Schedule trumps wheelchair convenience, says Hong Kong's MTR Corp
Wheelchair users disatisfied with policy of helping just one user get on each train
Only one electric wheelchair is allowed onboard every time an MTR train sweeps into a station - unless wheelchair users are willing to forgo the ramp provided and risk danger by rolling into the carriage themselves.
And by its own admission, the MTR Corporation says the rule is based on a fear of delaying train schedules. For one disabled resident, that effectively means the railway giant is ignoring the needs of disabled people for the sake of efficiency.
Yip Wing, who has been unable to walk since birth, said the rule forced wheelchair users to wait on the platform until it was their turn to board the train.
Yip's words were borne out when the South China Morning Post followed him and another person in an electric wheelchair to test out the procedure for disabled commuters.
True enough, the station master let only one wheelchair board one train, citing the safety code as the reason.
"When you have to wait for train after train, up to 30 minutes, it's frustrating," Yip said.