Railway platform barriers installed since 2000 have notably reduced the number of railway suicides in Hong Kong.

The decrease was among the findings by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, which called upon the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) to hasten the installation schedule at the remaining stations.

The total number of suicides increased from 4,444 in 1997-2001 to 5,104 in the 2003-2007 period, said Stephen Law, a postdoctoral fellow of the center under The University of Hong Kong, who spoke at a press conference yesterday.

Yet the number of railway suicides dropped from 51 to 22 during the same period after the installation of platform barrier doors in 2002.

As analyzed, most attempters of railway suicides were unmarried young people aged between 20 and 30 with psychological problems. They had strong suicidal tendencies and would often choose places they were familiar with.

"Railway suicide is regarded as the most violent and disturbing means of self destruction," Law said. "And as most of the people had psychological problems and decided to kill themselves out of sudden impetus, the platform doors could prevent them from committing suicide."

Although platform doors have been installed at 30 stations, there still aren't doors at the eight elevated MTR stations, or at the East Rail and Ma On Shan Rail, both of which are operated by the former KCRC.

An MTRC spokesman said they planned to install automatic platform gates at the eight elevated stations by 2012. As for the pre-merger KCRC stations, he said further study is needed because they use a different system.

(HK Edition 09/23/2008 page1)