Four-hour delay triggers calls for cable car shake-up

MTR is urged to review contract or be more involved in Skyrail operation

Growing frustration over the way Skyrail-ITM operates the new Ngong Ping 360 tourist attraction is fuelling calls to either replace or overhaul the company's management. Yesterday, the Lantau cable car suffered yet another technical glitch.

The latest hiccup was detected during a regular daily inspection - a problem with the conveyor belt in the cabin storage area. Services were held up for more than four hours, and only resumed at 2.20pm. Staff of the government's Electrical and Mechanical Services Department were in attendance.

'There's nothing wrong with the operation. Any problems that we should look into at present are results of other factors, such as weather and mechanical problems, which are not an operating issue,' Skyrail-ITM managing director Bill Calderwood said.

The government has demanded that Skyrail-ITM report its findings on yesterday's incident within seven days and submit a full account within two to three weeks, Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip Shu-kwan said.

Democratic Party lawmaker Andrew Cheng Kar-foo said members of the Legislative Council's transport and economic services panels would visit the cable car next Friday and meet representatives of its management.