Influx of tourists will put MTR trains under strain, says minister
Anthony Cheung says influx of tourists carrying baggage will be tough for the MTR network
An influx of tourists will "pose great challenges" for the MTR network and mean new tactics will be needed to deal with overcrowding, the transport minister said yesterday.
Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung was questioned about the strain on public transport at a Legislative Council meeting after the government changed the way it measured capacity on the MTR.
Under the new standard announced last month, the Tseung Kwan O and East Rail lines are at capacity during the morning rush hour, with the Island, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan and West Rail Lines more than 90 per cent full.
But a government report assessing the city's capacity to receive more tourists, published in January, found that the MTR had plenty of spare room, with trains running at just 40 per cent of capacity in off-peak hours.
"Tourists with baggage pose great challenges for the railway and public transportation system," Cheung told lawmakers.
"If the number of passengers, or tourists, continue to rise, we will really have to think about how to deal with it."
He said the MTR Corporation might have to improve platform management. The company announced on Tuesday that it would hire 300 extra staff this year to assist on platforms.