On escalators and around MTR stations, let's be mindful of each other

South China Morning Post

09-06-2025

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I refer to
the letter , 'Move to stop people walking on MTR escalators gets nowhere' (June 2).
Many years ago, as a young, inexperienced person on an escalator in the London Underground, I was angrily told to stand on the right so that another passenger could pass me on the left. I was shocked and upset and followed this instruction thereafter.
The protocol of standing on the right and walking on the left still seems to be generally accepted in London. In Hong Kong, however, the practice we are urged to follow
has changed
In November, the MTR Corporation said there were
430 'recorded escalator safety incidents' in the first nine months of 2024, of which 60 per cent involved 'passengers who were not holding onto handrails, lost their balance while walking, were bumped by others or were carrying bulky items'.
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It seems the new instructions are a response to these statistics, though they do not indicate the proportion of accidents that occurred while walking or standing.