6
MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1991
HE ALSO RECOMMENDED THE APPOINTMENT OF AN OPERATION OFFICER WITH AUTHORITY TO REVIEW AND DEVELOP LONGER TERM RELIEF PLANS, THEREBY ALLOWING STAFF IN THE MTR CENTRAL CONTROL ROOM TO CONCENTRATE ON HANDLING IMMEDIATE EVENTS DURING SERVICE DISRUPTIONS.
TO SPEED UP THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, SO THAT INTENDING PASSENGERS COULD CHANGE THEIR JOURNEYS AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY, THE RAILWAY INSPECTOR CONSIDERED THAT MTRC SHOULD GIVE DIRECT NOTIFICATIONS. TO THE MED LA IN CASE OF MAJOR SERVICE DISRUPTIONS.
ONCE THE MESSAGE OF A SERVICE DISRUPTION IS OUT, MR COOKSEY FELT THAT FURTHER DIALOGUE BETWEEN DIFFERENT TRANSPORT OPERATORS SHOULD EITHER BE CO-ORDINATED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT OR CHANNELLED THROUGH A COMMUNICATION DEVICE CAPABLE OF SENDING INFORMATION TO ALL OTHER PARTIES SIMULTANEOUSLY, THUS ENABLING MTRC STAFF TO GIVE FULL ATTENTION TO MANAGING THE INCIDENT.
AS REGARDS MTRC'S INTERNAL COMMUNICATION ARRANGEMENTS, MR COOKSEY ENDORSED THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY MTRC'S OWN INQUIRY PANEL, WHICH INCLUDE A SYSTEM ALLOWING DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CENTRAL CONTROL ROOM AND PASSENGERS ON TRAINS, AND ENHANCEMENT OF EXISTING PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS A'T STATION CONCOURSES AND STATION ENTRANCES.
TAC MEMBERS NOTED THAT, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SERVICE DISRUPTION ON MARCH 11, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAD CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF THE EMERGENCY ARRANGEMENTS FOR HANDLING MAJOR TRANSPORT DISRUPTIONS.
THE COMMITTEE WAS INFORMED THAT THE REVISED EMERGENCY HANDLING PROCEDURES RESULTING FROM THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S REVIEW HAD BEEN TESTED IN A DRILL STAGED IN LATE APRIL, AND THAT FURTHER DRILLS WOULD BE UNDERTAKEN AT REGULAR INTERVALS.
IN HIS REPORT, MR COOKSEY AGREED WITH THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSAL THAT, AS AN ADDED PRECAUTION, ALL RELEVANT PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS SHOULD BE ALERTED ONCE THERE ARE SIGNS OF A SERVICE DISRUPTION DURING THE PEAK HOURS, INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL THE POINT WHERE THE SITUATION COULD QUICKLY ESCALATE AND DEVELOP INTO A MAJOR INCIDENT.
MEANWHILE, TAC MEMBERS WERE BRIEFED ON THE RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CROSS HARBOUR PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES STUDY 1991-2001 COMMISSIONED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTENT.
WILL INCREASE FROM
THE STUDY PREDICTS THAT BETWEEN 1991 AND 1996, DEMAND FOR CROSS HARBOUR TRAVEL BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT MODES 1.25 MILLION TRIPS PER DAY TO 1.44 MILLION.
UNDER DIFFERENT PLANNING SCENARIOS, THE LIKELY CHANGES TO THE DEMAND FOR AND THE MARKET TRANSPORT MODES NOW CROSSING THE HARBOUR, AND TUNNEL BUSES.
CONSULTANTS STUDIED SHARE OF DIFFERENT
INCLUDING THE
MTR, FERRIES
/BASED ON