If you’re looking for a comfortable ride after a long day on the road, taking the MTR may not be the best solution for you. That’s because it may be harder to find a seat, let alone a vacant one. The rail company is starting to make way for more standing room and more space for passengers with baby strollers, wheelchairs and luggage. One can argue that passenger comfort has become compromised in favor of better capacity, which likely leads to better income performance. But the move also ushers in more efficiency in operation, especially during rush hours when passengers may need to take the next trains when the current train on the platform is already filled to the brim.
The first set of passengers to feel this impact are those traveling on Island Line, the subway line that traverses Hong Kong island. Since July 28 MTR began replacing seats with wall-mounted supports for standing passengers. Riders taking the Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong and Tseung Kwan O lines will be refitted next. Not mentioned yet was Tung Chung and West Rail lines which I think typically carry passengers traveling longer distances. I don’t mind the move especially if my destination is only a few stations away.
During rush hour everyday, train passengers at the MTR play the “Trip to Jerusalem” game as the door opens. They try to occupy the closest seat available, often without regard for those who deserve the seats. They bring their kids whom, governed by child care laws and ethics, adults should not be competing against. Even with an elderly in cane nearby some passengers pretend to be busy with their smart phones or PSPs, pretend reading the newspaper, or pretend to fall asleep so as not to notice the needy person. Indirectly, the change in interior layout is for you people. I guess that with fewer seats, people become more out of place if they sit down, rather than stand up. (Of course, the pregnant, the elderly, the disabled and those carry babies shouldn’t feel the same.)
But don’t feel too bad, the MTR is not removing seats on all carriages. Those waiting at the extreme ends of the platform will not see those changes. Most passengers tend to board on middle carriages, because of their close proximity from the turnstiles. The removal of seats in favor of more standing room makes sense to fit these passengers well into the carriages. However, as new routes such as West Island Line and Sha Tin Central Link begin operations, more seats would have to go.
The Island Line train seating layout were designed 30 years ago at the time when MTR began its operations. Now more and more passengers coming from Kowloon and New Territories cross the harbour and take the MTR for work in the island. Monthly average cross-harbour commuters is now at 28.23 million, up almost five percent from a year ago. In an effort to increase the capacity of its trains, the MTR has to think of different ways. Unfortunately for some passengers, one of the ways is to remove seats. Maybe later, extending the platforms (requires a big project undertaking), adding carriages (logistical issue that may end up MTR passing the cost to passengers) or increasing frequency (even at short intervals, passengers still need to wait two or three trains to pass before squeezing themselves in).
I guess standing up in an fast, airconditioned train is still much better than having a relaxing seat in a taxi, a double decker bus or even a limousine only to be gobbled up by a monstrous traffic.
