Main purposes of the new design

The aims of the new design are to:

1. Improve passenger comfort, facilitate passenger flows;
2. Achieve energy conservation by using LED lighting;
3. Give more onboard information to passengers;
4. Enhance passengers safety on tram, such as adding more handrails;
5. Enhance motorman’s working environment;
6. The facelift will also allow the tram’s appearance and iconic image to be maintained.

The 10 main features and benefits of new design

The new design includes 10 main features. While the main theme of the new design has been established, HKT welcomes views and suggestions for further improvement and modifications.

New Design (including both internal & external)
Added Benefits

1. Wooden seats with aluminium frame in both lower and upper decks
More comfort for passengers; use less wood and more environmentally friendly

2. New seating arrangements both in lower and upper decks.
Improving spaces for standees and moving passengers (existing seating arrangement with a long bench in the lower deck limits passenger access and circulation)

3. Additional handles and railings with more ergonomic design for easier reaches by passengers
Enhance the safety for passengers 

4. Improved headroom in both the lower and upper decks
More comfortable movements within tram compartment

5. Replacement of fluorescent lights by LED lighting inside the tram 
Achieve energy saving purpose, environmental friendly

6. Improved rear flap gate design and removal of turnstiles
More convenient and safer passenger boarding

7. Full-sized screens at tram doors; and improved front and rear wind shields and windows
Better protection against inclement weather such as rain and storm; and improved ventilation inside the tram

8. Improved motorman compartment and motorman seat 
Protect motorman from external interference for a safer driving and enhance their working environment.

9. Additional passenger information through station announcement and display of route map onboard the tram.
Provide useful information for passengers

10. Three LED displays on the external tram body to show the information like terminus, route, etc. (at the front, at the rear and on the left hand side of the tram body) 
Provide more useful information for passengers

Timeline and Estimated Expenditure for this improvement project

1. Without affecting existing services, 2 tram cars per month can be modified and put to service.

2. For the “new tram design and tram body” project, the costs are estimated to be around HK$75 million at current prices, about 35% of the total investment which being around HK$ 200 million in HKT’s budget.