No plans to invoke by-laws in safety campaign for escalator use: MTR

The MTR Corporation has announced an intensified campaign over the next month to encourage passengers to "stand firm on either side" when using escalators, but the rail giant has no plan to invoke prosecutions under the by-laws.

The remark follows the commencement last Friday of a campaign promoting the same message after 430 escalator-related incidents were reported in the first nine months of the year.

Cheris Lee Yuen-ling, MTR chief of operating and metro segment, highlighted the risks of walking on escalators and urged the public to prioritize their own as well as others' safety.

She recounted an incident where a passenger was walking on the left side of the escalator, which indirectly caused a child and four other passengers to fall.

"It is safer to stand firm on either side of the escalator," Lee added. "We recognize that changing habits requires a collective effort, so we urge everyone to be considerate of themselves and others by holding onto the handrails and refraining from walking."

Additionally, the MTR Corporation has initiated outreach efforts by sending personnel to schools and elderly centers to educate on proper escalator use. 

The company is also leveraging big data to identify stations with higher incidents of escalator accidents, where they plan to deploy more staff to promote the safety escalator practices further.