SMRT is looking into suspending the Bukit Panjang LRT service during off-peak hours and replacing it with buses.

This was announced by Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Aug. 30.

This is because the train assets are ageing and pushing them too far now can result in failure.

Khaw said:

"The trains are running at almost the end of its productive life, and therefore the risk of failure is higher. At the same time, we must first intensify maintenance, but there are limits when we are pushing assets to the end of its productive life."

BPLRT's original equipment manufacturer Bombardier is currently conducting renewal works on the entire system right now.

It is expected to take four years to complete.

The renewal involves upgrading the rail parts and bringing in a new fleet of trains.

The current fleet of trains has been serving the BPLRT system for 20 years.

As an alternative, Khaw suggests that commuters can take buses instead during the off-peak hours, thus lowering the stress on the BPLRT trains and preventing any loss of service to commuters.

Separately, at the same event, Khaw announced that as of July 2019, Singapore's MRT network clocked over 1 million kilometres between delays.

Top image via SG Trains.