SINGAPORE — One of Singapore’s most familiar unwritten commuting rules is facing an unexpected challenge, and millions of future MRT journeys could eventually be affected by what appears to be a simple change in behavior.
For years, passengers using escalators have followed an established routine: stand on the left and leave the right side open for people rushing to catch trains.
But transport operator SMRT is now encouraging commuters to do something different.
Stand on both sides of the escalator instead of leaving one side open for walking.
The month-long experiment, introduced at City Hall and Raffles Place MRT stations on October 29, aims to improve passenger safety and determine whether fully utilizing escalator steps could reduce congestion.
The concept may sound counterintuitive.
After all, how could preventing commuters from walking past slower passengers actually move more people through a station?
Yet research from London’s Underground network suggests that standing on both sides could increase escalator capacity under certain conditions.
A London trial found an approximately 30% improvement in passenger throughput.
There is just one problem.
Singapore’s commuters appear reluctant to abandon the familiar keep-left practice.
When Channel News Asia interviewed 10 commuters at City Hall MRT station on November 7, every respondent preferred the existing arrangement.
And despite signs and repeated announcements encouraging passengers to stand on both sides, many continued doing exactly what they had always done.
Now, SMRT faces a bigger challenge than changing escalator behavior.
It must convince passengers that a slower individual ride could potentially produce a faster-moving transport system for everyone.
SMRT Launches Month-Long Escalator Experiment at Two Major MRT Stations
The trial officially began on October 29, according to SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai.
It is being conducted at two of Singapore’s busiest and most strategically important rail interchanges:
City Hall MRT Station: A major interchange serving the North-South and East-West lines, with connections to shopping malls, offices and the city centre.
Raffles Place MRT Station: Another North-South and East-West Line interchange serving Singapore’s central business district.
The locations are significant because both stations handle large numbers of passengers, particularly during the morning and evening rush hours.
SMRT hopes the experiment will reveal whether encouraging passengers to occupy both sides of an escalator can improve overall passenger movement.
The operator is also examining the potential safety benefits.
According to Lam, slips, trips and falls remain concerns on escalators.
Standing still could reduce some of the risks associated with walking, overtaking and sudden movements.
However, SMRT has not announced that the traditional keep-left practice has been permanently abolished.
The initiative remains a limited trial.
Its findings will be used to assess whether a wider change could be worthwhile.
New MRT Signs Tell Passengers to Stand on Either Side
Commuters arriving at City Hall MRT station have encountered an unfamiliar message.
Instead of being encouraged to leave the right side clear, passengers are seeing signs inviting them to stand on either side.
The campaign uses the slogan:
“Share A Step, Ease The Flow.”
The Straits Times reported that signs were visible near an escalator leading toward Raffles City shopping mall on November 5.
A standee bearing the SMRT logo showed passengers standing side by side.
A separate yellow sign instructed riders to use either side of the escalator.
Announcements reinforced the message throughout the station.
AsiaOne also reported that the signage had attracted attention online, including discussion on Reddit.
Some social media users supported the new approach, arguing that it could improve crowd management.
Others questioned whether forcing everyone to stand would actually benefit commuters.
The reaction illustrates a familiar problem facing transport planners.
A policy can appear effective in engineering studies but still encounter resistance from people whose daily routines depend on established habits.
All 10 Commuters Interviewed by CNA Preferred the Old Rule
Despite the new signs, the response from passengers has been far from enthusiastic.
CNA observed commuters at City Hall MRT station between 12:20pm and 1pm on Saturday, November 7.
Most continued standing on the left while leaving the right side available for walking.
Some passengers briefly stood on the right when the escalator was less crowded.
But when others approached from behind, they often shifted left.
The behavior suggests that commuters may feel social pressure to follow the familiar arrangement even when official signs encourage something different.
CNA interviewed 10 passengers, and all expressed a preference for keeping the existing practice.
Among them was 70-year-old retiree Doris Lai, who argued that people in a hurry should still be able to walk past those who prefer standing.
She also acknowledged that older passengers and others who need additional support may have legitimate reasons to stand on the right.
A 19-year-old Ngee Ann Polytechnic student, Fana Sualsi, said the keep-left habit had become automatic for her.
Civil servant Ain Zain, 45, explained that being able to walk up escalators helped her reach work on time.
Their responses reflect the main objection to SMRT’s experiment.
Commuters see the open right side as a practical way to save time.
But the transport operator is examining a different question.
Does preserving a fast lane for some passengers create unnecessary waiting for everyone else?
The Surprising Mathematics: Walking Is Faster, but Standing Could Move More People
One of the most important findings in CNA’s reporting concerns the difference between individual travel time and overall escalator capacity.
During its observations at City Hall MRT station, CNA found that commuters walking up the right side took approximately 20 seconds to complete the escalator ride.
Passengers who stood still on the left took about 30 seconds.
That means walking was approximately 10 seconds faster for an individual passenger.
But the numbers become more complicated when queues are included.
CNA observed that some commuters had to wait more than 10 seconds to join the standing queue on the left.
Meanwhile, the right side remained comparatively underused.
Passengers attempting to reach the left-hand queue sometimes obstructed the path of people trying to walk on the right.
The result was an inefficient distribution of space.
Although the walking passengers moved faster once they were on the escalator, people waiting to stand could face additional delays.
This distinction explains the theory behind SMRT’s experiment.
An escalator can move a larger number of people overall even if individual passengers spend longer riding it.
When both sides are filled with standing passengers, fewer steps may go unused.
That could increase the number of people transported per minute during crowded periods.
However, the effect depends on factors such as escalator length, passenger demand, queue organization and compliance.
There is no guarantee that standing on both sides will improve every escalator at every station.
That is precisely why SMRT is conducting a local trial.
London’s Escalator Trial Found Approximately 30% More Capacity
Singapore is not the first major city to challenge traditional escalator etiquette.
In London, transport authorities tested standing on both sides at Holborn Underground station.
The experiment sought to determine whether the established practice of standing on one side and walking on the other was the most efficient way to handle large crowds.
Research presented at the Symposium on Lift and Escalator Technologies in 2016 found that standing on both sides increased escalator capacity by approximately 30%.
The finding was significant because it challenged a common assumption.
Leaving one side open for walking may appear efficient, but it can leave considerable escalator capacity unused.
A standing-only arrangement allows people to occupy both sides more consistently.
The benefits were particularly relevant for longer escalators and heavy passenger demand.
But there is an important limitation.
The London research did not establish statistically significant evidence of improved safety.
And the results cannot automatically be applied to every station in Singapore.
Different stations have different passenger volumes, escalator lengths and crowd behavior.
SMRT must determine whether the overseas results can be reproduced under local conditions.
The 30% improvement is a finding from London, not a confirmed result of Singapore’s ongoing experiment.
Why Walking on Escalators Can Raise Safety Concerns
Safety is another reason transport operators have examined standing-only approaches.
Escalators are continuously moving machines.
Passengers who walk or run may lose their balance, particularly when carrying luggage, using mobile phones or navigating crowded steps.
Overtaking also creates the possibility of contact between passengers.
A person attempting to move quickly past someone standing still may accidentally bump into another commuter.
Falls on escalators can be particularly dangerous for elderly passengers and people with limited mobility.
In announcing the Singapore trial, SMRT identified slips, trips and falls as continuing concerns.
The operator hopes encouraging commuters to stand may reduce risky movements.
However, a potential reduction in risk should not be confused with proof that the new policy has already prevented accidents.
The trial has not yet produced publicly released Singapore-specific safety results.
Moreover, safety outcomes may depend on whether passengers hold the handrail, avoid carrying bulky objects on escalators and follow other established precautions.
Standing on both sides is only one possible part of a broader safety strategy.
Japan Has Already Introduced Escalator Standing Rules
Japan has taken a more formal approach in some areas.
Saitama prefecture introduced rules promoting stationary escalator use in October 2021.
Nagoya followed with its own rules in October 2023.
These initiatives sought to reduce risks associated with walking on escalators.
Nagoya’s regulations require passengers to stand still regardless of which side they occupy.
The idea is that escalators should transport passengers without requiring them to walk or run.
This approach represents a departure from long-standing commuting habits in Japan, where standing arrangements have traditionally varied by region.
Implementation, however, remains challenging.
Even when authorities encourage standing, commuters may continue walking because of social expectations or time pressure.
Japan’s experience therefore offers a lesson for Singapore.
Changing public behavior requires more than installing signs.
It may involve sustained education, consistent announcements and visible participation by other commuters.
People are more likely to change their behavior when they believe those around them will follow the same practice.
Taiwan Changed Its Approach After Crowd-Safety Concerns
Taiwan has also encouraged passengers to stand on both sides of escalators.
Metro authorities began reviewing earlier practices following a crowd surge at a station on New Year’s Eve in 2005.
The incident involved pushing, collisions and injuries.
The experience prompted questions about whether encouraging people to walk on one side contributed to crowd-management challenges.
Transport authorities subsequently promoted standing on both sides as a way to improve safety and passenger movement.
The situation demonstrates that escalator policies are not simply matters of etiquette.
They can be connected to wider station design and crowd-control strategies.
Large numbers of passengers moving through restricted spaces can create dangerous congestion.
Authorities must therefore consider how escalator behavior affects queues, platforms, corridors and station exits.
But local conditions matter.
What works at a crowded interchange in Taipei may not necessarily produce the same result at City Hall or Raffles Place.
South Korea Finds Another Hidden Problem: Uneven Escalator Wear
South Korea is also preparing a campaign encouraging commuters to stand on either side.
Its research highlights a potentially expensive issue: uneven mechanical wear.
According to a government-commissioned study cited by CNA, wear affecting chain wheels and guide rails on one side of escalators was more than 95% higher than on the other side.
The imbalance was associated with maintenance intervals becoming up to 20% shorter and increased repair costs.
These findings suggest that repeatedly placing most passengers on one side could contribute to uneven equipment loading.
However, the figures come from the specific South Korean research and should not be treated as measured conditions on Singapore’s escalators.
Singapore’s transport operator has not confirmed equivalent wear differences at City Hall or Raffles Place.
Still, maintenance costs are an important consideration for public transport networks.
Escalators operate for long hours and must accommodate substantial daily passenger traffic.
Uneven equipment wear can create additional maintenance demands.
Standing on both sides may therefore offer potential operational benefits beyond passenger movement.
The effectiveness of such an approach would depend on escalator design, load distribution, maintenance practices and actual passenger behavior.
Singapore’s MRT Network Is Already Undergoing Major Changes
The escalator trial comes during a broader period of transport improvements across Singapore.
Authorities are investing in network expansion, passenger accessibility and long-term rail reliability.
In September, Singapore’s MRT network reported record performance in a key reliability measure.
As previously reported by WWC ONE MEDIA, Singapore’s MRT network recorded its highest reliability level, although some commuter-focused performance indicators declined slightly.
That development illustrates an important distinction.
A transport network can become more reliable technically while still experiencing challenges involving passenger movement, station congestion and journey convenience.
Escalators are a relatively small part of the overall railway system.
But their effectiveness can influence how quickly passengers move between platforms, concourses and station exits.
Improving train reliability without managing passenger circulation may leave some commuters experiencing frustrating delays.
SMRT’s latest experiment is therefore part of a wider effort to examine not only how trains operate, but also how people move through stations.
Three New MRT Stations Are Opening in December
The trial also coincides with plans for a major expansion of Singapore’s eastern rail network.
Three new MRT stations—Bedok South, Xilin and Sungei Bedok—are scheduled to begin passenger service on December 26, 2026.
The new connections will extend the Thomson-East Coast Line and Downtown Line.
As WWC ONE MEDIA reported in its coverage of the December 26 opening, selected commuters could save up to 25 minutes on certain journeys.
The expansion is expected to improve access to employment centres, residential neighborhoods and interchange stations.
However, additional rail connections also create new demands on passenger-management infrastructure.
As networks grow and passenger movements change, operators must ensure that escalators, lifts, corridors and station exits can handle traffic efficiently.
The SMRT escalator trial is not directly linked to the December station openings.
Nevertheless, both developments reflect the wider importance of improving the passenger experience.
Ageing Commuters Could Benefit From Safer Escalator Practices
The possible safety benefits of SMRT’s trial may be particularly relevant to Singapore’s ageing population.
Some older passengers find walking on escalators difficult or unsafe.
Others need to hold the handrail on a particular side because of mobility limitations.
The traditional keep-left convention may create social pressure when a passenger needs to stand on the right.
Encouraging people to stand on either side could potentially make escalator use more accommodating.
But accessibility involves more than changing etiquette.
Escalators may still be unsuitable for passengers using wheelchairs or certain mobility devices.
Lifts remain essential for people who cannot safely use moving stairs.
Singapore’s Land Transport Authority has been studying broader ways to improve the travel experience for older adults and people with cognitive difficulties.
As explained in WWC ONE MEDIA’s report on LTA’s plans for an ageing population, transport officials are examining how public spaces can better support passengers living with dementia and other age-related challenges.
The escalator trial addresses a different operational problem, but both initiatives raise a common question.
How can public transport systems accommodate passengers with different physical capabilities and travel needs?
A system designed primarily around the fastest commuters may not always deliver the safest or most inclusive experience.
Can Singaporeans Really Change Their Escalator Habits?
The biggest obstacle may not be engineering.
It may be human behavior.
Singapore’s keep-left escalator convention has become deeply ingrained.
Many passengers follow the practice automatically without consciously thinking about it.
Some consider leaving the right side open a courtesy to people who are rushing.
Others regard standing on the right as inconsiderate.
Changing that expectation requires a shift in collective behavior.
A passenger who stands on the right may feel uncomfortable if other commuters expect to walk past.
That pressure can encourage people to return to the old arrangement even when signs recommend otherwise.
CNA’s observations demonstrate this challenge.
Some passengers initially stood on the right but moved left when others approached.
A 60-year-old commuter interviewed by CNA suggested that Singaporeans might change their behavior if the new approach became an official rule.
But he also questioned whether the trial instructions were mandatory or merely advisory.
His uncertainty highlights another issue for SMRT.
Commuters need to understand exactly what the operator expects.
At present, the signs encourage a different practice during a trial.
They do not establish that passengers are legally required to stand on both sides across Singapore’s MRT system.
Clear communication will be essential if the operator eventually decides to expand the approach.
What Happens When the Month-Long Trial Ends?
SMRT has said it will study commuter behavior and passenger movement throughout the experiment.
The trial began on October 29 and is scheduled to run for approximately one month.
The operator has not publicly committed to introducing a permanent nationwide standing-only policy.
Possible considerations include passenger throughput, queue lengths, accident risks and willingness to follow the new approach.
However, SMRT has not released a complete list of performance indicators or announced a specific threshold that would determine whether the trial succeeds.
Several outcomes remain possible.
The operator could retain the existing escalator convention.
It could extend the trial.
It could encourage standing on both sides only at certain busy escalators.
Or it could eventually recommend wider changes if local evidence demonstrates meaningful benefits.
Those possibilities are scenarios, not confirmed decisions.
For now, passengers should follow the guidance displayed at individual stations while exercising caution and respecting other users.
Why This Experiment Matters Beyond Singapore
The debate raises a broader question about how modern cities manage public infrastructure.
People often judge transport efficiency based on their own experience.
A commuter who can walk up an escalator in 20 seconds may naturally prefer that option over standing for 30 seconds.
But transport planners must consider how many passengers can move through a system over a given period.
The two goals do not always align.
A faster journey for one passenger can sometimes reduce total capacity if the arrangement leaves infrastructure underused.
Conversely, increasing overall capacity may require some passengers to give up an individual convenience.
That tension applies to many aspects of urban transport.
Road lanes, boarding procedures, train doors and station queues all involve trade-offs between individual movement and collective efficiency.
The SMRT trial offers a small but revealing example.
A simple change in where passengers stand could affect how an entire station manages crowds.
But achieving the desired benefits may require commuters to reconsider habits they have followed for years.
The Bottom Line: Singapore’s Escalator Debate Is About More Than Standing Left or Right
SMRT’s experiment at City Hall and Raffles Place MRT stations is challenging one of Singapore’s most familiar commuting habits.
The operator wants to determine whether encouraging passengers to stand on both sides can improve escalator safety and increase capacity.
Overseas research offers reasons to investigate the idea.
London’s Holborn trial found approximately 30% higher escalator throughput.
Japanese cities have introduced standing rules to improve safety.
Taiwan has promoted changes after crowd-management concerns.
And South Korean research has identified potential maintenance problems associated with uneven escalator use.
But these findings do not guarantee that Singapore will experience the same results.
The trial is still underway.
Local commuter behavior remains a major obstacle.
All 10 passengers interviewed by CNA preferred retaining the established keep-left convention, and station observations showed many continuing to follow it despite the new signage.
The coming weeks will help SMRT assess whether the approach is practical.
For commuters, the debate comes down to a simple trade-off.
Walking may help an individual reach the top faster.
But standing on both sides could allow more people to use an escalator at once.
And as Singapore tests whether a decades-old habit should finally change, one question remains: Could giving up the right-side walking lane actually save everyone time—or will commuters refuse to surrender the convenience they have relied on for years?
