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The following is issued on behalf of the Transport Advisory Committee:
Members of the Transport Advisory Committee (TAC) were briefed today (December 15) on the Government's proposals on an electronic road pricing pilot scheme in Central and its adjacent areas (the Central district ERP pilot scheme), and to raise the fixed penalty charges for congestion-related traffic offences.
The TAC Chairman, Mr Larry Kwok, said, "The Committee welcomes the Government's two proposals, which take forward the TAC's recommendations in the Report on Study of Road Traffic Congestion in Hong Kong (the TAC Report)."
Members concurred with the Government's view that ERP is an effective traffic management tool to tackle localised traffic congestion and that the Central district is a suitable location for implementing an ERP pilot scheme. Members noted that the Government commenced a three-month public engagement exercise on December 11 with a view to building up community consensus on issues pertinent to the planning of the Central district ERP pilot scheme.
"We encourage stakeholders and members of the public to express views on the basic elements for planning the Central district ERP pilot scheme," Mr Kwok said. After collating the public views, the Government will develop more detailed options for discussion at the next stage.
To help alleviate road traffic congestion and to follow up on the TAC Report, the Government also proposes to raise the fixed penalty charges for congestion-related traffic offences by 50 per cent in tandem with inflation to restore the deterrent effect.
Mr Kwok said, "Members noted that the level of the fixed penalties set in respect of these offences has not been revised for over 20 years, and the deterrent effect has been eroded. We welcome the Government's proposal to raise the charges in tandem with the Composite Consumer Price Index, which has increased by about 50 per cent from the last increase in 1994 to the end of September 2015." The Government proposes that the new penalty charges would take effect on January 1, 2017.
Ends/Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:32
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