TNAG-1363-FCO40-1809-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 85

34

I have

Extracted some

Question 1

Reply to question by the Hon. S. L. Chen

in LegCo on 6/11/85

Question: Will the Government inform this Council

what has been done to improve the safety at KCR's University Station where two incidents of children falling onto the track have been reported this year?

Secretary for Transport

HRROW/9

A „CEIVED IN REGISTRY - 4 DEC 1985

DESK GAEO

INDEX

**

Sir,

Because of the physical constraints of the site University Station is built on a curve in the railway line and there is a wider gap between the platforms and the trains than at stations where the tracks and platforms are straight. The width of the gap along the whole length of the platforms is however within international safety limits and the station has been passed as safe for public use by the Railway

Inspector. Nevertheless it has been the KCR Corporation's practice since the station opened in 1983 to make frequent announcements in English and Chinese, both on the trains as they approach the station, and on the platforms to make sure that passengers are mindful of the gap and take care when boarding or alighting from trains. The need to take care when boarding or alighting at all stations, especially in crowded conditions, also forms part of the general educational publicity of the Corporation aimed at school children and parents with young children in particular. To supplement this the Corporation is arranging to place warning notices at strategic locations at University Station and special posters on the trains. It will also arrange for an additional supervisor to be on the platforms at all times. A further possibility being examined is to have special lighting under the platforms to make sure the gap is clearly visible after dark.