Re: Request for Access to Information (No. 62/19)

[Simon H WANG]

Dear Miss Chim

             I’m writing to follow up on the captioned matter and hope the department could collect information from MTR and answer the following questions under Code on Access to information:

1) Regarding the passenger-on-track incidents, please provide the figure for 2019 if available and the number of deaths caused by the incidents each year in 2016-19.

2) why are screen doors still not installed in East Rail Line? I remembered the MTR staff answered my earlier enquiry suggesting that the delay was related to issues of Shatin-Central line. Please provide more information.

3) When can the public expect the screen doors to be installed? Please provide a tentative timeline if available.

4) Currently, part of the platforms in East Rail Line stations is not covered and passengers may get wet when boarding and leaving the trains during heavy rain (see attached picture)

. Will the platforms be renovated to protect passengers against heavy rain?

I could have asked MTR these questions directly but the company refused to provide me an email address for communication and I found its online form inconvenient to use. I’m writing to request an MTR staff member to email me directly for further discussion on these matters so the government staff won’t be bothered until it is necessary. Thanks for your assistance.

Yours sincerely 

Simon Wang

On Fri, 24 May 2019 at 17:09, Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM <dorot...@td.gov.hk> wrote:

Dear Mr Wang,

Further to our emails of 18.4.2019 and 2.5.2019 below, our reply is provided below.

In the past three years, the number of passenger-on-track incidents at East Rail Line (“EAL”) were 37 (2016), 33 (2017) and 47 (2018) respectively.  For retrofitting of automatic platform gates (“APGs”) on EAL, strengthening works of platform of EAL has been substantially completed.  To ensure the APGs installed along the stations of EAL will match with the locations of the new train doors, the retrofitting works of APGs will commence after the replacement of the new 9-car trains upon the full commissioning of Tai Wai to Hung Hom Section of the Shatin-to-Central Link.

Meanwhile, the MTR Corporation Limited (“MTRCL”) has taken various measures to ensure the safety of passenger waiting on the platform, including but not limited to installing the platform gap fillers to narrow the gap between the train and platform, installing the illumination and flashing light at the platform, installing yellow tactile strips along the platform edges to remind passenger not to stand beyond the yellow line and broadcasting public announcement on the platform and train compartment to remind passengers to mind the platform gaps.

Apart from the above facilities and measures, MTRCL has also adopted crowd control management by deploying station assistants to facilitate the smooth operations and safety of the boarding and alighting situation of passengers.  The frontline staff of EAL are trained to handle the emergency incidents and offer assistance to the passengers in need to avoid the occurrence of passenger-on-track incidents as far as possible.  

Thank you for your concern about the above matters.


Yours sincerely,

Miss Dorothy Chim
for Commissioner for Transport


----- Forwarded by Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM/TD/HKSARG on 24/05/2019 17:00 -----

From:        Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM/TD/HKSARG
To:        simo...@hkbu.edu.hk,
Date:        02/05/2019 18:01
Subject:        Request for Access to Information (No. 62/19)

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Dear Mr Wang,

Further to our email of 18.4.2019 below, please be informed that we are still following up the case with the party concerned.  According to paragraph 1.18 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before 1.6.2019.  In the meantime, please contact me at 2829 5236 if you have any enquiry.

Your understanding in this matter is much appreciated.


Yours sincerely,

Miss Dorothy Chim
for Commissioner for Transport

----- Forwarded by Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM/TD/HKSARG on 02/05/2019 17:58 -----

From:        Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM/TD/HKSARG
To:        simo...@hkbu.edu.hk,
Date:        18/04/2019 17:56
Subject:        Request for Access to Information (No. 62/19)

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Dear Mr Wang,

Our department has received your application for access to information on 12.4.2019.  Your application is now under processing.  According to paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before 2.5.2019.  In the meantime, please contact me if you have any enquiry.

You may note that case no. 62/19 is assigned to your request.  Thank you.


Yours sincerely,

Miss Dorothy Chim
for Commissioner for Transport

----- Forwarded by Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM/TD/HKSARG on 18/04/2019 17:54 -----

From:        <ap...@euicc.hksarg>
To:        <ap...@euicc.hksarg>,
Date:        12.04.2019 19:15
Subject:        CEU00011904121983347CF
       

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Case Type:                 Enquiry

Name:                 Simon Wang

Email:                 simo...@hkbu.edu.hk

Location:
,Kowloon Tong

Map:                 http://maps.google.com.hk/maps?ie=UTF8&z=19&q=loc:22.337605,114.175470

Details:
I’m writing to express my concern over the safety of Kowloon Tong platform of East Rail Line. Without the screen doors, the risk of passengers falling into the tracks is higher than with the protection of screen doors. The picture was taken during the rush hours on a Friday. The situation could be much worse during the evenings before public holidays.   I’d like know under Code on Access to Information 1) how many incidents of passengers falling into tracks occurred along East Rail line in the past 3 years; 2) when will the MTR install the screen doors for East Rail line; 3) What measures are in place to ensure the safety of passengers without screen door protection? 4) What protocols are in place for the MTR to implement crowd control when the control is necessary for ensuring the safety of the passengers?  Thanks in advance for your information and your efforts to keep MTR safe.
[Location information: Latitude=22.337605,Longitude=114.175470,Address=,Kowloon Tong]

Transaction Ref:                 CEU00011904121983347CF

Original Transaction Ref:                

Transaction Time:                 2019-04-12 19:00:09

Tel No.:                

Best Time to Call:                

File upload:                 Yes

Input Channel:                 IPHONE

Additional Info: Latitude=22.337605,Longitude=114.175470,Address=,Kowloon Tong[attachment "File_1.png" deleted by Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM/TD/HKSARG] [attachment "EU-1823.pdf" deleted by Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM/TD/HKSARG]

--

Simon Wang, Ph.D.

Lecturer

Language Centre 

Hong Kong Baptist University 

Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong 

http://lc.hkbu.edu.hk/staff_simon.php  

Writing for the Public Project 

https://sites.google.com/a/hkbu.edu.hk/write4public/home

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[Simon H WANG]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM <dorot...@td.gov.hk>
Date: Thu, Jul 9, 2020 at 5:31 PM
Subject: Request for Access to Information (No. 164/20)
To: Simon H WANG <simo...@hkbu.edu.hk>

Dear Mr Wang,

Our department has received your requests for access to information dated 3.7.2020.  Your application is now under processing.  According to paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before 23.7.2020.  You may note that case no. 164/20 is assigned to your request.

In the meantime, if you have any enquiry, please contact me at 3842 5574.

Thank you.


Yours sincerely,

Miss Dorothy Chim
for Commissioner for Transport

[GE capstone Take a Stand]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Dorothy Shuk Kwan CHIM <dorot...@td.gov.hk>
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2020 at 19:07

Subject: Request for Access to Information (No. 164/20)

To: <simo...@hkbu.edu.hk>

Dear Mr Wang,

I refer to your email dated 3 July 2020.  Further to our interim reply on 9 July 2020, our formal reply is provided below.

The number of passenger-on-track incidents at East Rail Line (“EAL”) in 2019 was 46.  The number of fatal passenger-on-track incidents at EAL from 2016 to 2019 were 3, 4, 6 and 6 respectively.

Before commencement of the retrofitting of automatic platform gates (“APGs”) on EAL, platforms have to be strengthened and equipment rooms for the relevant signalling system and facilities have to be constructed. These preparatory works are substantially complete and some early works for the retrofitting are underway.  Because the locations of the doors of the existing trains and the new 9-car trains are different, in order to make the APGs along the EAL match with the new locations of the train doors, the retrofitting works can only commence after the EAL is operated entirely by new 9-car trains.

Currently, some of the parts of the platforms in East Rail Line Stations are already covered which were included in the original design. For the enhancement projects of platform cover, maintaining a safe and acceptable distance between the extended roof and the Overhead Line (i.e. the power supply cable suspended in the air over track) was one of the major constraints of carrying out the enhancement projects of the platform roof.  Hence, MTRCL has no plan for extending the platform roof at the moment.

For direct communication with MTRCL, you may write to GPO Box 9916 Hong Kong, fax to 2795 9991, call the MTR Hotline 2881 8888 or contact station staff at any MTR station.  More details are available in the following website: https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/main/feedback.php.

Thank you for your concerns on the above matters.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Dorothy Chim
for Commissioner for Transport