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Following is a question by the Hon Albert Chan and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Yau Shing-mu, in the Legislative Council today (Jun 3):
Question:
In recent years, quite a number of members of the public have relayed to me that the carriageway widths of certain roads (especially some road sections in the Peak, Shek O, Sai Kung and Tai Tam Reservoir, as well as Keung Shan Road which connects Shek Pik Reservoir and Tai O) are less than the minimum carriageway widths recommended in the Transport Planning and Design Manual (TPDM). These members of the public are worried that such situation will affect road safety. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the names of the roads the carriageway widths of which are currently less than the minimum carriageway widths recommended in TPDM, as well as the respective lengths and locations of the road sections concerned;
(2) of the number of traffic accidents which occurred in the past five years at the road sections mentioned in (1); and
(3) whether it has plans to widen the road sections mentioned in (1) one by one, so as to enhance the road safety of the roads concerned; if it does, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My consolidated reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Albert Chan is as follows.
The design guidelines for the carriageway width in Hong Kong are set out in the Transport Planning and Design Manual (TPDM). The TPDM is prepared by the Transport Department (TD) with reference to overseas experience and its standards are comparable to those of developed countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States. The TPDM sets out in detail the recommended carriageway widths for various road types (for example, expressway, primary distributor road, district distributor road, and rural road, etc) under different scenarios (for example, urban areas, rural areas, number of traffic lanes, etc).
The carriageway width itself does not have a direct relationship with road safety. The safety of roads depends on how road users use the road, or driving attitude and driving speed of motorists. The TD has been closely monitoring the traffic flow of all roads, the loading and unloading activities and the traffic accident figures, etc. The TD will implement appropriate traffic management measures to further improve the driving environment for motorists when necessary. These measures include restricting the use of large vehicles on narrow roads, imposing appropriate driving speed limit, providing traffic signs and road markings as well as implementing road improvement works, etc.
The TPDM has clearly stated that the design guidelines should not be taken as rigid standards. The design guidelines will also be revised from time to time having regard to the circumstances. The revised guidelines will only be applicable to newly designed roads. The current TPDM was last revised in 2014.
As roads constructed in early years were built with reference to the then prevailing guidelines, their designs (including carriageway width) may not be the same as those stipulated in the current TPDM. Besides, some road types may have changed, for example, from rural slip road to rural road because of the development at neighbouring areas, which resulting in the carriageway widths of certain roads may be different from the design guidelines stipulated in the current TPDM. The TD does not have a list of all roads in Hong Kong the carriageway widths of which are less than the minimum carriageway widths recommended in the TPDM. The number of traffic accidents in the past five years at some road sections in the Peak, Shek O, Sai Kung and Tai Tam, as well as Keung Shan Road is tabulated at Annex.
Given that carriageway widths which are narrower than the design guidelines recommended in the current TPDM will not pose any road safety concern, we have not devised any road widening programme solely based on this reason. The TD has been monitoring the traffic volume of roads, changes to their surrounding environment, road conditions, etc, and will draw up road widening plans as necessary. In addition, when the existing roads are reconstructed, the relevant works departments will design the roads having regard to the actual circumstances and making reference to the latest guidelines stipulated in the TPDM.
Although currently the carriageway widths of certain roads do not match with the design guidelines provided in the current TPDM, these roads are still wide enough for vehicles to pass through safely. Motorists should also pay due attention and drive with a safe driving speed.
Ends/Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:45
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