The Environment, Transport & Works Bureau has ordered the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation to enhance driver awareness and ensure passenger safety after an inspection at the West Rail Pat Heung Depot where a train collison occurred.

A slow-moving train hit a stationary one on July 21. Inspectors today found the lower part of the front carriage of a train was damaged.

Log data shows the train was operated manually below 25kph at the time, according to procedure. At the collision the train was at 13kph and the driver braked too late. The bureau said the July 21 service disruption had no connection with the incident.

Upgrade order

It ordered the KCRC to enhance driver awareness. To ensure passenger safety, detailed inspection and comprehensive testing of the damaged trains should be conducted.

The investigation also showed lightning on July 20 induced signal failures. The system failed to operate normally after replacement of system parts, leading to a service delay.

The bureau welcomed KCRC's plan to implement improvements and enhance repair work and information dissemination during service delays.