Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Email this article news.gov.hk
LCQ8: Crowdedness of footpaths
******************************

     Following is a question by the Hon Leung Che-cheung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, in the Legislative Council today (May 28):

Question:

     Regarding the crowdedness of footpaths, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether the authorities have made reference to the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) in planning new footpaths and improving the existing ones; if so, of the extent to which such reference was made and the details thereof, including the year of publication of the HCM adopted for reference;

(2) whether it has used the indicators set out in HCM to measure the crowdedness of footpaths; if so, of the details of such indicators;

(3) whether the following factors have been taken into account in the methodologies set out in HCM for measuring the crowdedness of footpaths: (i) the number of pedestrians walking on footpaths, (ii) the number of pedestrians staying temporarily on footpaths (e.g. pedestrians waiting to board vehicles or cross the road), (iii) the variations in different periods (including rush hours and non-rush hours), and (iv) the number of obstacles on footpaths (e.g. bus stops, trees and mail boxes); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) whether it regularly conducts surveys on the crowdedness of footpaths; if it does, of the respective locations and crowdedness of the 10 most crowded footpaths, and whether it has taken measures to alleviate the crowdedness of these footpaths; if it does not, the reasons for that, and whether it will conduct such surveys; and

(5) as some members of the public have relayed to me that the footpaths along the road sections in Yuen Long as listed in the table below are very crowded most of the time, thus forcing pedestrians to walk on the carriageways, of the following regarding these footpaths, including (i) the designed pedestrian capacity, (ii) the actual pedestrian capacity (during rush hours), (iii) the actual pedestrian capacity (during non-rush hours), and (iv) the improvement measures taken or being planned (set out in the table below)?

Location of footpath    (i)   (ii)   (iii)   (iv)
-------------------

Tai Tong Road Transport
Interchange at
Castle Peak Road
(Yuen Long Section)
(CPR(YLS))

Pedestrian crossing at
Hong Lok Road
Light Rail Transit (LRT)
station at CPR(YLS)

Pedestrian crossing at
Fung Nin Road LRT station
at CPR(YLS)

Pedestrian crossing at
the junction of
the Citimall at
Kau Yuk Road and
Tai Tong Road

Reply:

President,

      My reply to the various parts of the Hon Leung Che-cheung's question is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) is a set of guidelines published by the Transportation Research Board of the United States. HCM lists the standards for calculating the capacity of various types of road, such as expressways, roundabouts and footpaths, and analyses the effects of different transport modes and pedestrian flows on road capacity.  The transport infrastructure of Hong Kong is designed according to the Transport Planning and Design Manual (TPDM) compiled by the Transport Department (TD). In compiling TPDM, TD has taken reference from HCM and the transport infrastructure design guidelines of other regions, and has suitably adopted the design standards in these guidelines (including the design standards applicable to footpaths) into TPDM.  Depending on the circumstances, the TD plans new footpaths, improves existing ones and measures footpath utilisation according to TPDM.  The current TPDM contains footpath standards that were taken reference from the 2000 edition of HCM.  The TD will continue to monitor the development of relevant standards overseas and introduce suitable ones into Hong Kong.
 
(3) Conceptually, the overall width of a footpath can be divided into three zones, namely the "Street Furniture and Greening Zone", the "Building Frontage Zone" and the "Through Zone".  The "Street Furniture and Greening Zone" refers to the footpath space occupied by street furniture (such as planters and transport facilities).  The "Building Frontage Zone" refers to the space occupied by pedestrians staying in shopfronts or entering/exiting buildings.  When measuring footpath utilisation, according to international standards, HCM and TD's TPDM only take into account the "Through Zone" on footpaths and the pedestrian flow during rush hours in that Zone in calculating the crowdedness of footpaths. The foothpath space occupied by "Street Furniture and Greening Zone" and "Building Frontage Zone" will not be taken into account.

(4) The TD designs new footpaths or improves existing ones according to different land uses and anticipated pedestrian flows. Although the TD does not compile comprehensive statistics on the utilisation of all footpaths in Hong Kong, it has been monitoring footpath utilisation in various districts. When necessary, the TD will arrange site inspections and statistical surveys on pedestrian flows, and maintain liaison with district councils and local communities, with a view to devising appropriate improvement measures, such as widening of footpaths and pedestrian crossings.

(5) The TD has been monitoring the utilisation of footpaths in Yuen Long. Regarding the four locations mentioned in the question, their designed pedestrian capacity is 23 to 33 persons per metre per minute.  

     In the feasibility study on the Pedestrian Environment Improvement Scheme in Yuen Long Town completed in 2014, the consultant measured in 2012 the footpath utilisation at the junction of Castle Peak Road (Yuen Long Section) (CPR(YLS))/ Tai Tong Road and the pedestrian crossing at CPR(YLS)/ Hong Lok Road Light Rail Transit (LRT) station, which was 26 and 66 persons per metre per minute respectively.  Regarding the improvement measures, the Highways Department (HyD) will complete the pedestrian environment improvement measures at the junction of CPR(YLS)/ Tai Tong Road in the second half of 2014. Regarding the junction at CPR(YLS)/ Hong Lok Road LRT station, the HyD completed the pedestrian crossing widening works there in early 2013, and has proposed the construction of an elevated walkway over the Yuen Long Nullah to link Long Ping Station of the West Rail Line and Kau Yuk Road to further improve the pedestrian environment.  

     As for the other two locations mentioned in the question, the TD does not have the relevant statistics for the time being.  We will continue to monitor the utilisation of footpaths in Yuen Long, conduct assessments and implement appropriate improvement measures when necessary.

Ends/Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:12

NNNN

Print this page