Hong Kong’s MTR Corp to carry out one-off inspection of critical rail assets

Hong Kong’s rail operator will carry out a one-off inspection of all its overhead lines and signalling points, and is considering offering a free cross-harbour shuttle bus in the event of service suspensions as part of efforts to follow up on a series of recent blunders.

The move follows calls from Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu last month for the transport provider to improve on its “inadequacies” in emergency response and contingency planning after three service disruptions occurred within a four-month period.

Transport minister Mable Chan said the government would continue to supervise and guide the MTR Corp in learning from its past failures and strengthening its risk prediction and mitigation capabilities.

“The MTR Corp must proactively address potential issues before they arise, enhance the safety of its railway systems and accelerate the application of innovative technologies to realise predictive maintenance for fortifying the overall resilience of the railway system,” she said.

“Its management should also leverage the wisdom of frontline staff and strengthen the sense of accountability among staff from different ranks.”