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Following is a question by the Hon Albert Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (May 24) :
Question:
In May 2004, I raised a question in this Council regarding the issue that most of the bus trips to and from Tin Shui Wai were not serviced by wheelchair-accessible buses with low platforms. It is learnt that currently most of these trips are still not serviced by low-platform buses, and wheelchair users often have to wait for more than 30 minutes for such buses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective numbers of low-platform buses added to the fleets of various franchised bus companies since May 2004 and the respective rates of increase;
(b) of the daily number of trips run by low-platform buses to and from Tin Shui Wai, and the percentage of such trips in the total number of relevant bus trips; how such figures compare with those in May 2004; and
(c) whether it will consider including a clause in the future franchise agreements with the franchised bus companies, requiring them to retrofit in all in-service non-low-platform buses facilities which facilitate boarding and alighting of wheel-chaired passengers; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The total number of wheelchair accessible low-floor buses of the franchised bus companies has increased from 2,342 (or 39% of the total number of franchised buses) in May 2004 to 2,544 (or 43% of the total number of franchised buses) in April 2006. The change in the number of low-floor buses of the respective companies is outlined at Annex.
(b) In May 2004, the total number of trips operated by low-floor buses serving Tin Shui Wai bus routes was 2,321 per day, accounting for 66% of the daily total number of trips of the relevant routes. At present, the total number of trips operated by wheelchair accessible low-floor buses serving Tin Shui Wai bus routes is 2,319 per day, representing 70% of the daily total number of trips of the routes concerned. The present percentage of bus trips operated by low-floor buses serving Tin Shui Wai bus routes in a day is 4% higher than the figure in May 2004.
(c) All franchised bus companies except New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited have agreed and implemented since 2001 that all new buses to be purchased as additional or replacement vehicles would be wheelchair accessible. As regards New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited, deployment of wheelchair accessible low-floor buses is not suitable for most of its routes due to constraints of the terrain of its service network. The company, however, has purchased wheelchair accessible low-floor buses for deployment on routes where the terrain permits.
Apart from the low-floor design, there are other features that a bus needs to accommodate to make it wheelchair accessible. For instance, the doors of the bus should be wide enough for wheelchair access; the vehicle should have space for installing ramp with safe gradient; the compartment should have wide aisle for wheelchairs access while with standing passengers, space and tiedowns for safe parking of wheelchair as well as anti-skid floor. Since converting in-service buses to enable access by wheelchair will pose significant difficulties, we consider that it is more practicable for bus companies to continue to adopt wheelchair accessible models when using resources in purchasing new buses. The franchises granted to bus companies by the Chief Executive in Council last for ten years and will expire between 2013 and 2017. We would review whether the present difficulties could be further addressed when processing future applications for new franchise.
Ends/Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:28
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