Transport Department monitors post-holiday West Rail services

The Transport Department activated the Emergency Transport Coordination Centre (ETCC) from 6am today (January 5) to monitor the transport and traffic conditions following the end of schools' Christmas and New Year holidays.

No major West Rail incident occurred this morning. However, the department noted that due to signalling failure near Kam Sheung Road Station at 8.41am, train services heading for Nam Cheong Station had to be operated in restricted-manual mode through the faulty section. This resulted in a longer journey time of three to four minutes.

The signalling problem was later rectified and normal train services resumed at 9am.

During the activation, the department's on-the-spot observers reported to ETCC regularly on the adequacy of public transport services and pedestrian flow at the West Rail stations. The department also liaised closely with the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, the bus companies and green minibus (GMB) operators concerned.

Ends/Monday, January 5, 2004