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The recent spate of incidents at
MRT station platforms has raised concerns over commuters' safety at the open
platforms of aboveground MRT and LRT stations.
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The Land Transport Authority (LTA)
and the public transport operators take a serious view of the safety of
commuters. SMRT Corporation Ltd (SMRT) has enhanced the safety measures at
stations with open platforms.
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Eighty-seven per cent of the cases
where commuters were found trespassing on the tracks at aboveground MRT and
LRT stations in the last 13 years were non-accidental acts.
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For the safety of commuters, the
operators will step up enforcement against those who violate the instruction
not to step beyond "yellow line" until the train has stopped at the
station.
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Cases of Trespassing
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Despite the various safety
measures in place, there have been more than 220 cases, where commuters were
found trespassing on the tracks at above-ground MRT and LRT stations, between
1991 and 15 September 2004.
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Eighty-seven percent of such cases
were non-accidental acts, which involved commuters jumping onto the tracks to
retrieve personal items, walking, running or taking short cuts to another
platform, and acts of suicide.
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There were nine fatalities, of
which eight were due to these non-accidental acts and one was an accident. The
Police are still investigating the latest four cases of fatalities.
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Public Reactions
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Public reactions to the recent
spate of incidents have been mixed, with some advocating the installation of
physical barriers such as half height metal railings.
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Others questioned the efficacy of
such installations and advocated that commuters should take personal
responsibility for their own safety.
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However, physical barriers, such
as metal railings and half-height barriers, cannot effectively prevent
trespassing onto the tracks as commuters can still enter the tracks by going
through the openings or climbing over the barriers. Such barriers may also
pose a safety hazard if commuters get trapped between the barriers and the
train doors.
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A balance needs to be struck
between excessive installation of safety features and how such measures would
exact a cost on the provision of public transport services.
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LTA and the operators will
therefore not install railings and half height barriers. But we will review
other options thoroughly to assess the feasibility and practicality of these
options in enhancing safety of commuters at the aboveground platforms.
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Respect the Yellow Line
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Commuters can play their part and
take personal responsibility for their own safety when using the MRT or LRT
system.
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They should observe and comply
with the safety rules, including respecting the "yellow line" by
staying within the safety zone, when waiting for their trains at the
aboveground stations.
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Commuters should also exercise
social responsibility, as they should realise that their actions can cause
service disruptions, which will inconvenience thousands of commuters.
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For the safety of commuters, the
rail operators will step up enforcement against those who ignore the
instruction not to cross the yellow line until the train has stopped. The LTA
will not hesitate to prosecute those who intentionally trespass onto the
tracks.
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Under the Rapid Transit System (RTS)
Regulations 11 and 29, commuters, who ignore the instruction not to cross
yellow line until the train has stopped at the station, may be fined up to
$500. For those who are caught trespassing onto the tracks, they may be fined
up to $5,000.
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Commuters' Safety - A Shared
Responsibility
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The LTA, SMRT and SBS Transit are
committed to the safety of commuters using the MRT and LRT systems. We will
review the existing safety provisions and available options sensibly, with a
view to enhance commuters' safety.
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We would also like to remind
commuters to act responsibly and stay behind the yellow line. With commuters
acting responsibly for their own safety, as well as others' convenience, we
can together minimise the recurrence of such incidents.
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Intrusion
Analysis...
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Source: Land
Transport Authority News Release 20 Sep 2004
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Safety at MRT and LRT stations
