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LCQ16: Provision of additional facilities for accessing Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus Interchange
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     Following is a question by the Hon Holden Chow and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, in the Legislative Council today (February 15):

Question: 

     ​Some members of the local community have relayed that while the Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus Interchange (the Interchange) is frequented by passengers and quite a number of them are elderly persons and persons with disabilities, passengers from the nearby Tai Lam bus turnaround area at Pat Heung Road have to navigate steep slopes and staircases in order to reach the Interchange at the entrance of Tai Lam Tunnel, which is very inconvenient for the elderly and persons with disabilities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the latest statistics on the daily passenger flow at the Interchange during peak hours; and

(2) whether the authorities have considered including the aforesaid location in the "hillside escalator links and elevator systems", so as to provide additional barrier-free facilities such as elevators between the Interchange and the Tai Lam bus turnaround area at Pat Heung Road, thereby bringing convenience to the elderly and persons with impaired mobility; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:
 
President,

     ​Having consulted the Transport Department (TD), our reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Holden Chow is as follows:

(1) In the fourth quarter of 2022, the average daily patronage at the Tai Lam Tunnel Bus-Bus Interchange (TLTBBI) was about 19 800, of which about 8 150 and 11 650 travelled to the urban areas and Yuen Long respectively. The TD does not keep the statistics of the daily patronage at TLTBBI during peak hours.

(2) The proposal involves retrofitting an additional lift connecting TLTBBI and the nearby Tai Lam bus turnaround area at Pat Heung Road to facilitate passengers, including the elderly and persons with disabilities, to access the TLTBBI. Noting the proposal involves construction of pedestrian facilities to enhance the accessibility of the hillside areas, the Government will consider the proposal concerned under the ambit of hillside escalator links and elevator systems (HELs). At present, we are pressing ahead with the proposals selected for priority implementation under the revised assessment mechanism for HELs. Subject to the implementation progress of these proposals and factors such as the allocation of available resources, we will review the proposal concerned under the assessment mechanism in a timely manner.
 
Ends/Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Issued at HKT 11:25
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