SPEECH BY MR YEO CHEOW TONG MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AT THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE CIRCLE LINE AT BRAS BASAH PARK ON TUESDAY, 5 MARCH 2002 AT 10.10AM

Today’s ceremony marks another important milestone in Singapore’s history of public transport. This morning’s groundbreaking ceremony for the Circle Line will bring us another step closer to achieving a comprehensive rail transit network as the backbone of our public transport infrastructure. 

The Circle Line will be an orbital line linking all the radial lines leading to the city. It will interchange with the North South, East West and North East lines, offering commuters the option of bypassing the city and providing them with a shorter train journey to the outer urban areas.

For example, with the Circle Line, a commuter travelling from Paya Lebar to Bishan would be able to get directly to Bishan without having to go to City Hall or Raffles Place MRT station. Apart from the convenience, he will also save about 15 minutes in travelling time. The Circle Line is thus set to lead to a quantum improvement in our rail network, entrenching the MRT as the main mode of public transport here.

The entire Circle Line will run some 34 kilometres, making it almost twice as long as the North East line. Starting from Dhoby Ghaut and terminating at HarbourFront, it will be implemented in 5 stages over the next eight years. The last stage is likely to be completed in 2010. By 2006, we should see the completion of the first two stages.

Stage one will cover the first five kilometres of the Circle Line and will involve the building of six stations. It will travel through densely built-up city areas from Dhoby Ghaut to the commercial and civic district at City Hall. It will then pass through the commercial districts in Marina Centre on its way to Stadium Boulevard. These areas, vibrant with businesses, shops, entertainment and recreational facilities, will enjoy increased patronage with the completion of Stage one. Stage two will add another 5 km of track with five stations. It will be linked to the East West line at Paya Lebar Station, and will benefit residents and businesses in the MacPherson and Old Airport Road areas.

The Circle Line is estimated to cost some $6.7 billion. This is a major investment. The Government will continue to invest in expensive rail infrastructure, provided the financial position of the Government remains strong. This is because a comprehensive and reliable transportation infrastructure is crucial to supporting our economy and enhancing the quality of life of Singaporeans. Despite the current economic downturn, we plan to continue to expand our rapid transit network in accordance with our longer term plans, as we remain fully confident of the future ahead.

The Circle Line is expected to be fully underground. The success of a project of such complexity and difficulty will require close cooperation between LTA, its consultants and contractors. To date, LTA has awarded a number of major contracts to contractors with excellent design capability, engineering experience and proven track record to meet these challenges. I would like to congratulate the successful tenderers for the various Circle Line contracts. The contracts signing ceremony this morning reflects their commitment to achieve the highest standard in safety, quality and timely delivery.

However, before we can enjoy the convenience of the train service, we will have to put up with some inconvenience due to the size of the project, not least of which would be the traffic diversions that would have to be carried out over the next few years. These are unavoidable as the line will run through some of the busiest corridors in the city. I urge all Singaporeans to bear with the inconveniences, which LTA will work hard to keep to the minimum. LTA will be briefing and updating the people affected by the construction works regularly and will work closely with community leaders to minimise the inconvenience in every possible way.

I am confident that with the full commitment of our staff, our contractors and the support of the community, we can look forward to the successful delivery of the Circle Line for the benefit of all Singaporeans.

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