Tuas West most viable site for planned rail terminal, say experts

On Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong named three possible locations -- Tuas West, Jurong East and the city centre -- for the terminal of the planned high-speed rail link between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. 

Tuas West will be the most viable location for the proposed high-speed rail terminal in Singapore, say experts.

This is due to its proximity to Malaysia and greater availability of space.

On Monday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong named three possible locations -- Tuas West, Jurong East and the city centre -- for the terminal of the planned high-speed rail link between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Tuas West is currently an industrial area, with ample space for more development.

Experts said that means a higher chance to locate Singapore's end station of the high-speed rail.

Proximity to Malaysia is another plus point for Tuas West.

Prof Lee Der-Horng, from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at theNational University of Singapore, said: "As we know Jurong East is further into Singapore, so we have to consider what kind of connection we want to have for this high-speed rail connection. Should we go by the tunnel, or should we go by the ground line?

"By considering the overall construction cost and also the time involved, to put it at Tuas West definitely will save construction costs and definitely shorten the construction time."

Experts said the end station's connectivity to the rest of Singapore must also be examined.

The government had earlier announced the Tuas West MRT extension, which will see the existing East-West Line being extended.

It is set to be completed in 2016.

Should the end station be located at Tuas West, some property analysts say there could be potential to develop several shopping malls or commercial buildings in the area to also cater to the needs of travellers.

But whether or not the human traffic will be enough to sustain those businesses is another factor to consider.

So another option may be to have some shops or food outlets within the station itself.

Mr Nicholas Mak, executive director of Research & Consultancy at SLP International Property Consultants, said: "In Tuas West at the moment, there is no existing population catchment. So next to the malls, the government may actually have to think about rezoning some of the industrial land for residential development."

As for Jurong East, experts said its built-up location may pose a challenge, especially since the station and possibly a depot for train maintenance will take up a large area.

This is despite current facilities in the area bringing convenience to travellers.

They said the chances for the station being in the city centre are even slimmer due to the lack of space and construction costs.

The high-speed rail link is expected to be completed in 2020. 

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