Editing Central–Mid-Levels escalator (section)

== Operations ==
[[File:Central–Mid-levels Escalators Central Entrance.jpg|thumb|Lower entrance of the system, adjacent to the 100QRC building. This entrance is on a footbridge connecting with the [[Central Elevated Walkway]].]]
[[File:HK Central Cochrane Street Central-Mid-Levels escalators 1.JPG|thumb|Side view of the system at [[Queen's Road Central]].]]
[[File:HK Central footbridge night 閣麟街 Cochrane Street May 2016 DSC.jpg|thumb|Junction of Cochrane Street and Stanley Street at night]]
[[File:Central-Mid-levels escalator.jpg|thumb|upright|Inside the escalator system. Pictured is an inclined [[moving walkway]] section.]]
[[File:HK Shelley Street Central-Mid-Levels escalators n Elgin Street a.jpg|thumb|upright|Top view of the system at [[Shelley Street]], at its intersection with Elgin Street]]
[[File:HK Central Escalators Mosque Street.JPG|thumb|upright|Mosque Street entrance]]

=== Daily patronage ===
The Transport Department conducted patronage surveys for the entire system in 2005 and 2010. In 2005, the system saw about 54,000 daily pedestrian trips. This grew to 85,000 trips in 2010. The department noted that the escalator has relieved demand for public transport, but has not led to many motorists giving up driving or reduced traffic congestion, in line with the traffic planning principle of [[induced demand]].<ref name="legco">{{cite web|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201512/16/P201512160340.htm|title=LCQ10: Hillside escalator links and elevator systems|date=16 December 2015|publisher=Legislative Council}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Daily usage 
|-
| 1996 || 34,000<ref name="reviewwillbe">{{cite news|title=Review will be ordered of 'failed' Mid-Levels escalator|last1=Chan|first1=Quinton|date=20 November 1994|work=South China Morning Post|page=4}}</ref>
|-
| 2005 || 54,000<ref name="legco" />
|-
| 2010 || 85,000<ref name="legco" />
|-
|2016
|78,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/pedestrianisation/hillside_escalator/index.html|title=Transport Department - Hillside Escalator|website=www.td.gov.hk|language=en|access-date=2018-07-09}}</ref>
|}

=== Management and maintenance ===
Management and maintenance of the system is the responsibility of the [[Electrical and Mechanical Services Department]] (EMSD).{{clarify|date=February 2023|Is part of the job outsourced by the EMSD? E.g. There are notices issued by a property management company, Guardian. See also https://ipfs.io/ipfs/Qmdig4NtBTbUiw9KRri83Warmrp4f5PFFFZMoQUwqXuNbZ/20021114/7II3RAE3QHUARZSYPMGI6UEOQM/index.html 
https://web.archive.org/web/20210829131157/https://collection.news/appledaily/articles/7II3RAE3QHUARZSYPMGI6UEOQM }} It is monitored during operating hours by staff in a control room near Caine Road. The system is equipped with 75 CCTV cameras, LED [[variable-message sign]]age, and a public address system with about 200 speakers. Since 2014, EMSD has contracted out management and maintenance to a private company.<ref name="ICEE">{{cite journal|last1=Lee|first1=Ka Chun|last2=Lee|first2=Che Kit|date=5 July 2015|title=Life Cycle of the World's Longest Escalator Link|url=https://www.emsd.gov.hk/filemanager/conferencepaper/en/upload/61/cnfrnc-paper-20150705-09-3.pdf|journal=International Conference on Electrical Engineering (ICEE) 2015}}</ref> As of 2014, the annual maintenance cost of the system is about HK$12.5&nbsp;million.<ref name="LCQ2014">{{cite web|title=LCQ16: Hillside escalator links and elevator systems|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201404/16/P201404160474.htm|publisher=Legislative Council|date=16 April 2014}}</ref>
 
The entire system is being refurbished in stages in a project expected to last from 2018 to 2022.<ref name="fouryear">{{cite news|title=Central to Mid-Levels escalator link to undergo 4-year upgrade|url=http://www.ejinsight.com/20180122-central-to-mid-levels-escalator-link-to-undergo-4-year-upgrade/|work=Hong Kong Economic Journal|date=22 January 2018}}</ref>

=== Tidal flow ===
The one-way escalators and moving walkways run downhill from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and then uphill from 10 a.m. to midnight daily.<ref name="plananddesign"/> Users wanting to travel in the opposite direction must use the staircases and ramps along the escalator, which consists of total 782 steps between Conduit Road and Queen's Road Central footbridge. There is an entrance and exit on each road it passes, often on both sides of the road.