<div id="readability-page-1">Hong Kong has, for the first time, introduced its own railway standards to support the use of cutting‑edge construction technologies, and established a dedicated inspection unit to accelerate new projects – moves that analysts say could lay the foundation for the city’s next decade of transport development. The Highways Department on Monday released a 336-page document outlining a unified and comprehensive set of technical references and guidelines for railway design, construction, operations and maintenance in Hong Kong. The new standards aim to enhance the safety, reliability and sustainability of future railway projects. “The new Hong Kong Railway Standards will enable the use of a broader selection of advanced construction technologies, construction materials, equipment and systems for railway projects,” Director of Highways Tony Yau Kwok-ting said. He said the standards provide “clear technical specifications for supervisory approvals”, and help the industry develop and optimise work processes. “This move helps to leverage and introduce the extensive experience and world-leading technologies in railway construction of our nation, as well as the recognised standards in other parts of the world, with a view to driving new railway projects in Hong Kong with enhanced speed and efficiency, and striving for shorter construction times and lower costs,” he said. The documents are based on Hong Kong’s existing railway standards, relevant standards from mainland China, and international benchmarks such as those set by the European Norm, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the International Electrotechnical Commission, and the International Organization for Standardization, with adaptations made to suit local conditions. The city’s rail giant, the MTR Corporation, said the Northern Link, serving as the transport backbone of the Northern Metropolis mega development, would be among the first to adopt the new standards, pledging to align with the government’s development goals to expedite construction and support the growth of communities along the line. The government is currently developing 10 heavy rail networks and four smart and green mass transit systems across Hong Kong to broaden coverage and enhance connectivity with the rest of the Greater Bay Area. Engineering sector lawmaker Aaron Bok Kwok-ming said the new standards replace the previously fragmented British and European codes with a systematic integration of national and international norms, laying a solid foundation for the next decade of railway development while reducing costs and shortening project timelines. He added that the standards also encourage the use of intelligent and automated construction machinery and promote unified, standardised designs. For example, station roofs could now fully adopt modular integrated construction methods, he said. “Standardised designs are also applied to carriages and tracks, enabling the use of higher-strength steel and concrete, and eliminating the previously time‑consuming and inefficient process where designers had to seek individual departmental approvals for new designs, equipment or technologies,” he said. He expected the new standards to help lower costs without compromising safety, noting that signalling systems previously followed British or European codes – restrictions that limited sourcing mainly to Europe or the Americas. “But the new standards expand options and optimise the supply chain,” Bok said. “Designers and contractors can now source signalling systems manufactured in mainland China that meet the same safety and quality benchmarks. This approach is expected to be far more cost‑effective, improving efficiency and accelerating railway development.” Michael Tien Puk‑sun, former chairman of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, said the new standards would finally end the 26‑year duopoly of two major engineering consultancies by opening tenders to firms from Europe, Asia and the mainland. Gary Zhang Xinyu, a member of the standards committee and transport professions convenor for New Prospect for Hong Kong, explained that while the city’s law never explicitly prohibited national standards, the previous “case-by-case” approval process had been so costly and complicated that it stifled innovation. “The Highways Department basically did the heavy lifting by putting in the resources to trace these standards back to their roots and see which parts align with Hong Kong’s needs,” Zhang said. “By pre-vetting these standards, the industry can now use them ‘off-the-shelf’ without having to conduct their own expensive research to prove safety to every government department, which was essentially impossible for consultants or the MTR Corp to do in the past.” Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said such standards were previously never compiled into a single volume, and were instead outlined in various laws, technical requirements and the corporate specifications of rail firms. She added that the new standards would cover the entire lifecycle of railway projects, providing clear technical references and guidance for every stage, from design and construction through to operation and maintenance, ensuring compliance with established regulations. The goal was not only for the standards to become a Hong Kong brand but also to establish a benchmark for the Greater Bay Area and potentially at an international level, the minister said. The bill is expected to be tabled in the Legislative Council within this year.</div>

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<p>Hong Kong has introduced its own railway standards to enhance efficiency and reduce costs in transport development. The new 336-page guidelines aim to improve safety, reliability, and sustainability in railway projects, allowing for advanced construction technologies and materials. The MTR Corporation will adopt these standards for the Northern Link project. The integration of national and international norms is expected to lower costs and shorten project timelines, while promoting standardized designs and intelligent construction methods. The new standards will streamline approvals and enhance the supply chain, ultimately driving faster railway development in the region.</p>

Hong Kong launches own rail standards to boost efficiency and cut costs