XN000022-1992-06-24 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1992

MR ASPREY SAID THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERED THE PRESENT

SAID

WERE ADEQUATE.

PENALTIES

A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ENFORCE THE LEGISLATION DEPENDING UPON THE NATURE OF THE OFFENCE.

"PRIME RESPONSIBILITY, HOWEVER, LIES WITH THE POLICE, THE URBAN

AND THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT,

SERVICES DEPARTMENT

"

THE

SECRETARY SAID.

RAIL PLATFORM SAFETY MEASURES STRENGTHENED

* *

RAILWAY SAFETY IS A LEGAL OBLIGATION FOR BOTH THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION (MTRC) AND THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION (KCRC) AND IS CLOSELY MONITORED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG MAN-KWONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR LEUNG SAID A CHIEF INSPECTING OFFICER OF RAILWAYS WAS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO MONITOR AND ADVISE ON ALL RAIL SAFETY ISSUES AND BOTH RAILWAY CORPORATIONS WERE FULLY AWARE OF THE NEED ΤΟ ENSURE PLATFORM SAFETY.

"MEASURES то WARN PASSENGERS TO KEEP OFF THE TRACKS INCLUDE MARKING YELLOW LINES ALONG PLATFORM EDGES, SENDING CONSTANT REMINDERS THROUGH THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM AND INTRODUCING PLATFORM QUEUING SCHEMES.

"PLATFORM ASSISTANTS ARE DEPLOYED TO ASSIST BOARDING AND ALIGHTING AND TO ENSURE PASSENGER SAFETY, MR LEUNG SAID.

וי

MORE SPECIFICALLY, MR LEUNG SAID WHITE LINES HAD BEEN PAINTED ON THE EDGE OF CURVED PLATFORMS OF THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT ΤΟ ALERT PASSENGERS OF GAPS.

"SAFETY CAMPAIGNS SUCH AS COMMUNITY BRIEFINGS, SCHOOL TALKS AND EXHIBITIONS ARE HELD REGULARLY. SAFETY MESSAGES ARE PRINTED ON POSTERS AND PAMPHLETS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC," HE SAID.

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THE MTRC IS INSTALLING PRESSURE MATS WHICH WILL SET OFF AUDIBLE AND VISUAL ALARMS WHEN SOMEONE DESCENDS TO THE TRACKS. A CAMPAIGN ON PLATFORM SAFETY WILL BE LAUNCHED IN AUGUST.

MR LEUNG SAID THE KCRC WOULD SPEND $344 MILLION TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PLATFORM ENTRANCES OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS то SPREAD PASSENGERS MORE EVENLY ALONG THE PLATFORMS.

THE SIGNALLING SYSTEM IS ALSO BEING UPGRADED TO INCREASE TRAIN FREQUENCY AND THUS REDUCE OVERCROWDING.

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