Work can not be rushed taking safety into consideration, the MTRC Corp told the Legislative Council's Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways.

The MTRC says the contractor has pointed out that the software review had to be done on-site in the testing laboratory in Toronto, Canada.

Taking reference from the experience of the recent signalling system upgrading project on East Rail Line, the MTRC says it has reviewed the signalling system upgrading work of Tsuen Wan Line and other railway lines and has decided to strengthen the software review and testing.

“We believe that the target to complete the replacement of signalling system on Tsuen Wan Line in 2023, as estimated last year, is highly challenging,'' the MTRC says.

The contractor is being urged to “follow-up at full speed.''

The mass transit railway operator says the coronavirus disease pandemic has impeded work progress.

As for the signalling system upgrades for the Island Line, Kwun Tong Line and Tseung Kwan O Line, especially the software, can only be started after taking into account the experience in the Tsuen Wan Line, the MTRC says.

The railway says the new signalling system of Island Line “would start service in about a year and a half the earliest following the launch of the new signalling system on Tsuen Wan Line, while the new signalling system on Kwun Tong 3 Line and Tseung Kwan O Line will start service in around two years the earliest after the new system on Island Line is launched.''

So far, installation of station and main trackside signalling equipment have been completed, the MTRC says.

Train tests were suspended due to the collision on March 18, 2019.

At the moment, the new signalling system software is being reviewed.