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The Secretary for Transport, Mr Nicholas Ng, said today (October 11) that transport would continue to play a key role in contributing to Hong Kong 's sustainable development.

Unveiling his year 2000 Policy Objective Booklet on transport policy, Mr Ng said : "Our action agenda for the next year comprises a basket of measures including -

* an ambitious railway building programme;

* an ongoing review mechanism to time the building of necessary roads to their needs;

* reduction of bus congestion through introduction of four more bus-bus interchange schemes and rationalisation of bus routes;

* reduction of roadside pollution by a complete switch to Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD) by all franchised buses; and

* introduction of four more pedestrian schemes."

"Under the new Transport Strategy unveiled last year, we had set sail to achieve better transport planning, enhanced public transport services and improved traffic management in order to provide a better environment for all road users," he said.

On transport planning, Mr Ng said: "Our rail-based strategy is not a slogan. It is being implemented at full steam with six new railways coming on stream in the next five years an another six by 2016. The total investment for these 12 railways amounts up to some $200 billion."

The Government will be inviting proposals from the two railway corporations on the Island Line Extensions, the Shatin to Central Link and the Kowloon Southern Link in late 2000 to early 2001.

These projects will be completed between 2008 and 2013. The Shatin to Central Link will provide a fourth cross-harbour rail link for Hong Kong.

The Government acknowledged the public's concern over the environmental effect brought about by road-based transport.

"To move in tandem with our economic development, there is a need to ensure that our road network is adequate in meeting the economic, social and recreational needs of the public.

"Freight transport lies at the heart of the matter. However, in order to ensure sustainable development, we need to be doubly prudent with our decisions on new strategic road projects," Mr Ng said.

"To this end, we have developed a mechanism to review the need for and the timing of transport infrastructure proposals, taking into account the changes in planning and land use parameters and the overall sustainability of our transport network," he added.

The Transport Bureau has undertaken to complete in 2001 the first review on selected projects such as the Central Kowloon Route and the Western Coast Road.

Improving the quality and co-ordination of public transport services is another on-going objective.

"We aim to attract more commuters to use public transport services, rather than private transport, thereby achieving a more efficient use of road space," Mr Ng said.

"We will strive to maintain a high rate of average daily public transport patronage at around 90 per cent of total passenger trips," he added.

The initiative to introduce more bus-bus interchange schemes will reduce the number of long-haul point-to-point bus routes. Given the public acceptance of the pilot scheme introduced last year, the Government will introduce four more schemes at Wan Chai Ferry Pier, Admiralty, Tin Shui Wai town centre and the portal of Tate's Cairn Tunnel by the end of 2001.

"We are glad to report that over 10 per cent of the taxi fleet has switched to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and that all new taxis registered from 2001 onwards will run on LPG. Public Light Buses (PLBs) will also be ready for cleaner fuel soon," Mr Ng said.

"As a joint effort to reduce roadside pollution, the complete franchised bus fleet will switch to ULSD in 2001. Moreover bus companies will deploy only Euro-II engine buses on routes operating in the busy Causeway Bay corridors by 2001," he added.

Better pedestrian-oriented road management is an essential element in the transport equation.

"Following the success of the pedestrian schemes at Causeway Bay and at Mong Kok, we will seek to introduce four more schemes in Central, Wan Chai, Jordon and Sham Shui Po in the next year.

"We have noticed a change in mind-set, both on the part of planners and members of the public. We are most encouraged by the public acceptance of the pedestrian scheme concept and will continue with our efforts in creating an even better walking environment for pedestrians," Mr Ng said.

On road safety, Mr Ng said his target was to keep the traffic accident and casualty rate per 1,000 vehicles below the 10-year average of 34.3 and 0.65 respectively. In the coming year, the Government would implement the new requirement of compulsory wearing of rear-seat belts for new taxis and would assess the viability of extending the seat-belt requirement to PLBs.

Mr Ng will be briefing the new Legislative Council Transport Panel on his Policy Objective Booklet on October 18.

End/Wednesday, October 11, 2000

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