The COI releases its findings to the public today and says the breakdowns could have been prevented, plus we recap the events of the SMRT breakdown saga leading up to today’s report release

Text: Shah Salimat and Kymie Hwang

The Committee of Inquiry (COI) looking into the headline-hogging SMRT breakdowns in the past few months stated in their report that the disruptions could have been prevented had adequate checks and maintenance been carried out.

The report, released to the public today, was submitted to Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew on July 3 who is expected to respond in a parliament sitting next week. The first July sitting will be on July 9 at 1.30pm. Parliament sittings are open to the public.

In the report, the COI identified shortcomings in the culture of maintenance work and tending after ageing assets in SMRT. It also pointed out factors such as train wheel defects and third rail claw designs which contributed to the breakdowns on December 15 and 17, 2011, the worst since SMRT's train system launched in 1987.

Suggestions include greater clarity in stakeholder roles and improved coordination between them. Others included emphasising passenger well-being in managing such incidents as well as ensuring readiness to deal with similar issues. The report is a culmination of a 29-day public inquiry launched to investigate the disruptions that inconvenienced thousands of commuters on December 15 and 17, 2011.

While the public awaits Mr Lui's response, take a look back at our timeline of the key disruptions and reactions from SMRT and members of the public leading up to the release of the COI report and its key recommendations.

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