Tsing Shing Metro completed the third batch of barrier-free renovation of existing stations, increasing elevator coverage across the entire network

Tsing Shing Metro announced today that the third batch of barrier-free renovation projects for existing stations across the network has been completed and put into use. This batch of renovations focuses on early stations built before the 1990s. The main contents include the addition of vertical elevators, barrier-free passages from the platform to the ground, the repaving of blind walk systems, and the renovation of barrier-free toilets.

Tsing Shing Metro explained that after the completion of this batch of projects, the vertical elevator coverage of stations across the entire network will be further improved. The remaining unimproved stations are mainly limited by the station structure and ground space conditions. The company is evaluating feasible options station by station, including adding independent elevator shafts outside the station.

Renovation is a fixed plan, not an option

It is relatively easy to implement barrier-free design on new lines - all new stations on the Tsing Shing Metro network are 100% designed according to barrier-free standards. The real difficulty lies in existing stations: the specifications when these stations were built did not include current accessibility requirements. Renovation requires the construction of existing structures without interrupting operations, which is costly, takes a long time, and is slow to produce results.

Tsing Shing Metro said that the company will incorporate the renovation of existing stations into a fixed plan that will be promoted year by year, rather than being an option that depends on the annual budget surplus. The purpose of this arrangement is to prevent renovation schedules from being prioritized for cuts in financially tight years.

As part of the group's public service obligations, Tsing Shing Metro's operational goal is not to maximize profits, but to expand network coverage, compress departure intervals and maintain affordable fare levels as much as possible under the premise of financial sustainability. The progress of barrier-free renovation is included in the company's annual assessment, alongside safety and punctuality indicators.

Tsing Shing Metro also reminded that some station entrances and exits were temporarily closed during the renovation construction, but have now returned to normal use.