Mr Chairman,
• Residents who stay close to MRT railway tracks have to put up with noise of passing trains on daily basis
• In a news report, LTA shared that the train noise is within 80 to 85 decibels
• This is like listening to loud music in a room
Noise measurement study to identify problem spots
• In June last year, LTA announced that it would embark on a noise measurement study
• Scheduled to be completed by second quarter of 2012
• The study will span the entire length of elevated MRT tracks island-wide
• It will also cover more than 500 HDB flats located near to these elevated viaducts
• Objective is to identify locations which require special attention
Interim solution
• Currently, LTA has installed ‘low noise barriers’ at the new viaduct and platform at Jurong East station
• In order to reduce noise to the same levels before implementation of the Jurong East Modification Project
• LTA would also pilot such barriers along the open tracks at Bishan MRT station
Speed up the works
• May I suggest that LTA speed up the noise measurement study and implement solutions to reduce noise as soon as possible?
• Secondly, can LTA extend the study to cover more areas?
• I have visited shops around the Bishan MRT station and indeed the area can do with more noise barriers
• Similarly, I visited some homes situated near the Ang Mo Kio MRT station and the residents living near the station also face the same problem as those in Bishan
• Can noise barriers be installed earlier and in more areas, to bring relief to residents who may have been putting up with the high noise levels for years?
