Hong Kong’s MTR Corp must tackle ‘inadequacies’ in contingency plans: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has criticised the MTR Corporation’s “inadequacies” in emergency responses and contingency planning following several recent blunders, including a five-hour suspension of rail services along the Tseung Kwan O line last week.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also outlined on Tuesday several areas in which the company needed to improve, following its third service disruption in four months due to technical failures.

The rail giant, which is nearly 75 per cent owned by the government, was slapped with a HK$19.2 million (US$2.4 million) fine on Monday. The money will go towards passenger rebates, with the amount equivalent to a day of half-price fares.

“[Last Thursday’s] incident, together with two other incidents that happened this year, reflects that there are inadequacies in the emergency response and contingency planning of the MTR Corporation,” he said before a meeting with key decision-making body the Executive Council.