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Following is a question by the Hon Howard Young and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (March 7) :
Question :
The original intention of constructing the Airport Express is to provide direct and efficient transport services for people travelling to and from the airport. However, since the opening of the AsiaWorld-Expo adjacent to the airport, the patronage of the Airport Express has increased, especially when exhibitions or other activities are held in the AsiaWorld-Expo. As the Airport Express trains are often already fully packed with passengers when they leave the AsiaWorld-Expo Station, this causes inconvenience to people who intend to leave the airport by Airport Express trains at the next station (i.e. the Airport Station). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows if the MTR Corporation Limited has any measures to ensure providing adequate Airport Express train services for the priority use of people travelling to and from the airport?
Reply :
Madam President,
The Airport Express Line (AEL) has been extended to the AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) in the Hong Kong International Airport from December 2005 to serve passengers patronising the exhibition centre.
With the anticipated increase in AEL patronage arising from the operation of AWE, AEL trains (including one baggage car) have been converted from 7-car to 8-car trains, enhancing the maximum carrying capacity from 3,000 to 3,500 passengers per hour per direction. The MTR Corporation Limited has also put in place the following measures to meet the additional passenger demand generated when various events are held at AWE to ensure that passengers that need to board the trains at the Airport Station (AIR) will not be affected.
When major events, such as exhibitions and shows etc are held at AWE, AEL services will be enhanced by deploying additional AEL trains and, if situation requires, MTR Tung Chung Line trains of larger capacity, to serve passengers to and from AWE, thus enabling train frequency to be enhanced from 12-minute to 7-minute to meet passenger demand. This will provide a maximum carrying capacity up to 11,700 passengers per hour per direction, which is nearly triple that of the capacity of normal AEL services.
In addition, in order to ensure that AIR passengers can board trains at AIR when major events are held at AWE, two to three cars of each AEL train will be reserved at the AWE Station for AIR passengers. Station staff will also closely monitor the actual situation at AIR and more cars can be reserved at the AWE Station in order to cope with any high passenger demand at AIR.
According to the Corporation's observation, the above measures have been operating well in coping with the maximum passenger flow of AWE Station. For example, on January 17, 2007, over 5,700 passengers entered AWE Station after a full house concert in AWE. Most passengers were able to board the first arriving AEL train at AIR, except for a few who wished to take a preferred seat in the AEL trains. According to the Corporation, since the opening of the AWE Station they have received a total of four complaints by AEL passengers regarding the slight adjustment in the train schedule of the AEL because of the activities at AWE.
The Corporation will continue to closely monitor the passenger flow at AIR and AWE Stations to ensure the provision of efficient AEL service for all passengers.
Ends/Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:40
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