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Following is a question by the Hon Tang Ka-piu and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, at the Legislative Council meeting today (July 2):
Question:
Recently, some groups for persons with disabilities (PWDs) have relayed to me their views on the facilities and services provided at MTR stations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has required the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) to provide specified barrier-free facilities at various stations; if so, of the details; if not, how the authorities monitor the provision of barrier-free facilities at MTR stations; whether it knows if MTRCL holds regular meetings with representatives from PWD groups to listen to their views on the barrier-free facilities at the stations; if MTRCL does, of the details;
(2) whether it knows the current situation of installation of lifts connecting the station concourse and the street level (concourse/street-level lifts) at MTR stations (set out in the table below):
Situation of Name of Expected Progress of
provision of Station completion works
concourse/ date of or/and
street-level works difficulties
lifts encountered
------------- ------- ---------- ------------
(i) No need N/A N/A
for
installation
as the
station
concourse is
located at
street level
(ii) Already N/A N/A
provided
(iii)
Installation
works in
progress
(iv)
Installation
works yet
to commence
(3) as the proposed works to install concourse/street-level lift at the Admiralty Station will be carried out as part of the South Island Line project, but recently there has been delay in the works of the South Island Line at the Admiralty Station, whether it knows if the concourse/ street-level lift at that station will be available for use in 2015 as scheduled;
(4) whether it knows when the proposal of retrofitting a concourse/street-level lift at the Fortress Hill Station will be implemented, and when the relevant works will commence;
(5) whether it knows if MTRCL will consider deploying platform assistants to assist PWDs in boarding and alighting trains, including helping wheelchairs to cross the platform gap and calling on other passengers to make room or passage for PWDs, as well as providing platform assistants with relevant training and guidelines;
(6) given that at present MTRCL can provide movable ramps for connecting the platform and the train to facilitate wheelchairs crossing wider platform gaps, whether it knows how long in advance a wheelchair user has to make a booking for such a service; as some PWD groups have relayed that quite a number of wheelchair users are not aware of such a service, whether it knows if MTRCL will step up publicity on the service; as it has been reported that owing to the limited time for each train stopping at a station, MTRCL staff can provide such a service to only one wheelchair user for each train stopping at the station, whether it knows if MTRCL will consider providing additional movable ramps and relevant manpower at individual stations where there is a need; of the current maximum number of wheelchairs that can be accommodated in a train compartment with a multi-purpose area;
(7) given that currently, MTRCL disseminates information on unforeseen incidents or delays in train services mainly through the public announcement systems in MTR stations, whether it knows if MTRCL will consider displaying such information on the display panels at train platforms and concourses as well, in order to facilitate persons with hearing impairment;
(8) as it has been reported that MTRCL previously considered the plan to retrofit flash lights at the top of the platform screen doors to signal that the screen doors are about to close in order to facilitate persons with hearing impairment, but there are views that flash lights are likely to induce seizures among epileptics, whether it knows the latest development of the plan, and if MTRCL has explored solutions which can balance the needs of these two types of people; and
(9) given that some groups for persons with visual impairment have pointed out that different railway lines are currently using different buzzer sounds for signalling the opening and closing of train doors, and that the close proximity of the upward-moving and downward-moving escalators at some stations has resulted in mingling of their warning sounds, whether it knows if MTRCL will consider standardising the buzzer sounds and setting a minimum distance between upward-moving and downward-moving escalators, in order to facilitate persons with visual impairment?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon TANG Ka-piu is as follows:
(1) At present, there is at least one barrier-free access in every MTR station to facilitate the mobility impaired to enter and exit. These accesses are equipped with passenger lifts, wheelchair aids, stair lifts or ramps. The MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) strives to, as far as practically feasible, install at each station one lift connecting the concourse and street-level (Note 1). Facilities catering for the different needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs) are at Annex.
MTRCL points out that the Corporation has been conducting half-yearly communication meetings with disabled groups for many years to thoroughly understand their needs for station facilities and services. Besides, MTRCL also joins the meetings of the Working Group on Access to Public Transport by People with Disabilities regularly (Note 2) held by the Transport Department to understand PWDs' demand for and views on public transport services, and takes follow-up actions as necessary. The Government has been working closely with various public transport operators and encouraging them to make continual improvement in their facilities for PWDs for their convenient access to public transport.
(2) The situation of installation of lifts connecting concourse and street-level at various MTR stations is as follows:
Situation Name of station
of installation
of lifts
connecting
concourse
and street-level
------------------ ----------------
(i) stations Hung Hom, Mong Kok East,
with at-grade Tai Wai, Sha Tin,
concourses or Tai Po Market, Tai Wo,
provided with Fanling, Sheung Shui,
ramps for wheelchair Tai Wai, Sha Tin Wai,
access and therefore City One, Shek Mun,
do not require lifts; Ma On Shan, Wu Kai Sha,
or stations which AsiaWorld-Expo, Airport,
can be accessed via Sunny Bay,
lifts of nearby mall Disneyland Resort,
or stations (Note 3) Tsim Sha Tsui, Chai Wan,
Heng Fa Chuen,
Quarry Bay, Lok Fu,
Choi Hung, Ngau Tau Kok,
Lam Tin, Tiu Keng Leng,
Tseung Kwan O, Hang Hau,
Kwai Fong, Kwai Hing,
Tsuen Wan, Tung Chung,
Kam Sheung Road and
all Light Rail stops
(ii) already Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau,
installed Fo Tan, University,
Kowloon Tong,
Che Kung Temple,
Tai Shui Hang, Heng On,
Yau Tong, LOHAS Park,
Po Lam, Pui To (Note 4)
Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay,
Wong Tai Sin,
Shek Kip Mei, Tai Koo,
Causeway Bay, Wan Chai,
Central, Sheung Wan,
Hong Kong (Airport
Express),
Kowloon (Airport Express),
Tsing Yi (Airport
Express), North Point,
East Tsim Sha Tsui,
Jordan, Mong Kok,
Cheung Sha Wan,
Sham Shui Po, Mei Foo,
Lai King, Tai Wo Hau,
Hong Kong (Tung
Chung Line), Kowloon (Tung
Chung Line),
Tsing Yi (Tung Chung
Line),
Olympic, Lai King,
Tsing Yi, Austin,
Nam Cheong, Mei Foo,
Tsuen Wan West, Yuen Long,
Long Ping, Tin Shui Wai,
Siu Hong, Tuen Mun
The latest progress of lift installation at eight stations not yet retrofitted with lifts is set out below:
Station Progress (anticipated operation date)
------- -------------------------------------
Prince Works in progress (first half of 2015)
Edward
Yau Ma Works in progress (first half of 2016)
Tei
Shau Kei Works in progress (first half of 2016)
Wan
Sai Wan Works in progress (first half of 2016)
Ho
Admiralty Installation works to be carried out
alongside the construction works of
the South Island Line (East)
Diamond Installation works to be carried out
Hill alongside the construction works of the
Shatin to Central Link
Fortress MTRCL is discussing works details and
Hill temporary traffic arrangements with
relevant government departments;
details in part (4) below
(latter half of 2018)
Tin Hau Being studied. MTRCL has studied
many different options, but yet to
identify a suitable location for
the lift due to geographical,
ownership and technical constraints.
MTRCL is still striving to look for
a feasible option for retrofitting
lift at the station.
Besides, MTRCL will provide one additional lift at each of the three stations below. Installation works have commenced. The anticipated operation dates are as follows:
Station Anticipated operation date
-------- ---------------------------
Lai Chi first half of 2015
Kok
Tsim Sha latter half of 2015
Tsui
Lai King first half of 2016
(3) A lift connecting the station concourse with street-level and the podium of Harcourt Garden will be retrofitted at Admiralty Station. Indeed, the retrofitting works is carried out in tandem with the construction works of the South Island Line (East). Currently, there is a delay of about six months for the South Island Line (East), failing to meet the line commissioning date in 2015 as expected. Therefore, the works for the lift will also experience the same delay. MTRCL will update the latest progress of the project by the end of this year.
(4) MTRCL points out that it plans to extend the two existing lifts adjacent to entrance/exit A and connecting street-level with mid-level downwards to the underground concourse of the Fortress Hill Station. During the modification works, the Corporation has to demolish the existing lift towers, carry out rock excavation to construct a lift shaft of approximate 10 metres deep and an underground adit of about 20 metres in length, and then reinstate the lift towers.
To facilitate works and ensure safety during construction, services of the two existing Government-owned lifts adjacent to the above entrance/exit and connecting street-level with mid-level will be temporarily suspended. MTRCL is discussing works details and temporary traffic arrangements with relevant government departments. Proper mitigation measures will be implemented by the Corporation to minimise impact of the works to the neighbourhood and surroundings.
The works at Fortress Hill Station, relatively large in scope, are expected to take more than three years. It is estimated that the works will commence in early 2015 for completion in the latter half of 2018.
(5) MTRCL provides suitable training to station staff so that they can use portable ramps appropriately and safely to help wheelchair users board and alight train, and contact staff of the relevant interchange and destination stations according to the passengers' destinations to prepare for the arrival of passengers on wheelchair and provide them with appropriate assistance.
(6) At present, there is more than one multi-purpose area on average on each train for all railway lines. Each multi-purpose area can hold more than one wheelchair. In general, if wheelchair users do not need assistance from MTR staff, they can freely board and alight train and use all multi-purpose areas on each train at their own preference. Should wheelchair users need assistance from MTR staff to board or alight train, they can contact station staff anytime. However, each train can only accommodate one wheelchair user who needs staff assistance on board. This is because whenever there are emergency incidents, or when that particular passenger has emergency needs and has to alight the train earlier but when the station may not be the destination of that passenger, the train captain can only assist one wheelchair user. MTRCL conveys that it will enhance promotion of barrier-free facilities currently available at MTR stations.
(7) Currently, Service Information Panels are installed next to entry gates in all MTR stations. Commuters are provided with all kinds of passenger information including that of train emergency incidents or service delays.
(8) MTRCL points out that currently the indicator lights at the top of platform screen doors aim to enable station staff to monitor the closed/open status of the platform screen doors instead of giving indication to passengers. MTRCL is studying ways of indication to facilitate the hearing impaired, so that they are notified when the train doors are closing. As the facility concerned may affect passengers or other facilities, MTRCL has yet to come up with any decision at the moment. Indeed, the present duration for trains to stop at stations is adequate for passenger boarding and alighting. MTRCL has advised passengers all along to pay particular attention to the status of train doors when boarding and alighting trains. Passengers should stop when the train doors are closing.
(9) MTRCL plans to standardise the buzzer sounds for signalling the opening and closing of train doors of all railway lines. A feasibility study is currently taking place. Besides, the design, direction of sound source, and location of the indication buzzers of escalators were determined years ago with disabled groups after site inspection, testing and enhancement. PWDs can put forward suggestions to MTRCL should they now consider any particular area with room for improvement. MTRCL says that it is pleased to follow up on any concrete suggestions that are feasible and desirable.
Note 1: Excluding stations with at-grade concourses where lifts connecting street-level and concourse are not required.
Note 2: About once every three to four months.
Note 3: At present, passengers may use the lift at East Tsim Sha Tsui Station to access Tsim Sha Tsui Station from street-level.
Note 4: The concourse of Light Rail Pui To Stop is connected with a nearby mall. Passengers travelling between street-level and concourse may use lift(s) either at the mall or at the stop.
Ends/Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:43
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