A sensor system for controlling operation of an escalator arranged on a landing plate at the exit of the escalator, the sensor system comprising: a plurality of sensors arranged over a landing area of the landing plate, each sensor disposed at predetermined intervals with respect to the width direction along the width between two balustrades and the length direction along the moving direction of the escalator, each sensor configured to detect a predetermined pressure so as to obtain a transition of ON/OFF states in response to a load presence; and a control unit for scanning ON state signals of all sensors within a predetermined time period continuously, wherein the control unit is configured to detect a presence of a passenger lingered on the sensor system in response to a duration time of ON state signal of each sensor by comparing the duration time of each ON state signal with a threshold time, and characterised in that the control unit is configured to: determine if each row of sensors arranged along the length direction of the sensor system at the predetermined grid intervals includes any sensor having duration time exceeding the threshold time; determine a rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system with respect to the entire width of the sensor system based on the number of rows which include any sensor having duration time exceeding the threshold time; and decelerate or stop the escalator in response to a rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system with respect to the entire width of the sensor system by decelerating the escalator if the rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system exceeds a first threshold rate; and stopping the operation of the escalator if the rate of occupied with of passengers lingered on the sensor system exceeds a second threshold rate. a plurality of sensors arranged over a landing area of the landing plate, each sensor disposed at predetermined intervals with respect to the width direction along the width between two balustrades and the length direction along the moving direction of the escalator, each sensor configured to detect a predetermined pressure so as to obtain a transition of ON/OFF states in response to a load presence; and a control unit for scanning ON state signals of all sensors within a predetermined time period continuously, wherein the control unit is configured to detect a presence of a passenger lingered on the sensor system in response to a duration time of ON state signal of each sensor by comparing the duration time of each ON state signal with a threshold time, and characterised in that the control unit is configured to: determine if each row of sensors arranged along the length direction of the sensor system at the predetermined grid intervals includes any sensor having duration time exceeding the threshold time; determine a rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system with respect to the entire width of the sensor system based on the number of rows which include any sensor having duration time exceeding the threshold time; and decelerate or stop the escalator in response to a rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system with respect to the entire width of the sensor system by decelerating the escalator if the rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system exceeds a first threshold rate; and stopping the operation of the escalator if the rate of occupied with of passengers lingered on the sensor system exceeds a second threshold rate. determine if each row of sensors arranged along the length direction of the sensor system at the predetermined grid intervals includes any sensor having duration time exceeding the threshold time; determine a rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system with respect to the entire width of the sensor system based on the number of rows which include any sensor having duration time exceeding the threshold time; and decelerate or stop the escalator in response to a rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system with respect to the entire width of the sensor system by decelerating the escalator if the rate of occupied width of passengers lingered on the sensor system exceeds a first threshold rate; and stopping the operation of the escalator if the rate of occupied with of passengers lingered on the sensor system exceeds a second threshold rate.