‘Sounds like a major accident waiting to happen’: Netizens debate SMRT’s new trial for standing on both sides of the escalator

SMRT rolls out new trial encouraging commuters to stand on either side of escalator

On 5 Nov, a standee bearing the SMRT logo was displayed at Raffles Place MRT station near Exit A.

A graphic encouraged commuters to stand on either side of the escalator while holding on to the handrail.

The slogan read: “Stay Safe. Ease the Flow.”

The standee was also spotted at City Hall MRT station, near the exit to Raffles City.

Announcements urged commuters to stand on either side of the escalator.

This is part of a month-long trial by SMRT to reinvent the local approach to commuting etiquette, which began on 29 Oct.

The unspoken norm in Singapore was previously for commuters to stand on the left side of the escalator. Those in a rush would often walk up on the right side.

SMRT Trains president Mr Lam Sheau Kai said the trial aimed to enhance commuter safety on the escalators.

The train operator would assess whether such practices could leverage the escalator capacity to its maximum potential.

The trial studies commuter patterns and behaviour at City Hall and Raffles Place MRT stations.

In 2016, Transport for London similarly ran a three-week trial at Holborn Station, one of the busiest stations on the Tube.

The findings revealed that standing-only escalators could carry up to 30 per cent more people.

Setting aside one side of the escalator solely for walking commuters would potentially cut capacity in half.

Video circulates on Reddit, netizens divided in response

On 9 Nov, a Reddit thread circulated a TikTok video of commuters using both sides of the escalator at an MRT station.

The Original Poster (OP) asked Redditors whether they thought the new trial would work.

One netizen was relieved at the change. They felt this practice should have been the norm in Singapore to begin with.

However, a handful of Redditors raised concerns about the elderly, or commuters with mobility issues, who need more time to get on and off the escalator.

During congestion at peak hour, a completely packed escalator could result in a stampede, or a bottleneck of passengers struggling to get out at the bottom.

This carries the risk of commuters potentially falling and injuring themselves.

One netizen commented: “Standing on two sides sounds like a major accident waiting to happen […] or worse, someone’s feet are going to get stuck.”

Others felt that SMRT’s trial would never stick as a policy, as old habits always die hard.

One netizen pointed out that attempting to change a long-standing norm would result in unnecessary complications, blurring the boundaries for individual disputes.

Another stated that the new trial failed to take several variables into consideration, as it was difficult to predict each individual’s unique experience on the escalator.

For instance, the temptation for commuters to walk rather than stand mostly applied to more crowded times in the MRT station.

Therefore, it would not make sense to implement the rule of standing on either side of the escalator outside of peak hours.

MS News has reached out to OP for a statement.

Also read: MPs Cai Yinzhou & Chee Hong Tat celebrate new Braddell MRT downward escalator, thank LTA

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Featured image adapted from @poppy.nation via TikTok (left) and SG News Warehouse Sale & Events via Facebook (right).