雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】OVER the past few years, it has from time to time transpired that MTR services have to be suspended so that emergency repairs can be made because there is a "crack" in a rail. The MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) has often described what causes such accidents as cracks or fissures. About the accident Lai King Station saw the day before yesterday (November 2), it said at first a crack had been spotted in a rail. However, photos a source has given us show the rail in question was broken and displaced. On the face of it, the situation was much more serious than the MTRCL spokesperson has described. And trains passed through while the broken rail was being repaired. Because of the situation mentioned above, one has reason to harbour suspicions. Has the MTRCL downplayed the rail breakage accident? Has its decision not to suspend services put passengers in danger? Is it overload that often leads to rail accidents? These are questions worth looking into. Train services must be zero-risk. The government has a duty to require the MTRCL to answer the three questions truthfully.

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這幾年，間或傳來港鐵路軌有「裂紋」，需要緊急維修，列車服務受影響。過去，港鐵對於這類事故，多以裂紋、裂縫來形容；前日（2日）荔景站一處路軌出事，港鐵起初就指為發現裂紋。不過，本報獲消息人士提供的照片，顯示路軌斷裂，並且出現了移位，表面情况較港鐵發言人的描述嚴重得多，而且斷裂路軌一邊維修，列車照樣通過。上述情况有理由質疑：港鐵對待路軌斷裂事故是否淡化處理？港鐵不停駛的決定會否使乘客身陷險境？路軌經常出事是否超負荷所致？這些都值得探究。列車安全必須零風險，對於這三個疑問，政府有責任要求港鐵全面如實交代。

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Rails must be absolutely safe and zero-risk, for heavy casualties may occur if any problem causes a derailment. Rail breakages are grave by any standard and must be taken seriously. Under the MTRCL's guidelines for its staff, train services should be suspended if a rail has moved sideways (outward) more than twenty-five millimetres or has moved sideways (towards the inside of the wheel) more than five millimetres. One may infer from the fact that trains continued to pass through that the MTRCL deemed the crack displacement less than five millimetres. However, our source takes the view that the broken rail moved more than five millimetres towards the inside of the wheel and train services ought to have been suspended. In his opinion, the MTRCL had no regard to passenger safety when it allowed trains to pass through at reduced speeds.

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路軌安全務必要零風險，因為若發生事故導致出軌，可能釀成重大傷亡。路軌斷裂，無論放在什麼準則檢視，性質都嚴重，必須認真對待。按港鐵內部指引，路軌出現裂痕橫向移位（向外）超過25毫米、或橫向（向車輪內側）移位超過5毫米，列車要停駛；現在列車繼續通行，應是反映港鐵認為裂縫移位未超過5毫米。不過，消息人士認為路軌斷裂向車輪內側移位已經超過5毫米，理應停駛，搶修期間容許列車減速通過，是罔顧乘客安全，云云。

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Which version makes better sense? Perhaps both can come up with cogent arguments for their respective cases. The MTRCL's decision not to suspend train services might be well founded. However, it is by no means zero-risk to have trains travel on a broken rail, albeit at reduced speeds, for that would threaten passenger safety. Our source suspects the MTRCL decided against suspending train services lest its image should be damaged, lest it should get fined by the government and lest it should have to arrange bus connections. The source has disclosed similar things often happen and is worried that very serious consequences might ensue should any accident occur. Faced with such allegations, the MTRCL, to reassure the public, must of necessity let citizens know how "rail breakage" is defined and put forward convincing arguments to show there is no need to worry about the safety of a train travelling on a broken rail.

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哪一個說法更合理，或許會淪為公說公有理、婆說婆有理的爭辯。港鐵不停駛縱有理據，但是斷裂路軌仍然讓列車通行，即使減慢速度，無論如何都不是零風險，乘客安全已經受到威脅。消息人士質疑港鐵為免影響形象，並考慮到可能被政府罰款或需要安排接駁巴士服務，所以不停駛，並透露類似情况時有發生，擔心一旦出事，後果將非常嚴重。對於這些指控，港鐵為了讓公衆安心，有必要全面交代路軌斷裂的定義和提供具說服力理據，證明毋須擔心列車在斷裂路軌的行車安全。

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Another matter is worth attention. A rail normally has a life of seven to ten years. However, it is known that few of the fractured rails had passed their lives. The rail that caused the accident at Lai King Station (which an Austrian producer supplied) had been in use for only two years. Some maintain the high frequency of MTR rail accidents has to do with overload. When there are twenty-four trains an hour, a rail will have a totally different tolerance and a totally different life than when there are twelve trains an hour. To cope with the high MTR ridership, the rail company cannot but increase train frequency. There is no ruling out the possibility of that making MTR rails short-lived. This being the case, what the MTRCL can do is to step up inspections and impose higher maintenance requirements so that accidents can actually be prevented.

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還有一種情况值得關注：路軌一般壽命有7至10年，但是已知斷裂事故涉及的路軌，大多未到年限；荔景站出事的路軌由奧地利生產商供應，使用了只有兩年，有意見認為港鐵路軌事故頻繁，與超負荷有關。因為1小時行車12班或24班，對路軌的承受力和壽命完全不一樣。港鐵乘客衆多，需要增加班次應付，不排除此乃導致港鐵路軌「短命」的原因。面對這種情况，港鐵可以做的是加緊巡查，提高維修要求，確實做到防患於未然。

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明報社評2015.11.04

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Ms Joyce CHENG
Lecturer, HKCC
www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/social_communication/details.php?id=85&lang=eng

焦妮娜
香港理工大學專上學院講師
www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/social_communication/details.php?id=108&lang=chi

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