LCQ3: Improving barrier-free facilities
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Question:
A number of organisations representing persons with disabilities have reflected that barrier-free facilities in Hong Kong are not yet fully adequate. Examples include discontinuities in barrier-free access routes in certain public housing estates, government venues and private shopping malls; barrier-free toilets being kept locked for prolonged periods; lifts and ramps being out of service for prolonged periods due to maintenance works; and guide paths being obstructed by miscellaneous objects or suffering from poor design. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of complaints received by various government departments over the past three years concerning damage to, improper design of, or obstruction of barrier-free facilities in public places; the average time required to complete the relevant repair and improvement works;
(2) given that properties completed before 2008 and not subsequently altered are not governed by the guidelines set out in the Buildings Department's Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 2008, whether the Government will consider promoting the upgrading of barrier-free facilities (for example, by installing ramps alongside staircases) by owners of older properties through measures such as a dedicated subsidy scheme or legislative amendments, and providing incentives such as tax concessions to encourage owners of private shopping malls to improve such facilities; and
(3) whether it will establish a territory-wide geographic information database on barrier-free facilities in conjunction with the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong to digitise data on such facilities in government and private premises, and establish a dedicated one-stop service page called "Barrier-free Access Made Easy" on the "iAM Smart" mobile application to integrate maps and real-time status information on barrier-free facilities across Hong Kong, so as to facilitate persons with disabilities and the elderly in planning barrier-free travel routes in advance?
Reply:
President,
The Government is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities, with a view to enabling them to have a barrier-free access to premises and make use of the facilities and services on an equal basis with others, thereby helping them to live independently and fully integrate into the community.
In consultation with the relevant bureaux, our consolidated reply to the Member's question is as follows:
(1) The statistics on complaints received by various government departments over the past three years regarding barrier-free facilities in public places, as well as the average time required for the relevant repair and improvement works, are set out in the Annex.
(2) Regulation 72 of the Building (Planning) Regulations (Cap. 123F) prescribes the design requirements for barrier-free access to premises and facilities for persons with disabilities in private buildings, so as to ensure that reasonable barrier-free access and facilities are provided in relevant premises to cater for the needs of persons with disabilities. This Regulation is applicable to all new private buildings as well as alterations or additions to existing private buildings.
The Buildings Department (BD) issued the Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 2008 in 2008 to elaborate on the statutory design requirements and provide guidelines on barrier-free access and facilities. With a view to enhancing the standards of barrier-free facilities in private buildings to align with the latest needs and international trends, and ensuring that concepts of universal design are incorporated in a feasible and pragmatic manner suited to the local context, the BD commissioned a consultant to conduct studies. Following stakeholders' consultations, the BD issued the Design Manual on Universal Accessibility 2026 in September this year, incorporating concepts of universal design with the objective of fostering an inclusive, accessible, safe and convenient built environment for all members of the community.
Regarding buildings in old districts, the Government, in collaboration with the Urban Renewal Authority, has launched a number of building refurbishment subsidy schemes, including the Operation Building Bright 2.0 (OBB 2.0) and the Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Needy Owners (BMGSNO). The OBB 2.0 provides support to eligible owner-occupiers of residential or composite buildings, assisting them in carrying out major building repair works, whilst the BMGSNO provides financial assistance to owner-occupiers in need to subsidise the costs of repairing their owner-occupied properties and improve the condition of dilapidated buildings. The scope of both subsidy schemes covers the provision, improvement and repair of barrier-free access works or the installation of barrier-free facilities in buildings.
(3) In July this year, the Lands Department (LandsD) launched the web application of the "Walkin'HK", utilising over 240 two-dimensional and three-dimensional datasets available in the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure Portal (the Portal) to help members of the public, including persons with disabilities, plan point-to-point barrier-free travel routes. Unlike traditional map applications, "Walkin'HK" specifically caters to the needs of persons with disabilities, such as wheelchair users, by providing the shortest, flat surface, or barrier-free routes and highlighting facilities along the way. The spatial data on the Portal is available for free download and use by the public. Many of these datasets are related to daily commuting, and institutions outside the Government are welcome to use these raw data to develop applications that facilitate journeys for persons with disabilities.
In addition, the Transport Department's "HKeMobility" application has integrated LandsD's 3D Pedestrian Network, including information of barrier-free access. When planning their journeys, members of the public can select visual aided or mobility aided routes, and grasp the locations of barrier-free facilities along the way (such as lifts, ramps and footbridges), making travel more convenient. The MTR Corporation Limited has also launched the "MTR · Care" mobile application, which offers real-time information on station lift maintenance as well as booking service for wheelchair portable ramps.
Currently, "iAM Smart" is connected to various online services, including "HKeMobility" equipped with the remote volume control function of "Cross Easy" and "MyMapHK" equipped with voice over and text version, to assist people in need with barrier-free travel.
Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Issued at HKT 13:06
Issued at HKT 13:06
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