Lawmakers urge comprehensive inspection after signal failure disrupted high-speed rail services on Sat

Lawmakers urged the MTR to review the contingency arrangement and enhance the maintenance regime after the Hong Kong section of high-speed rail services was disrupted for about two hours yesterday (July 1) due to signal failure.

A total of 4 trains to and from Futian and Shenzhen North need to be cancelled, and more than ten trains have been delayed after the signal system malfunction, resulting in some 800 passengers being stranded at the West Kowloon station.

It was reported that the services disruption started at around 5.30 pm on Saturday, but the rail giant only made the public announcement at around 7.30 pm. This led to many passengers only finding out the trains were halted after arriving at the station and slamming the arrangement was chaotic.

The high-speed rail service gradually resumed by 7.41 pm. MTR said affected passengers could get a refund within 30 days at the West Kowloon station or online. 

Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun said that MTR has to shorten the maintenance time and reduce the need for repairs. 

He added that two disruptions in two months for the high-speed rail service are "unacceptable" and urged for a comprehensive inspection.

Starry Lee Wai-king, Hong Kong's sole delegate to the NPC Standing Committee and also a legislator, said the MTR should improve the contingency arrangement and enhance the maintenance regime.

Separately, regarding the metroisation of the high-speed rail link, Lee said she learned that the MTR Corporation would announce the arrangement this month with few details.

She hoped the "standee" tickets would be available for short-haul trips between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

The short-haul services of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link will be the first to trial a metro-style service mode, while long-haul services will be excluded due to technical difficulties.