TNAG-1854-FCO40-2629-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 231

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 18 January 1989

香港立法局 一九八九年一月十八日

Written answers to questions

Crowd control at Lo Wu KCR Terminal

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9. 潘志輝議員問:現時有些九龍至羅湖的火車抵達羅湖時間比海關大樓辦公時間為早,由於旅 客不斷抵達,在海關大樓開始辦公時,人群一湧而入,常有老弱年幼者被推撞倒地的事件發生。 在火車乘客出口處的大堂,更是擠迫萬分。

為加強羅湖海關大樓在管理群眾秩序的安排,政府可否告知本局會否考慮以下改善建議:

(i) 提早海關大樓的開閘及辦公時間,以配合火車的抵達時間?

(ii) 在火車抵達時,讓旅客先行在海關大樓大堂排隊輪候?

(ii) 安排老弱或攜帶幼童人士在特別櫃台前排隊?

(iv) 與中國有關當局安排延長過境時間?

(v) 在重要節日例如聖誕及新年增加火車班次及延長過境的時間?

SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Sir, I appreciate the concern in this matter. Lo Wu is our busiest land border crossing point and in 1988, 27 million persons travelled through it to and from China. Taking the five suggestions in turn, the

answers are:

(1) Yes. Consideration will be given to advancing daily gate opening times. Consideration will also be given to arranging train arrival times more closely with gate opening and operating times.

(2) The feasibility of allowing passengers to line up in the lobby will be re- examined. The reason for not following this procedure hitherto was because of poor ventilation in the lobby. The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation will be asked to consider ways of solving this problem.

(3) Due to the need to maximize the use of staff at this very busy crossing point, it would be difficult to reserve a special counter just for the elderly and for those with young children. However, Immigration Department staff have been instructed to keep a look-out for such people and the regulators will direct them to channels normally reserved for staff where they will receive help- through facilities.