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A new initiative introduced by the Transport Department is showing promise in reducing the potential dangers posed by Hong Kong's dubious dual honour of being one of the most densely populated areas on earth as well as having one of the highest concentrations of cars on its vehicular roadways.

First introduced in 2000 by the Transport Department (TD) on a trial basis to improve the environment along some of Hong Kong's most polluted urban areas, the pedestrian scheme has proven itself to be effective not only in improving the air quality but also in cutting down traffic accidents.

In the 12 months period following implementation of the scheme in 2000, the number of traffic accidents had decreased from 12 to nine in Tsim Sha Tsui, and from 78 to 58 in Mongkok, a reduction of about 25% in both cases.

"The fact that it also significantly enhances the general surrounding environment and is welcome by the public at large only makes the scheme that much more desirable," said Senior Engineer of TD's Pedestrian Facilities Division, Mr David Chan, referring to the landscaping, special lighting fixtures and coloured pavers used at the pedestrianised streets.

"Not surprisingly, the pedestrian scheme has generally proven to be a great hit not just with the surrounding business establishments due to the increased pedestrian traffic but also with the pedestrians themselves. In a questionnaire survey conducted at the roving exhibition held in March-April last year, 96 per cent of the 2,000 respondents were in favour of the scheme," revealed Mr Chan.

"The concept of pedestrianisation is relatively simple, its benefits almost immediately apparent, but its implementation hardly easy. Extensive consultations had to be carried out first with all parties likely to be affected, including nearby shops and residents, the transport trade, and the concerned Area Committee and District Council.

"Various government departments are also consulted in the early stages of planning to ensure that the proposed pedestrianisation would not affect their planned works. Very often, the scope of pedestrianisation overlaps the areas scheduled for utilities upgrading works, such as replacement of water mains and sewers, construction of box culverts and laying of high-tension cables.

"Accordingly, working groups are set up to coordinate the sequence of the construction works in order to avoid repeated road opening, causing unnecessary nuisance to the public and waste of resources. Accordingly, all utilities companies are consulted in the formulation of the implementation program," Mr Chan said.

On average, the comprehensive consultation process takes about eight months before a trial scheme begins. Completion of all the streetscape works may take more than a year, depending on the number and scope of utility and infrastructure works to be carried out in the vicinity, such as a box culvert at Dundas Street in Mong Kok or the West Rail Station on Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui.

"But for a pedestrianisation scheme to succeed, follow-up enforcement action by concerned departments is crucial. For instance, the improved pedestrianised area can easily deteriorate into a hawker blackspot without the vigilance of staff from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Meanwhile, the rerouting of traffic resulting from pedestrianisation would need the Police's enforcement action for it to work," Mr Chan noted.

While acknowledging that pedestrianisation is desirable from the pedestrian and environmental perspective, Mr Chan stressed that the designation of an existing street as a pedestrian precinct must not lead to the aggravation of traffic congestion elsewhere. Otherwise it would only be shifting traffic and environmental problems from one location to another, without net gain to the community.

Mr Chan, who has inspected a number of popular pedestrianised areas in Europe on his duty visits, said pedestrianising dense traffic urban areas was introduced initially as a way to reduce air pollution from vehicular exhaust in some of the busiest shopping areas.

"It started as a consultancy study in 1999 to find ways of reducing traffic flow at some of the pollution blackspots identified by Environmental Protection Department (EPD). A detailed study of the vehicular and pedestrian traffic pattern in the target areas was made with the aim of identifying closure zones and the consequent re-routing of vehicular traffic to reduce air pollution from vehicular emissions."

"The result was the creation of the first pedestrianised roadway when Russell Street was re-opened in April, 2000 to pedestrian traffic only. It became immediately apparent that the pleasant ambience and improved overall environment was an instant hit with pedestrians, shoppers and business operators alike. Air quality monitoring by the EPD showed that air pollution in the Causeway Bay and Mong Kok pedestrianisation areas have been reduced by an average of 11%. We also noticed that there is a general reduction of vehicular traffic accidents at some of the traffic calming streets," Mr Chan recalled.

There are, however, a number of variations to the pedestrian scheme. They include:

- "Full-time pedestrian streets" whereby all vehicles are prohibited from entering the street at all times and on all days. One example is Paterson Street in Causeway Bay.

- "Part-time pedestrian streets" whereby the vehicle ban applies only for certain hours of the day and/or certain days of the week. Examples include East Point Road in Causeway Bay and Stanley Main Street in Stanley."

- "Traffic Calming streets" whereby vehicular access is allowed at all times, but traffic calming measures such as speed bumps and narrowed carriageway are introduced to reduce traffic flow and speed, and to discourage non-essential traffic. Footpaths are also widened to improve pedestrian circulation.

To close off a street permanently to vehicular traffic for pedestrianisation, however, involved statutory procedures for receiving and resolving public objections which might take up to nine months after its gazetting under the Road Ordinance.

By the end of 2001 there are altogether three full-time pedestrian streets, ten part-time pedestrian streets and 12 traffic calming streets in Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok and Stanley. In 2002, there are plans to introduce more pedestrian schemes in Wan Chai, Central, Jordan and Sham Shui Po.

Mr Chan said the pedestrianisation is part of the Government's ongoing programme to upgrade the overall living environment, not just to serve local residents but to turn Hong Kong into a more attractive tourist as well as business investment destination.

Noting that it costs about $1000/sq.m. to $2500/sq.m. to pedestrianise an area, depending on the scope of streetscaping works, special lighting fixtures and paving materials, Mr Chan said : "This is undoubtedly money well spent if you take into account the many benefits this would bring us. We are also fortunate in that having learnt from the decades of pedestrianisation experiences in overseas countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, we can avoid many painful, even costly, pitfalls in the process."

"It's true that some of the best things in life are free, such as fresh air and sunshine. And nothing beats taking a safe and leisurely walk in the heart of our concrete jungle without having to worry about getting ran over by vehicles or choking in their wake on their exhaust," remarked Mr Chan.

So if recent trends in street management are any indication and Mr Chan should have his way, a trip through some of the most popular urban built-up areas would soon become more of a leisurely stroll to be enjoyed than a quick dash across polluted streets to be avoided.

End/Sunday, March 24, 2002

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