MTR passengers will be able to buy tickets by using touch-sensitive screens from this year. Engineers are finalising details of the $120-million project, which will replace the network's 448 old-fashioned machines. Passengers touch their destination on a touch-sensitive route map and messages on the screen guide them through the process. Apart from processing the sale of single journey tickets, at full or concessionary rates, the machines will also change coins and banknotes. Tony Yeung Sau-on, section engineering manager, said the machines would enable the corporation to control the whole ticketing system and monitor passenger volume from headquarters. Mr Yeung said the new machines would stop non-MTR commuters using the change machines, which would be phased out. 'A recent survey at Choi Hung station showed that 70 per cent of the users of our change machines were non-commuters such as hawkers and passengers of other public transport,' he said. More than 400,000 single journey tickets are sold daily through the network's 38 stations. Ascom Hong Kong, which has the contract to develop the machines, said notes up to the value of $20 would be accepted and initially not all machines would be able to give change. The installation of 369 new machines would be completed in 1997 but a test would begin in November at less busy stations.
