,000 passengers daily.
Said Mr Lim, who was speaking during a visit to Bedok MRT Station yesterday: “When completed, it will improve accessibility and connectivity for people who work in the Jurong and Tuas industrial areas. The Tuas West Extension will help commuters to save more than half of their current travelling time when they commute to these areas.”
Mr Salim Ali, a grassroots leader in Jurong, said commuters usually have to take a 35- to 45-minute bus ride to reach Tuas. But by train, they could reach their destination in 10 or 15 minutes.
The planned road viaduct along Pioneer Road. which aims to reduce congestion in the Tuas West area, will be a first in Singapore.
Said Land Transport Authority group director for engineering Paul Fok: “There is going to be a lot of development in the Tuas West industrial area, so there is a need to increase the road capacity going towards the West. This viaduct is unique because we are stacking the rail viaduct on top of the road viaduct - so we are saving quite a lot of land.”
Some 49 plots and nine properties will have to make way for the extension. The areas affected include those along the Pan Island Expressway, Joo Koon Circle, Tuas Road and Pioneer Road.
The LTA had previously planned for the extension to have only three stations. But an additional station was included so that more commuters will be directly served by the MRT system.
The planned 26-hectare depot will house some 60 trains.
