Station gaps cause an injury every 2 days
Every two days a passenger on the MTR system is injured by having a foot or leg caught in the gap between the station platform and the train, says Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng.
Some 199 incidents were reported in 2007, 204 last year and 155 between January and October this year, according to Cheng, in response to questions from lawmakers.
Nearly 30 per cent, or 202 cases, took place on platforms equipped with platform-gap fillers.
In 2007, 66 of the accidents took place on platforms equipped with platform-gap fillers. The figure was 70 last year and 66 in the first 10 months of this year.
Cheng said that when studying the feasibility of fitting automatic platform gates on platforms along the East Rail Line, MTR Corporation officials had found that gaps were relatively wide at some stations with curved platforms.
Installing automatic platform gates might make it harder to see the wide platform gaps, she said, and therefore the corporation first had to conduct a trial on the mechanical gap-filler system.
The trial of the mechanical gap-filler system, which was staged at Lo Wu station, ended in October, and the MTR was now analysing test data to assess its performance and implications for train services, Cheng said. A comprehensive review is due to be completed by the end of this year or early next year.
Cheng said the MTR had decided to fit automatic platform gates at eight above-ground stations, despite it being more difficult to fit the gates at such stations.
The stations are Kwai Fong, Kwai Hing, Tsuen Wan, Kowloon Bay, Ngau Tau Kok, Kwun Tong, Chai Wan and Heng Fa Chuen.
Installation will be completed by the end of 2011.
She said the MTR had also engaged 500 staff during peak hours across all station platforms to help passengers with boarding and alighting, and to maintain order.
On November 23, a 75-year-old British tourist was injured when she stepped from her carriage into a 10cm gap between her train and the platform at Admiralty MTR station and became trapped.
