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FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2838
OF 26103OZ JULY 88
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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT:
ACCIDENTS
D
IND:
26 JUL 1988
"FIER
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REGISTRY
Action Taken
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THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM (LRT), WHICH WILL SERVE THE NORTH-WEST NEW TERRITORIES, IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG, OPERATING AT STREET LEVEL WITH OVER 95 PERCENT OF ITS TRACK BEING SEGREGATED FROM OTHER ROAD VEHICLES. THE LRT IS ORIGINALLY
SCHEDULED TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON 8 AUGUST 1988.
2. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE TEST RUNS OF THE VEHICLES IN MARCH 1988 A TOTAL OF 11 ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THE LATEST ACCIDENT, WHICH OCCURRED ON 25 JULY 1988, INVOLVED THE COLLISION BETWEEN A LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE AND A LIGHT GOODS VEHICLE AT A SIGNALISED JUNCTION, CAUSING ONE DEATH AND FOUR INJURIES. VICTIM WAS A BOY OF EIGHT YEARS OLD.
THE
3. THE LATEST INCIDENT HAS ACCENTUATED PUBLIC ANXIETY OVER THE
SAFETY OF THE LRT AND ITS OPERATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS. THE GOVERNMENT
HAS THEREFORE DECIDED TO APPOINT MR ALAN COOKSEY, THE DEPUTY CHIEF INSPECTING OFFICER FROM THE UK DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT, CURRENTLY IN HONG KONG TO EXAMINE THE OVERALL OPERATION AND SAFETY OF THE LRT SYSTEM BEFORE ITS OPENING, TO HEAD AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE ACCIDENT.
4. THE PARAMOUNT PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION IS TO DETERMINE THE
CIRCUMSTANCES AND CAUSES OF THE ACCIDENT WITH A VIEW TO AVOIDING
SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN FUTURE.
5. MR COOKSEY WILL BE ASSISTED BY MR CHENG HON-KWAN, LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, AND AN UK EXPERT IN TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC SIGNALLING.
6. THE INVESTIGATION IS EXPECTED TO BE EXPLETED IN A FEW DAYS. PENDING THE REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATION, THE LRT WILL NOT RESUME THEIR SCHEDULED PRACTICE RUNS OF THEIR VEHICLES.
7. THE REPORT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC.
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