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    Following is a question by the Hon Lau Wai-hing, Emily and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (May 25) :

Question:

    Widening and improvement works are currently underway at the section of Castle Peak Road between Area 2 and Ka Loon Tsuen in Tsuen Wan.  Upon completion of such works, this road section will be realigned from a single two-lane to a dual two-lane carriageway.  It has been reported that the Highways Department has broken the continuous double white line in the middle of that road section at locations off a number of housing estates and placed right-turn road markings on the westbound fast lane, so that when there is a gap in the opposite stream of traffic, vehicles can turn right, cross the two lanes for traffic from the opposite direction and enter roads leading to those housing estates.  Such a measure has departed from the original design of such works, which prohibits westbound vehicles from turning right.  The Police has also closed the eastbound fast lane at the relevant parts of the road section, reducing the number of eastbound lanes from two to one at these locations.  In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council :

(a)  of the number of requests made to the departments concerned in the past three years by members of the public for permission for westbound vehicles to turn right at the above locations after completion of the works;

(b)  given that westbound vehicles will be able to reach the housing estates concerned by making U-turns at any one of the five roundabouts at the above road section, of the reasons for permitting westbound vehicles to turn right at the above locations;

(c)  when the decision to assign the right-turn locations for westbound vehicles was made, which government department(s) made the decision and which government departments were involved in making the decision;

(d)  whether the Police has given any advice to the government department(s) deciding to assign the right-turn locations for westbound vehicles; if so, please provide the relevant correspondence and minutes of meetings held between the Police and the department(s) concerned;

(e)  of the date at which the department(s) concerned assigned the right-turn locations for westbound vehicles at the above road section, and whether they are considering assigning more right-turn locations; if so, of the reasons for that and the locations concerned;

(f)  whether it goes against the existing road safety standards to permit vehicles travelling on fast lanes to turn right at non-signal-controlled locations with no waiting area available for right-turning vehicles, and cross two-lane (multiple-lane) carriageways for traffic from the opposite direction where permissible speeds are very high and traffic is heavy; if so, of the reasons for implementing such a measure at the locations concerned; if not, the reasons for that;

(g)  among the busy roads with a permissible speed of 50 kilometres per hour or above, of those which have adopted the measure mentioned in (f) above and the relevant details; and

(h)  of the reasons for the Police closing the eastbound fast lane at certain parts of the road section, reducing the number of eastbound lanes from two to one at these locations?

Reply:

Madam President,

    In the past three years, two requests were made to the Transport Department and Highways Department for maintaining the right turn arrangement for westbound traffic after completion of the improvement works.  The housing estates concerned and their representatives were as follows :

(1)  Sea Crest Villa Phase 4 - the Owners' Committee and Management Office of Sea Crest Villa Phase 4 as well as a District Council member; and

(2)  Sunny Villa - Sunny Villa Owners' Committee

    There were also two requests for maintaining the right turn arrangement for eastbound traffic.  The estates concerned and their representatives were as follows :

(1)  Long Beach Gardens - Long Beach Gardens Management Office; and

(2)  Grand Bay Villa - Owner of 133 Castle Peak Road.

    The section of Castle Peak Road between Area 2 and Ka Loon Tsuen in Tsuen Wan was a single two-lane carriageway with over 30 vehicular ingresses and egresses.  After completion of the improvement works, this section of the road will be widened into a dual two-lane carriageway with a central divider separating eastbound and westbound traffic.

    During the construction period, the original right turn arrangements will be maintained.  According to the original design of the improvement works, for road safety and management reasons, the original right turn arrangements will be cancelled upon completion of the improvement works except for the four locations at Bayside Villas, Hong Kong Garden, Airport Core Programme Exhibition Centre and Ting Kau Lot No 403.  Vehicles can make U-turns at the roundabouts to be provided at four locations, i.e., Ting Kau Village, Rhine Terrace, Sea Crest Villa Phase 3 and Tsing Lung Tau Tsuen.

    Since the commencement of improvement works in August 2001, some local residents had requested for changes to the traffic arrangements.  In response to those requests, Highways Department and Transport Department had reviewed whether to retain or change the arrangements at those locations concerned along Castle Peak Road.  The review findings showed that, on technical consideration alone, keeping the right turn arrangements at five locations should meet the basic standard for road safety (i.e. adequate sight distance available).  The five locations are in the vicinity of Long Beach Gardens, Sunny Villa, Riviera Apartment, Sea Crest Villa Phase 4 and Grand Bay Villa.  The review recommended that the original right turn arrangement at Bayside Villas should be changed to a roundabout.  Based on the review findings, the Government had changed the right turn arrangement at Bayside Villas into a roundabout and gazetted the new arrangement in February 2005.  As a result, there would eventually be five roundabouts and three locations for making right-turn along this section of Castle Peak Road.

    Highways Department and Transport Department initially considered that the suggestion to maintain the five right turn arrangements acceptable and were planning  to gazette the proposed changes in accordance with the stipulated procedures.  However, after taking into account the views from the Hong Kong Police Force from the traffic management, road use and traffic control angles, it has been decided that the suggestion should not be pursued.  The notes of the meeting held amongst the three departments on the subject are at Annex.

    At present, vehicles are not permitted to turn right or cross over at two-lane (multiple-lane) carriageways where there are no traffic light control signals or right-turn lane, where the speed limit is 50 km/h or above, and where the traffic is heavy.  Upon completion of the improvement works at Castle Peak Road, an exclusive traffic lane for right-turning traffic will be provided at the three locations where the right turn arrangements are to be retained.  The design of this extra traffic lane will allow adequate sight distance and time for turning right.  Such an arrangement complies with the existing road safety codes.

    This section of Castle Peak Road will be classified as "Rural Road (A)" after completion of the improvement works.  Right turn facilities are also provided for this type of road sections (such as Siu Lam and So Kwun Tan sections of Castle Peak Road and Tai Po Kau, Piper's Hill and Ma Liu Shui sections of Tai Po Road, etc.).  These arrangements will be implemented only if traffic conditions permit and road safety considerations can be duly observed.

    During the construction period, the existing right turn arrangements along the road section will be maintained.  The closure of a lane off Long Beach Gardens is only a temporary measure to facilitate vehicular access before full opening of the dual two-lane carriageways.  Highways Department has consulted the Hong Kong Police Force and other departments concerned before implementing the above temporary measure.  All the lanes presently closed will be opened upon completion of the improvement works.

Ends/Wednesday, May 25, 2005

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