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Muzha cable cars checked by experts

Transportation experts yesterday endorsed the overall safety of the Maokong cable car system in Muzha (木柵) after the final inspection despite concerns about the system's emergency response measures.

The starting date for the cable car was pushed back from this month to the middle of next month because of growing concerns about the system's safety, especially after an incident in Hong Kong on Monday night, when a cable car plunged 50m to the ground on Lantau island. No one was hurt in that incident.

The system's overall operations, construction and electronic mechanisms were tested during yesterday's inspection, along with staffers' response to a simulated emergency shutdown.

The shutdown scenario was based on a lightning strike sparking a fire in the electronic engineering office.

Ten transportation experts, accompanied by Taipei City Government staffers, carried out the inspection and said they were satisfied with the system, although they highlighted 34 problems.

"The system is stable, and we were satisfied with its operation. But we will require the city government to fix the problems we listed before operations can begin," Lawrence Lan (藍武王), convener of the inspection committee, said at the system's Taipei Zoo Station.

Sixteen of the 34 problems were considered urgent, including unclear direction signs and escalators breaking down, and should be fixed within two weeks, Lan said.

Lan said the inspection did not cover the noise issue. Some nearby residents have complained that the system is too noisy.

Taipei Secretariat Deputy Director Yang Hsi-an (楊錫安) promised to seek solutions to the noise.

Even though the system is scheduled to start operations next month, the emergency path sidewalks are not ready yet. Construction of the sidewalks will not be finished until the year's end because the city is still expropriating land for the walkways.

Yang said the city government and Taipei Rapid Transit Company, which will operate the cable car system, will seek to improve their emergency response measures.

He refused, however, to promise that there would be no cabin-plunging incidents.

"The city government will take full responsibility if any accidents happen," he said.

The 4km-long cable car system will run from the Taipei Municipal Zoo to Maokong (貓空), has a stop at Chihnan Temple (指南宮) and ends in Maokong.

It was designed to ease traffic over Maokongyuanshan (貓空員山).

Riders will be able to use their MRT EasyCards to pay for the cable car ride. Prices have been set at NT$30, NT$40 and NT$50.

The system cost more than NT$1.3 billion (US$39.28 million) to build.

It will operate from 9am to 10pm Monday to Friday, and from 8:30am to 10pm on Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
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