MTR scheme out of tune: Hong Kong rail operator's instrument registration plan not music to musicians' ears
Proposals to have larger instruments registered to be taken on trains seems unlikely to restore harmony as many musicians still feel excluded
A registration scheme that will allow musicians to carry larger instruments, such as a cello, on MTR trains is being fine-tuned ahead of its launch next month.
The announcement came on the last day of a public consultation to review the MTR's restrictions on carrying large objects in stations and on trains.
It follows a public outcry after reports emerged of staff stopping those carrying large musical instruments - despite photos showing parallel-goods traders wheeling even larger objects being allowed to board trains.
But the scheme has not struck the right note with everyone and some musicians are upset that it did not exempt all oversized instruments.
Dr Jacob Kam Chak-pui, the MTR's operations director, said yesterday that under the scheme, passengers could register instruments that slightly exceed existing size restrictions.
Under the current regulation, items with total dimensions exceeding 170 centimetres, or any side longer than 130cm, are banned from entering the carriages.