MTR to consider food and water rations
The MTR Corporation will look into storing food and water rations at its stations following complaints about its poor arrangement when Typhoon Vicente struck last week.
The railway operator and the Transport Department yesterday discussed the incident.
On Monday last week, fallen trees damaged overhead cables near Tai Po, forcing hundreds of commuters to spend the night at East Rail stations. Some complained that the MTR Corp did not provide enough information, while others said shuttle buses should have been in place.
The firm submitted a report to the government this week.
A Transport Department spokeswoman said the MTR Corp had 'agreed to review its contingency arrangements, including the provision of some kind of basic necessities such as water and biscuits'.
An MTR Corp spokesman said the feasibility of the idea was being studied, given limitations such as food expiry dates and the amount of space in stations. It would also look into improving communications with passengers during typhoons, using smartphone applications and posting the latest train information on the internet.
The MTR Corp noted that train services in open-air and elevated sections were vulnerable to weather conditions and related threats during typhoons. It would 'take the safety of passengers and their staff as the first priority when providing services at these sections'.
The MTR Corp is due to submit details on improvements this month.
