MASS Transit Railway passengers caught short in the rush hour may have less to worry about in future as the MTR rethinks its 14-year ban on toilets on the underground.
The MTR's deputy operations director, Roger Kynaston, said the MTR could field test automatic toilets - or ''superloos'' - sometime this year.
''In our discussions with the public a number of people asked us to provide toilets, and we are going to look at the arguments again,'' he said.
The electronic machines, manufactured by a French firm, are widely used in France and the United Kingdom. People have to pay to use the single cubicles, which flush and clean themselves after use.
Ever since it was set up the MTR has firmly refused to put public toilets on its premises. The MTR Ordinance lays down that the corporation is not bound by Public Health Ordinance rules on toilets.
Apart from MTR staff, who have their own facilities, anyone who wants to spend a penny has to go to the surface in search of relief.