Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation (MTRC) is set to face at least HK$1 million in fines following significant disruptions on the East Rail Line. These disruptions lasted over seven hours, coinciding with the busy morning rush hour.
On Wednesday, the East Rail Line experienced interruptions starting around 5:30 AM as rain began to fall, with services not fully restored until about 1 PM. This incident activated the MTRC's Service Performance Rebate arrangement, which mandates fines for disruptions exceeding 31 minutes, particularly during peak times.
During discussions at the Legislative Council’s Subcommittee on Matters RelATING to Railways, Deputy Secretary for Transport and Logistics Kirk Yip highlighted the malfunctioning engineering train, which was stationed near Tai Wo Station. The problem arose when the engineering car could not leave the main track as expected after completing its tasks.
Jeny Yeung Mei-chun, Managing Director of Transport Services for MTRC, explained the situation, stating, "More than 100 workers tried to repair [the engineering train] and remove it as soon as possible… but the train weighed 80 metric tonnes, the equivalent of around two passenger trains on the urban lines." This heavyweight rendered the vehicle particularly difficult to move, leading to extended delays.
Passengers faced long waiting times, with intervals reaching up to 24 minutes between trains, both for northbound and southbound services. Yeung expressed her sympathy for those affected, noting, "Because there were a lot of people and fewer trains, the wait time was longer. Again, we apologise to passengers who were affected on Wednesday." She emphasized, "Services on the East Rail Line were never suspended," though ridership was disrupted significantly.
An MTRC spokesperson added to this, affirming the corporation aimed to minimize disruption, saying, "We tried our best to keep service running... We made every effort to maintain train services on the entire East Rail Line." They clarified misconceptions by pointing out, "The incident itself did not involve derailment of the engineering car concerned. Images of the car getting off-rail were... taken during the repair process."
The incident was labeled as the first significant disruption for MTRC this year, following data showing improvements over the last year. Yeung noted they observed 79 delays lasting eight minutes or more last year, indicating a decrease of around 10% from 2023. Notably, there were no delays surpassing one hour during the same timeframe.
Despite the setback, the company anticipates reduced delays going forward. Yeung remarked during the meeting, "Delays of 31 minutes or more fell by around 30 percent. We're optimistic about our performance for 2024."
The Service Performance Rebate system is structured such tha MTRC's fines correlate with the duration of disruptions and whether these occurred during peak periods. For example, if disruptions last between one to two hours during peak hours, fines can reach HK$2.4 million. If fines reach HK$25 million, the MTRC is obliged to organize “Thank You Days,” where passengers benefit from 50% fare discounts. Last year, the MTRC offered four such days.
Calls from lawmakers have emerged for the MTRC to reevaluate its penalty mechanisms, urging adjustments to take the scale of the disruption more fully under consideration. This request highlights growing public concern about the effectiveness of the current system and the necessity for accountability among rail operators in Hong Kong.
Yeung has also assured the public, stating, "The engineering train had passed inspections, and we are investigating the reason for the malfunction." The combination of thorough examination and response aims to address both immediate concerns and long-term improvements for passenger services.
With passenger trust being pivotal for MTRC, the recent disruptions and subsequent penalties could have lasting impacts on the company's reputation if not addressed effectively.