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Following is a question by the Hon Tam Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the Legislative Council meeting today (December 2):
Question:
It has been reported that recently quite a number of members of the public took a wrong step while using the train services of the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), resulting in injuries as their feet were caught in the gap between the MTR station platform and the train compartment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:
(a) the current number of MTR stations in which MTRCL has installed plastic fillers at the edge of the platforms, and the reduction in the width of the gaps between those platforms and the train compartment after the installation of the plastic fillers;
(b) the number of accidents in each of the past three years involving passengers' feet being caught in the gap between the MTR station platform and the train compartment; and among such cases, the number of those which occurred at platforms already installed with plastic fillers;
(c) the current progress of the trial of the Mechanical Gap Filler system being carried out by MTRCL; and whether MTRCL plans to install the system at all those stations where the platform gaps are relatively wide; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(d) if MTRCL plans to increase the number of staff at the eight at-grade/above-ground MTR stations where automatic platform gates have not yet been retrofitted, as well as at other stations with wide platform gaps, so as to step up efforts to maintain order and safeguard the safety of passengers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
For the various parts of the question, our reply is set out below:
(a) The railway lines currently operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) include the Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Island Line, Tung Chung Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, Disneyland Resort Line, East Rail Line, Ma On Shan Line, West Rail Line and the Airport Express, totalling 84 MTR stations and 215 platforms. For the Light Rail, there are 68 stops with 159 platforms. MTRCL has already installed platform gap fillers at the edge of 253 platforms to narrow the gap between the platform and the train compartment (gaps have been narrowed down by varying widths between 24mm and 100mm). MTRCL has also installed flash lights in a row at the edges of 4 other platforms. The flash lights not only narrow the platform gaps down by 30mm but also help passengers pay more attention to the gaps. As the remaining platform gaps are relatively narrow, no retrofitting of platform gap fillers or flash lights is necessary.
(b) At present, the total annual patronage of the MTR network stands at 1.4 billion. The number of incidents in each of the past three years involving platform gaps in the MTR system (including the pre-merger East Rail Line, West Rail Line and Light Rail) are as follows:
Year Total number Of which took place
of incidents at platform equipped with
platform gap fillers
2007 199 66
2008 204 70
2009 155 66
(Up to end of Oct)
(c) The design of the existing station platforms in the railway system is safe. At locations where the gap between the platform and the train is relatively wide, MTRCL has already taken measures, including installing platform gap fillers to narrow the gap and making public announcements on platforms and in train compartments in Cantonese, Putonghua and English to remind passengers to mind the platform gaps. MTRCL also conducts education activities from time to time to raise the safety awareness of the public. Moreover, flashing lights have been installed at the edge of all curved platforms on the East Rail Line so that passengers can pay special attention to the gaps between the platforms and the trains.
The pre-merger Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, in studying the feasibility of retrofitting Automatic Platform Gates (APGs) at platforms along the East Rail Line, considered that as gaps are relatively wide at some stations with curved platforms, installing APGs may instead cause sight line obstructions to the wide platform gaps. Therefore, MTRCL has to first conduct a trial on the Mechanical Gap Filler (MGF) System. The Corporation has no plan to install MGFs in other railway lines.
MTRCL's trial of the MGF System at Lo Wu Station has ended in October 2009. MTRCL is now collating and analyzing test data to assess the system of its performance and implication on train service. It is estimated that the comprehensive review will be completed in late 2009 or early 2010.
(d) MTRCL has decided to retrofit APGs at eight at-grade and above-ground stations, namely Kwai Fong, Kwai Hing, Tsuen Wan, Kowloon Bay, Ngau Tau Kok, Kwun Tong, Chai Wan and Heng Fa Chuen Stations. Retrofitting works will be completed within 2011, one year ahead of schedule. As mentioned in part (c) above, MTRCL has adopted measures to narrow the platform gaps and remind passengers to mind the platform gaps. In addition, MTRCL is already deploying about 500 staff during peak hours at all station platforms* to patrol and help passengers with boarding and alighting, and to maintain order.
*As regards the Light Rail, MTRCL arranges for staff to patrol a group of stops.
Ends/Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:57
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