Hong Kong MTR track intrusion prompts calls for tougher penalties, education
Stranded passengers at Tai Wai station following a suspension of MTR services on Friday.
Photo: Edmond So Hong Kong railway experts have called for heavier penalties and increased publicity to prevent the misuse of emergency exits on trains after a recent intrusion incident on the MTR East Rail line track that caused more than two hours of disruption during evening rush hour.
The experts also cast doubt on a lawmaker’s proposal to make emergency doors less accessible, saying the move could compromise passenger safety.
A preliminary investigation found that a passenger had opened the emergency exit ramp in the rear driver’s cabin of a train that was travelling northbound from Kowloon Tong station to Tai Wai station.
The man, 35, was later found inside the tunnel near a Kowloon Tong station exit.
He had suffered an electric shock.
By Saturday afternoon, he was still in a critical condition in Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin.
Legislative Council transport panel member Michael Lee Chun-keung of the Liberal Party suggested a cover – similar to a fire alarm call point – be mounted to house the emergency exit handle. “To use the door, it is necessary to knock it off first.
It will then become an automatic barrier to improper use.
And at the same time, it can be removed easily and without injury in case of real emergency,” Lee said.
He also said more sensors should be installed so that an alarm was triggered to alert not only the driver but also the staff in the nearby stations in case of unauthorised access. “We need to take a balanced approach as misuse or unauthorised access could cause very serious service disruption.
The whole community will suffer,” he said.
The man who opened the train emergency exit was later found to have suffered an electric shock inside the tunnel and was sent to Prince of Wales Hospital.
Photo: Jelly Tse Smart Transportation Alliance director Gary Zhang Xinyu, a former lawmaker who had also worked as an MTR station manager, expressed reservations about Lee’s ideas, calling instead for heavier penalties. “The emergency exits are designed to allow passengers to open them on their own in a serious situation without the need of assistance by staff.
They are meant to be easily accessible to any passenger,” he said. “But opening them outside an emergency constitutes vandalism and is subject to prosecution.” According to MTR by-laws, anyone found to have improperly used emergency equipment is liable to a fine of HK$5,000 (US
原文链接: 南华早报