SMRT tests 1-month escalator rule change at 2 busy MRT stations
Why it matters: The Oct. 29 trial at City Hall and Raffles Place aims to cut slips and gauge whether standing on both sides lifts capacity.
SMRT is testing a month-long change to escalator etiquette at City Hall and Raffles Place MRT stations, asking commuters to stand on both sides instead of keeping left. The trial began on Oct. 29 and is meant to improve safety and measure whether escalator space is used more efficiently at two of Singapore’s busiest stations. Signs, standees and repeated announcements have been deployed, but observations by The Straits Times and Channel News Asia found most riders still standing on the left and leaving the right side open for people who want to walk. SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said slips, trips and falls remain a concern, and the operator will study commuter behavior during the trial.