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Following is a question by the Hon Ronny Tong on behalf of the Hon Tam Heung-man and a reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (November 29) :
Question:
Regarding the nine enhanced measures proposed at the end of July this year by the Environmental Protection Department to mitigate road traffic noise, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the latest situation and the work targets of the implementation of the above measures;
(b) as the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines stipulate that Hong Kong's current road traffic noise limit is 70 A-weighted decibel level, whether the authorities will consider reviewing the above limit in the light of the changes in population and residential density in Hong Kong; and
(c) given that currently about 1.1 million people in Hong Kong are still exposed to traffic noise levels that exceed the limit, whether the authorities have any work plans, including reviewing how environmental assessment can be enhanced and what measures developers are required to take in planning lands for residential uses, in addition to the existing measures and the above enhanced measures, to ensure that traffic noise will not exceed the limit, so as to protect these people from such exposure?
Reply:
Madam President,
I would like to reply to the three questions raised by the Honourable Member as follows:
(a) In tackling road traffic noise, the aim of the Government is to protect the public from excessive road traffic noise so as to improve the living environment in Hong Kong. To achieve such aim, we have been striving to implement various practicable measures through a multi-pronged approach to prevent and mitigate the traffic noise problem.
In order to further enhance the above work, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has previously proposed a number of measures and is actively pursuing these measures by conducting studies to confirm their feasibility and the implementation details. The studies that have already commenced include:
(1) Improving the design and maintenance of joints at flyovers to reduce the noise arising from heavy vehicles running over the joints; and
(2) Improving the design of low noise road surfacing materials to enhance the effectiveness of noise reduction and durability.
These two studies are expected to complete at the end of this year and in mid 2008 respectively. A study on optimum noise barrier design will start later this year. Moreover, the trial of low noise road surfacing materials will be extended to over 20 road sections identified. The Highways Department will work out the detailed design of the projects and the detailed arrangements to facilitate early commencement of the projects. Moreover, guidelines will be available in early 2007 to advise the trade and the bus franchisees on driving habits and vehicles maintenance which can reduce noise emission.
(b) In setting the noise limit of 70dB(A)L10(1 hour), we have made reference to relevant international studies and have fully considered the actual situation in Hong Kong. This standard is internationally recognized and acceptable in terms of reflecting noise nuisance. Similar standards are adopted in the UK and the US. Moreover, this standard is considered relatively strict as what it measures is the noise level of a one-hour period at peak traffic flow. Therefore, we believe that the current noise standard can cater for the actual situation in Hong Kong.
(c) To protect the public from excessive road traffic noise, we will, in addition to the measures proposed by the EPD earlier, continue to actively pursue the following policies:
(1) preventing new noise problems through planning and environmental impact assessment;
(2) preventing the import of noisy vehicles into Hong Kong through legislation;
(3) mitigating the existing traffic noise problems through the noise abatement programme; and
(4) conducting education, engagement and partnership programmes to facilitate stakeholders' understanding of the noise problem and to jointly explore solutions to the problems.
Good planning is the best way to prevent traffic noise. So we have been striving to prevent the problem through planning. When planning new development areas, we will properly plan the sites on both sides of the roads in accordance with the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines to ensure that the residential developments in the vicinity will not be affected by excessive road traffic noise. When planning new roads or projects involving substantial widening of existing roads, we require project proponents to take appropriate measures, such as revising the road alignment, using low noise materials for surfacing and erecting noise barriers, to ensure that the noise limit will not be exceeded. For residential developments or re-development projects near existing roads, the Government and the Town Planning Board, in reviewing applications for planning permission, require private developers to conduct noise assessments and adopt appropriate noise mitigation measures so that the dwellings near the roads concerned will not be adversely affected by road traffic noise.
For the abatement of traffic noise from existing roads, 7,000 residents have benefited from the completion of the noise barrier retrofitting works along two road sections of Fanling Highway in February 2006. Moreover, the retrofitting works along Cheung Pei Shan Road commenced in September 2005 and are expected to complete in 2008. Funds for retrofitting noise barriers along 18 road sections at $1.1 billion have been earmarked. We have also identified 72 existing road sections for the low noise road surfacing programme and the resurfacing works for 29 of them have been completed.
As for partnership, the EPD has been maintaining cooperation with relevant professional bodies and the education sector, and has jointly organized with them various technical seminars and workshops to discuss professional issues such as noise assessment, noise measurement techniques and design of mitigation measures.
Regarding the regulation of vehicle noise, legislation has been in place since 1996 which stipulates that only vehicles complying with noise emission standards are eligible for first registration in Hong Kong. The relevant noise emission standards were further tightened in 2002 to bring them in line with international standards.
Madam President, the Government is very concerned about the road traffic noise problem and has put in place a comprehensive strategy and work plans to prevent and mitigate the problem. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of various measures and explore the feasibility of introducing other new technologies and measures to further alleviate the road traffic noise problem.
Ends/Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:32
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