*************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Wu Chi-Wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, in the Legislative Council today (April 16):
Question:
The Government has been retrofitting barrier-free access facilities to public walkways (e.g. installing ramps at footbridges that only have staircases) (original programme) for years. In August 2012, it introduced a new policy on "universal accessibility" (the new policy), under which the authorities would carry out works to install lifts at public walkways (the expanded programme), in addition to those works items under the original programme. In its paper submitted to the Panel on Transport of this Council in November last year, the Transport and Housing Bureau indicated that the construction works of quite a number of items in the original programme "will commence as soon as possible upon completion of design and after obtaining support from the locals". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as I have learned that the commencement date of the works item to retrofit lifts to the footbridge over Ngau Tau Kok Road and Chun Wah Road near Chun Wah Court has been postponed from last year to 2015, of the reasons, other than the delay in the relocation of the Fu Tak Temple, for the commencement of the works of this item be postponed;
(2) apart from the works item mentioned in (1), of the number of works items under the original programme the commencement of which have to be postponed due to technical or other reasons, and a list of the (i) names, (ii) locations, (iii) reasons for postponement, and (iv) updated commencement dates of such items;
(3) of the number of works items under the expanded programme the commencement dates of which can be finalised because the design for them has been completed and support from the locals has been obtained, together with a list of the (i) names, (ii) locations, and (iii) expected commencement dates of such items;
(4) given that early last year, each District Council selected three public walkways for priority implementation under the expanded programme, of the progress of these items; among them, the number of those in respect of which technical feasibility studies, investigation works and consultation with District Councils have been completed; and the commencement dates of such items;
(5) of the manpower deployed and expenditure incurred by the Highways Department (HyD) last year to implement the two aforesaid programmes; whether HyD will allocate more resources in order to ensure that these items can commence and complete on schedule; if it will, of the details;
(6) regarding the footbridges that do not have lifts and are not included in the two aforesaid programmes, when the authorities will retrofit lifts at them; whether they will consider afresh including certain socially-benefitting items into the programmes concerned; and
(7) given that last year the Government also received 2 750 proposed works items that fell outside the ambit of the new policy, and referred these proposals to the relevant government departments or organisations for follow-up actions, whether it knows the progress of such works items at present; whether any of them has been put under the ambit of the new policy, and set out the updated situation of all these proposed works items by the 18 District Council districts?
Reply:
President,
The Government has been installing barrier-free access facilities at public walkways (i.e. public footbridges, elevated walkways and subways maintained by the Highways Department (HyD)) where technically feasible, for years (i.e. the Original Programme). Under the Original Programme, the Government will provide lifts or standard ramps to existing public walkways if those are not equipped with standard barrier-free access facilities and there are no proper at-grade crossing facilities available within about 100 metres. Currently, the HyD is implementing in full steam the 158 items which are technically feasible under the Original Programme. The works of these items will be completed by phases from 2014 to 2018.
In August 2012, the Government launched a new policy on Universal Accessibility (UA) which aims at further enhancing the barrier-free facilities at existing public walkways. The new policy received overwhelming responses from the public, and lift installations at about 250 public walkways were proposed (i.e. the Expanded Programme). The HyD and the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) consulted the 18 District Councils (DCs) in the first half of 2013 on the priority for implementing these suggestions for retrofitting of lifts. The DCs were generally very supportive of the new policy, and each of them selected 3 public walkways for priority implementation.
Our reply to the seven parts of Hon Wu Chi-wai's question is as follows:
(1) The retrofitting works at the existing footbridge across Ngau Tau Kok Road and Chun Wah Road (HyD structure no. KF48), an item under the Original Programme, involve three lifts which one of them will occupy part of the land of a temple (i.e. Fuk Tak Temple) scheduled for relocation. Taking into account the estimated relocation schedule of the Fuk Tak Temple, the HyD originally planned to invite tender in around end 2013 for construction in 2014. However, having known in mid 2013 that the relocation of the Fuk Tak Temple would be delayed, the HyD had to review the design and implementation arrangements of the lift concerned. Since the review would take time, the HyD therefore decided to construct the other two lifts not affected by the relocation of the temple first. The tendering exercise was conducted in end March 2014 for commencement within this year. As regards the lift affected by the relocation of the Temple, the HyD will monitor closely the latest development of the relocation plan of the Fuk Tak Temple while considering other viable options for the retrofitting works. The HyD has informed the Kwun Tong DC on the relevant arrangements.
(2) The HyD is pressing ahead in full steam the 158 items which are technically feasible under the Original Programme (see Annex 1). As at end February 2014, retrofitting works of 2 items have been completed; 62 items are under construction and 94 items are under design. Works are in general progressing as scheduled, and the items will be completed progressively from 2014 to 2018.
(3) and (4) The HyD and the CEDD consulted the 18 DCs in the first half of 2013 on the priority for implementing suggestions for retrofitting of lifts under the Expanded Programme, and then conducted technical feasibility studies for the 3 priority projects (see Annex 2) identified by each DC. The studies have been substantially completed and the Government is consulting various DCs on the findings. After consultation with the DCs, the Government will proceed with the detailed design for the items confirmed to be technically feasible and supported by the districts concerned. Works for these items are expected to commence progressively from 2015 onwards for completion by phases by 2017 and 2018.
(5) The expenditure (revised estimate) for the UA programme in the previous year (2013-14) was $233 million. The HyD has been deploying existing staff to oversee the implementation of the UA programme. The estimated expenditure for 2014-15 is $639 million.
(6) In the coming years, we expect to implement more than 210 retrofitting of lifts items, including 158 items under the Original Programme and the 3 priority items suggested by each DC (a total of 54 items) under the Expanded Programme. Upon the smooth implementation of the above items, we will review the implementation schedule for the remaining items having regard to factors such as the progress of works, views of the DCs and the public, capacity of the construction industry and resources of the departments concerned.
(7) When the Government implemented the UA programme, suggestions involving 290 locations outside the ambit of the new policy were received. A breakdown of the parties concerned of these suggested locations is set out below. The HyD has not compiled the relevant information by district.
Parties concerned of the Number
suggested provision of locations
of barrier-free access
facilities at locations
not administered by the HyD
--------------------------- -------------
MTR Corporation Limited 73
Hong Kong Housing Authority/ 96
The Link Management Limited/
Hong Kong Housing Society
Other government departments/ 51
public sector organisations
Private properties 70
---------------------------- -------------
Total 290
These suggestions have been referred to the relevant organisations for consideration and follow-up. For suggested items within the public housing estates of the Housing Authority, the Housing Authority will follow up under the "Lift Addition Programme".
Ends/Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:20
NNNN
