MTR criticised for silence over screen doors' failure

Lawmakers have criticised MTR Corporation for 'unreasonably' refusing to disclose to the public results from studies into two incidents of screen doors failing to open, which prevented hundreds of passengers from getting off at Admiralty and Hang Hau stations.

The rail operator submitted two reports to the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau in the past week but declined to give a summary of the findings to the media.

MTR spokeswoman Helen Cheung said the company told the public on June 29, the day one of the incidents happened, that it was caused by human error. She said no further explanation was needed. 'We have already issued the basic information of what happened on the day of the incident,' she said. 'It was very quick and with high transparency.'

A bureau spokeswoman said the government was not in a position to disclose the MTR reports.

Legislator Andrew Cheng Kar-foo said the public should be told of the findings of the investigation so there could be a discussion.

'I think this gives the feeling that the government is spoiling MTR and KCRC by letting them continue to have these operation failures without any reasonable explanation,' he said. 'They might have some reasonable explanation, but if they don't disclose it then no one knows.'