Confusion as MTR passengers left stranded
They say information and contingency plans lacking after shutdown of Tseung Kwan O line
Chaos reigned yesterday as MTR passengers travelling from East Kowloon and Sai Kung scrambled for alternative transport after the Tseung Kwan O line was shut down due to a power failure.
Many of those waiting on the platforms at Yau Tong station appeared confused by an announcement that the train service would be suspended for the whole day and passengers were told to leave the station immediately as it would be closed.
Their patience had already been tested by a prolonged wait for trains, but previous messages had warned of a 10-minute service disruption because of power problems.
There were chaotic scenes in Yau Tong, and elsewhere along the railway line. Frustrated passengers complained about the MTR's poor arrangements for alternative transport and a lack of information.
A long line of passengers stood clutching umbrellas in the driving rain outside Kwun Tong station, queuing for free shuttle buses to other stations. But some complained the buses were going to other stations affected by the shutdown. "What's the point of sending us there?" one passenger asked an MTR employee in Kwun Tong, who did not reply.
Taxis also proved elusive on a cold, wet day, with long queues at cab ranks along the line.