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Hong Kong's transport strategy is there to support sustainability and the future development of Hong Kong, the Secretary for Transport, Mr Nicholas Ng, declared today (Monday).
"Our transport strategy stands ready to support the Chief Executive's policy on environment. Transport plays an important part to make Hong Kong succeed as a world-class city. However, it is high time that we also addressed more comprehensively its impact on our quality of life from the perspective of the environment," Mr Ng said when he unveiled the policy paper entitled "Hong Kong Moving Ahead: A Transport Strategy for the Future" at today's press conference.
The blueprint was based on the findings of the Third Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS-3) commissioned by the Government in August 1997 and the public consultation conducted in May 1998.
"In drawing up the Strategy, we have to strike a balance between providing transport infrastructure and the need to protect the environment.
"We also need to formulate a robust and flexible strategy to enable a balance to be struck between meeting demands and managing road use," Mr Ng said.
The main focuses of the Strategy are on:
* better integration of transport and land use planning;
* better use of railways as the back-bone of our passenger transport system;
* better public transport services and facilities;
* better use of advanced technologies in transport management; and
* better environmental protection.
"To reduce the public's reliance on road-based transport, we will try to site intensive developments and employment centres near rail stations, pedestrianise selected roads, provide segregated walkways and encourage non-polluting travel such as walking and cycling. We will apply these planning concepts in the development studies for North East NT, North West NT, South East NT and South East Kowloon etc.," Mr Ng said.
"To be more specific, we are planning for the implementation of priority walkway systems in areas including Central, Admiralty, Wanchai North and Tsuen Wan. With these walkway systems, we hope that a healthier and environmentally more friendly mode of transport - walking - can be further promoted in areas where road traffic is particularly heavy," he added.
"At the same time," he said, "the need, scope and timing for strategic highway projects will be reviewed regularly to ensure they dovetail with current or future land use and population parameters."
"The new development areas will need the support of a road network. On the other hand, we are fully aware of the community's concern over the impact of road building for the environment. We need to strike a careful balance between development needs and environmental protection by evaluating the actual need for road infrastructure every year," he added.
Mr Ng said the planning of infrastructure must also take into account future demands in cross-boundary passenger and freight movements.
"The new Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, which is being fast tracked for completion in 2004, will help relieve congestion at Lo Wu.
"A new road link with Guangdong Province - the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Western Corridor - is targeted for completion around the same time.
"We will also examine various options to increase efficiency at the existing cross-boundary vehicle check points, " Mr Ng added.
On better use of railways, Mr Ng said railway 'trunk lines' would be supplemented by 'feeder' services using other public transport modes and park-and-ride facilities would be developed.
"We project the rail share in public transport patronage to increase from 33 per cent in 1998 to about 38 per cent in 2004. Correspondingly, the catchment population will increase from 55 per cent to 70 per cent of the total population.
"The existing railway network will be expanded over the next five years by about 40 per cent to more than 200 kilometres. Planning has already begun for the next generation of railway projects to meet Hong Kong's needs up to 2016," he said.
As for public transport services, Mr Ng said they would have to be rationalised and carefully co-ordinated to better match demand, minimise wasteful competition and duplication of effort.
"Intermodal coordination is the way forward. We aim to provide convenient and comfortable interchange facilities at transport hubs. We shall achieve this by better planning of new facilities and upgrading of existing ones.
"On monitoring of public transport operators, we will keep up with our efforts to ensure the community gets quality service. Moreover, we are progressing in full steam with the privatisation exercise for the Mass Transit Railway Corporation. We believe better customer service will come with a strengthened market discipline," he said.
On better use of new technologies, Mr Ng said the Government would look into, among other things, the application of intelligent transport systems to provide route information to passengers and drivers and the extended use of common payment systems to enhance the efficiency of road and traffic management.
"Road safety will continue to be promoted through a three-pronged approach: traffic engineering measures; legislation and enforcement; publicity and education," he added.
On better environmental protection, Mr Ng highlighted a series of measures Government will take to mitigate the environmental impact of transport activities. These include -
* further tightening of vehicle emission controls;
* using alternative fuel vehicles, which includes the mandatory use of LPG for all new taxis registered from 2001 and LPG for public light buses subject to a successful trial scheme;
* implementing noise reduction measures in all new highway projects;
* strengthening vehicle inspection and maintenance programmes, strengthening vehicle pollution control enforcement, and introducing additional vehicle restraint measures if needed; and
* exploring the feasibility of introducing trolley buses to Hong Kong.
Mr Ng appealed to the public for support and understanding to help take forward the transport strategy blueprint.
"We all need to be more aware that our individual transport choices have a direct bearing on the health of the community, economic efficiency and pollution levels," he said.
Copies of the Transport Strategy are available for distribution to the public at all District Offices and Licencing Offices of the Transport Department.
End/Monday, October 11, 1999
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