Above-ground MTR lines should be covered: Tien
Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien on Tuesday proposed enclosing all above-ground MTR tracks so that train services won’t be affected by inclement weather in the future.  On Sunday, all above-ground railway operations came to a halt after the No.9 typhoon warning signal was issued, leaving many passengers stranded at the airport and at various MTR stations around town.  Tien noted that the priority should be to build a cover over the Airport Express line.   "How do we explain to tourists who find it safe to land in Chek Lap Kok airport and then realise there's no train that takes them from the airport to downtown, because the trains are not safe? So flying in the air is safer than riding a train? It's bizarre," Tien said. For now, the Roundtable legislator urged the government to consider working with non-franchised bus companies to iron out alternative transport arrangements when the Airport Express and buses are out of commission.  DAB lawmaker Edward Leung, meanwhile, told an RTHK programme that the Airport Authority should work with a number of hotels near the airport, and arrange for stranded passengers to be sent to those hotels so that they could rest and be taken care of.  Tourism minister Kevin Yeung, for his part, said the administration places great emphasis on visitor sentiment, and is looking at ways to improve the current arrangement.