Minutes of the 4th Meeting in 2019 of the Traffic …...2019/07/12 · Mr. KWAN Wing -yip Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LAM Yick -kuen Beginning of the meeting 3:40

Minutes of the 4th Meeting in 2019 of the Traffic and Transport Committee

of Tai Po District Council Date: 12 July 2019 (Friday) Time: 2:39 p.m. – 7:43 p.m. Venue: Conference Room, Tai Po District Council (“TPDC”) Present Time of Arrival Time of Withdrawal

Chairman

Dr. LAU Chee-sing Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting

Vice-chairman Mr. WOO Kin-man, Clement Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Members Mr. AU Chun-wah Beginning of the meeting 6:35 p.m. Mr. CHAN Cho-leung, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting 5:10 p.m. Mr. CHAN Siu-kuen, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting 5:10 p.m. Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. KWAN Wing-yip Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LAM Yick-kuen Beginning of the meeting 3:40 p.m. Mr. LAU Yung-wai Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LI Kwok-ying, BBS, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting 3:15 p.m. Mr. LI Wah-kwong, Rex Beginning of the meeting 3:19 p.m. Mr. LI Yiu-ban, BBS, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting 3:12 p.m. Mr. LO Hiu-fung Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. TAM Wing-fun, Eric, MH Beginning of the meeting 7:09 p.m. Mr. TANG Ming-tai, Patrick Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Ms. WONG Pik-kiu, BBS, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. YAM Kai-bong, Francis Beginning of the meeting 6:35 p.m. Mr. YAM Man-chuen Beginning of the meeting 6:43 p.m. Mr. YU Chi-wing, Ken Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Co-opted Members

Mr. AU Chun-ho Beginning of the meeting 7:29 p.m. Ms. CHAN Wai-ka, Olive Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wah Beginning of the meeting 4:50 p.m. Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wai Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting

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Mr. MAN Nim-chi Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. MUI Siu-fung Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. TSANG Hon-man Beginning of the meeting 6:53 p.m. Mr. WAN Hing-choy Beginning of the meeting 4:56 p.m. Mr. WU Cheuk-him Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. WU Yiu-cheong, Max Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. YIU Kwan-ho, Herman Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. YIP Chun-kit Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Secretary Mr. LEUNG Chung-wa, Alvin Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Executive Officer (District Council) 1 / Tai Po District Office (“TPDO”) / Home Affairs Department (“HAD”)

In Attendance Ms. LEUNG Wing-yin, Tiffany Assistant District Officer (Tai Po) / TPDO / HAD Ms. MA, Flora Senior Transport Officer / Tai Po / Transport Department

(“TD”) Ms. PUN Fun-yu, Winnie Engineer / Tai Po 1 / TD Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung Engineer / Tai Po 2 / TD Mr. LAM Tack-ho, Alex Engineer / Tai Po 3 / TD Mr. LEE Man-chow, Francis Project Team Leader / Pier Improvement Unit / Civil

Engineering and Development Department (“CEDD”) Mr. YUNG Chung-bun, Thomas Deputy Project Team Leader / Pier Improvement Unit /

CEDD Mr. LEE Chak-cho, Joe Engineer / Projects 1A / Pier Improvement Unit / CEDD Ms. MAK Pui-yan Engineer / 19 (North) / CEDD Mr. SIU Wai-kwan District Engineer / Tai Po (2) / Highways Department

(“HyD”) Mr. CHUNG Mann-kun, Terry Engineer / HK 2-3 / HyD Ms. SO Pui-yin Assistant Housing Manager / Tenancy (Tai Po, North, Shatin

7) 2 / Housing Department (“HD”) Mr. FU Kin-chiu Station Sergeant (Acting) / Traffic Wing / Tai Po Police

District / Hong Kong Police Force (“HKPF”) Mr. TAM Tsun-hei, Jeff Manager / Public Affairs / Kowloon Motor Bus Company

(1933) Limited (“KMB”) Mr. TANG Ching-kit Assistant Manager / Transport Planning / KMB Mr. WONG Tsz-kin Manager / Operations / Shatin Depot / KMB

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Mr. LAW Yiu-wah, Rayson Planning and Support Officer I / Long Win Bus Company Limited (“Long Win”)

Mr. LEE Kam-sang Technical Director / Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited Mr. KWAN Hin-yan Engineer / Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited Mr. SO, William Project Manager / Mannings (Asia) Consultants Limited

(“Mannings”) Mr. TANG Wai-yin Project Engineer / Mannings Mr. LEE Yu-sau, Terence Senior Executive Officer (District Council) / TPDO / HAD Ms. WONG Yu-hang, Anita Senior Liaison Officer (2) / TPDO / HAD

Applicant for absence

Mr. CHAN Tsz-wah

Opening Remarks The Chairman welcomed Members and departmental representatives to the Traffic and Transport Committee (“TTC”) meeting, and congratulated the following local dignitaries on being honoured, appointed or awarded by the Chief Executive:

(i) Mr. CHU King-yuen was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star;

(ii) Ms. LEE Sai-yin, Jeanne was awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star;

(iii) Mr. CHAN Cho-leung and Hon. YUNG Hoi-yan were appointed Justices of the Peace;

(iv) Mr. NG Siu-ki was awarded the Medal of Honour; and

(v) Mr. TANG Ming-tai, Patrick and Mr. LO Hiu-fung were awarded the Chief Executive’s Commendations for Community Service.

I. Confirmation of the minutes of the 3rd meeting in 2019 of the TTC on 10 May 2019 (TPDC Paper No. TT 67/2019) 2. The Chairman said that as the Secretariat did not receive any proposed amendments prior to the meeting and there were no amendments proposed by Members at the meeting, the above minutes were confirmed with no amendments necessary.

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II. Upgrading works at Lai Chi Chong Pier and Sham Chung Pier (TPDC Paper No. TT 68/2019) 3. The Chairman welcomed Mr. LEE Man-chow, Francis, Project Team Leader; Mr. YUNG Chung-bun, Thomas, Deputy Project Team Leader; and Mr. LEE Chak-cho, Joe, Engineer respectively of the CEDD; as well as Mr. LEE Kam-sang and Mr. KWAN Hin-yan, Technical Director and Engineer respectively of Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited to the meeting for the discussion of this agenda item. 4. Mr. Francis LEE and Mr. LEE Kam-sang went through the background and details respectively of the captioned works. 5. Mr. CHAN Cho-leung indicated that some piers (such as Tap Mun Pier) were not spacious and wide enough. As such, he asked when the second phase of the Pier Improvement Programme would be launched, and which piers would be upgraded. In addition, he indicated that many residents and tourists boarded and alighted at Lai Chi Chong Pier and Sham Chung Pier. As such, he asked whether the department could install some easy-to-use cranes at the piers to facilitate the transport of goods. 6. Mr. YAM Kai-bong, Francis said that he would support the installation of floating platforms (“platforms”) at the piers if they could help the public to board and alight. However, he would like to find out how well these platforms could withstand winds and waves. To his understanding, when super typhoon “Mangkhut” swept through Hong Kong in 2018, many typical piers made of wooden pillars and staircases had been damaged as they were battered by ocean waves and floating objects. Some pier facilities had not been restored even after a long period of time. Therefore, he was concerned about whether these platforms would be damaged even more easily, and whether they could cope with the marine environment when there was a storm surge with a larger tidal range. 7. Mr. KWAN Wing-yip said that he largely supported the upgrading works at Lai Chi Chong Pier and Sham Chung Pier. However, he was not sure whether the department had any plans to install solar panels at the piers. If not, he hoped that it would consider doing so to provide electricity for the lighting systems, etc. 8. Mr. Patrick TANG would also like to learn about the details of the solar lighting system. In addition, he asked whether the department had provided the two afore-mentioned piers with fresh water supply facilities. 9. Mr. LI Yiu-ban’s comments and questions were as follows:

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(i) He thanked the CEDD for working out the preliminary design for the upgrading works at the two piers concerned.

(ii) The department had earlier consulted Sai Kung North Rural Committee about the captioned works project, and had conducted on-site inspections at Lai Chi Chong Pier and Sham Chung Pier. The residents were all happy with the design of the piers. In particular, they opined that the design of the platforms would enable the public to board and alight more safely and quickly.

(iii) He asked about the width of the gangway to the platform. In addition to the gangway to the platform, he asked whether a separate staircase would be installed for the public to access the pier directly. He explained that if passengers got on and off the vessels using the same gangway, it might become very crowded. Therefore, installing a separate staircase for boarding and alighting could make crowd control much easier.

(iv) He agreed with the proposal to install cranes at the piers concerned, but said that it was rather difficult to set up mechanical or hydraulic cranes at the piers. Alternatively, he suggested the department consider simple lifting devices such as hooks and pulleys.

10. Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wah asked whether the platforms at the afore-mentioned piers were barrier-free accesses, and whether they were suitable for wheelchair users. In addition, he would like to know the approximate width of the gangway to the platform to see if it was wide enough for use by people carrying bulky goods. 11. Mr. LAU Yung-wai suggested the department consider installing a staircase under the proposed roof cover of the pier, from which the public could go to the platform directly without having to walk along the gangway. 12. Mr. Francis LEE responded that the Government planned to implement the Pier Improvement Programme in phases, with the first phase covering 10 piers. He continued that the Government would start with the first phase at present, and would review its effectiveness before considering whether to proceed with the second phase, which would be launched in one or two years according to preliminary assessment. 13. Mr. LEE Kam-sang responded as follows:

(i) The gangway to the platforms is about two metres wide. Its design did not only make it convenient for people in need to board and alight, but also allowed access by people carrying small trolleys.

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(ii) Lai Chi Chong Pier and Sham Chung Pier were situated in Tolo Harbour, where winds and waves were relatively weak. According to preliminary assessment, these winds and waves would not have any significant impact on the structure of the piers. In addition, the proposed platforms, located on the windward side of the piers, could be protected by the structure of the piers.

(iii) If the environmental conditions were favourable, the consultancy would consider installing environmental-friendly facilities, including solar-powered facilities or smaller wind-powered devices, on the roof covers of the piers.

(iv) There was no fresh water supply at the piers.

(v) The consultancy had considered installing another staircase leading to the platform. However, when a storm surge arrived, the rise in sea level might push the platform up to the ground level of the pier. Therefore, there were technical difficulties in installing an additional staircase to the platform.

14. Mr. LI Yiu-ban indicated that as the floor of the piers was stationary while the platform was mobile, he understood that it would be difficult to install a staircase between them. Therefore, he suggested shortening the platform by one metre to make room for a fixed staircase for the public to access the platform. 15. Mr. TANG Ming-tai, Patrick asked whether the department could supply fresh water at the piers. 16. Mr. LEE Kam-sang responded as follows:

(i) The consultancy would work with the WSD to follow up on the matters relating to fresh water and find out the situation of fresh water supply in the district.

(ii) The consultancy would further study the proposal to install an additional staircase at the piers for accessing the platform.

17. Mr. LI Yiu-ban added that if a staircase was to be installed at the platform, members of the public taking shelter from the rain and the sun at the piers would not have to board and alight via the gangway. This could help divert passenger flow. 18. The Chairman asked the department to follow up on Members’ proposals after the meeting and reply to Members directly. 19. The TTC endorsed the captioned works.

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III. Upgrading works at the remaining sections of Kam Tin Road and Lam Kam Road (TPDC Paper No. TT 69/2019) 20. The Chairman welcomed Mr. CHUNG Mann-kun, Terry, Engineer of the HyD; as well as Mr. William SO and Mr. TANG Wai-yin, Project Manager and Project Engineer respectively of Mannings to the meeting for the discussion of this agenda item. 21. Mr. TANG Wai-yin went through the captioned paper. 22. Mr. CHAN Cho-leung supported the captioned works. He indicated that he had previously suggested the Administration consider setting up a turnaround area off Kadoorie Farm. The TD could add a few words later during the discussion of the relevant agenda item. Nevertheless, he asked whether buses longer than 11 metres would be allowed to travel on Lam Kam Road after the carriageway was widened to 7.3 metres. 23. Mr. Francis YAM said that the carriageway between Route Twisk Roundabout and Kadoorie Farm was so narrow that long vehicles traveling along it might cut into the opposite lane. He would like to know whether it was the reason why long vehicles were not allowed on Lam Kam Road. Assuming it was this road restriction that currently made it impossible for the bus company to deploy buses longer than 11 metres to travel on Lam Kam Road, he went on to ask whether the vehicle length restriction for Lam Kam Road could be relaxed upon the completion of the captioned road widening works. 24. Mr. Terry CHUNG said that the captioned road widening works was proposed by the TD to the HyD. The HyD had learnt that the TD would review the vehicle length restriction for Lam Kam Road upon the completion of the road widening works. 25. Mr. LAM Tack-ho, Alex understood that Members and the residents there were all concerned about the relaxation of vehicle length restriction for Lam Kam Road. As such, the TD would examine the situation upon the completion of the road widening works. At present, the section of Lam Kam Road to the east of Kadoorie Farm was relatively wide. However, whether buses longer than 11 metres would be allowed to travel on Lam Kam Road in future could not be confirmed until a road trial was conducted upon the completion of the works. 26. The Chairman asked whether the TD had reserved sufficient room for buses longer than 12 metres or above when designing the roads. 27. Mr. Terry CHUNG said that the TD’s proposal to widen the road to 7.3 metres was in line with the department’s design standards. In principle, buses longer than 11 metres or above could travel on it.

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28. Mr. CHAN Cho-leung said that he supported the captioned works as it could help address the decade-long concern over vehicle length restriction for Lam Kam Road. In addition, he knew that the TD would introduce the construction works of a roundabout in Ng Tung Chai next to Lam Kam Road later in the meeting. As the works would also help alleviate the traffic problems in the Lam Tsuen area, he would like the Chairman to pass the widening works of Lam Kam Road and the construction works of the roundabout in Ng Tung Chai to the Working Group on Improvements to Major Roads in Rural Areas under the TTC or a new working group for regular follow-up actions. This would enable in-depth discussions on various details of the works, such as clarifying whether buses longer than 11 metres would be allowed on Lam Kam Road in future. 29. The Chairman suggested that the construction works of the roundabout in Ng Tung Chai should be discussed only in matters arising, and could also be followed up further at the Working Group on Improvements to Major Roads in Rural Areas in future. 30. Mr. CHAN Cho-leung agreed with the Chairman’s arrangement, and opined that if the issued concerned was followed up separately at the Working Group on Improvements to Major Roads in Rural Areas, it might not be necessary to discuss it in matters arising.

31. After summarising Members’ views, the TTC endorsed the captioned works.

IV. Request for extending route 73 to resume the bus services between Tai Po and Sheung Shui via Fanling (TPDC Paper No. TT 70/2019)

32. Mr. Francis YAM went through the captioned paper.

33. Ms. Flora MA responded as follows:

(i) The TD had noted Members’ views.

(ii) At present, Tai Po residents could go to North District Hospital by green minibus (“GMB”) route 502. Alternatively, they could get there by taking route 73, 73A or 70K to the vicinity of Sheung Shui and then changing to other routes.

(iii) In recent years, the department had operated some bus routes travelling between Tai Po and North District, such as 73B and W3. Meanwhile, the service hours of route 73B had also been extended gradually.

(iv) The department would continue to keep in view the passengers’ demand for the routes concerned and review them as necessary.

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34. Mr. TANG Ching-kit responded as follows:

(i) KMB understood that there was certain public demand for bus routes between Tai Po and Sheung Shui. Nevertheless, route 73 bound for Sheung Shui in the past was so long that its service stability and passengers’ demand were unsatisfactory. Therefore, KMB revised route 73 in 2013 and the terminus in North District was relocated to Wah Ming.

(ii) After the above changes, KMB had provided passengers with new interchange concessions for changing to other routes (such as 273A, 273D and 70K) for their destinations. Meanwhile, the overall journey time was more or less the same.

(iii) In addition to offering interchange concessions, KMB had also operated new routes such as 73B and W3 in recent years, so as to enhance the transport connectivity between Tai Po and North District.

(iv) KMB had noted Members’ views and would review the need for service adjustments in a timely manner.

35. Mr. CHAN Cho-leung said that he supported in principle the proposal to extend route 73 to Sheung Shui as it was also the preference of the residents along Tai Wo Service Road West. However, he indicated that when KMB was revising the services back then, it had pledged that after the termini of routes 73 and 73A were relocated to Wah Ming, the routes would provide a certain level of services for the residents along Tai Wo Service Road West during both peak and non-peak hours. As such, he was worried that the extension of the route to Sheung Shui would affect the existing services. In this connection, if KMB decided to extend the route to Sheung Shui, he would ask KMB to deploy additional buses for this route so as to maintain the existing services. 36. Mr. Francis YAM’s comments were as follows:

(i) He understood Mr. CHAN Cho-leung’s worries. He also agreed that after the route was extended, KMB would have to deploy additional bus resources as it was the only way to maintain the existing services.

(ii) He opined that extending route 73 did not necessarily mean restoring it to its original route. As the former route 73 was rather circuitous, he suggested that it could simply travel from Tai Po to Sheung Shui Mass Transit Railway (“MTR”) Station or North District Hospital via Fanling MTR Station and Ching Ho Estate.

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(iii) Kai Leng Roundabout and Po Shek Wu Road Roundabout in North District were both traffic congestion blackspots. He believed that if the route did not cover both ends of the railway station (such as travelling along the side of Yat Ming Road only), the impact on traffic and service frequency would be less profound.

(iv) He would like the department or the bus company to provide statistics showing how many members of the public went to Sheung Shui by taking route 73 and then changing to route 273A or 70K. Instead of changing to buses, he opined that more Tai Po residents went to Sheung Shui by MTR directly. However, wheelchair users who had to go from Tai Po to North District Hospital for follow-up consultation could only take a taxi at present as it was impossible for them to take the GMB, while the journey by MTR was very circuitous. It made wonder whether these were quality public transport services. In this connection, he hoped that Members would support the proposal to improve route 73.

(v) If route 73B was changed to a whole-day route, or if more bus stops for route W3 were provided in Tai Po District, the bus services between Tai Po and Sheung Shui might be improved. Otherwise, he opined that the responses from the TD and KMB just now were totally unable to meet the public’s demand for extending route 73.

37. Mr. YAM Man-chuen’s comments were as follows:

(i) There had been a constant demand for point-to-point public transport services from Tai Po District to Fanling and Sheung Shui, and vice versa. Otherwise, GMB route 502 would not have been full all the time.

(ii) Although the bus company had begun operating route 73B earlier, it provided services during non-peak hours only, and the number of passengers was rather low. In fact, it was of minimal help for the commuters who had to travel between Tai Po and North District.

(iii) The TD and the bus company always attached more importance to the views of the North District Council than those of the TPDC. If this situation persisted, Tai Po residents who had to take this route would only become dissatisfied, which was contrary to the Government’s intention to allay public discontent by revamping its style of administration.

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(iv) If route 73B became a whole-day route and ran past North District Hospital, the problems might be relieved, and it might not be necessary to resolve the problems by endorsing the extension of route 73. He, however, indicated that whenever the improvement proposal for route 73B was discussed at the last few meetings, the Administration always gave the public an impression that the services of route 73B could not be adjusted any further. That was why he and other Members were asking the department and the bus company to restore the former route 73 serving between Tai Po and Sheung Shui so that it could reach the areas of Choi Yuen Estate or Tai Ping Estate directly.

(v) Although the former route 73 did not have any stops near North District Hospital, he opined that the walking distance from Tai Ping Estate to North District Hospital was shorter than that from Sheung Shui MTR Station to North District Hospital. As such, he found it necessary to set up a bus stop near Tai Ping Estate.

(vi) At the Social Services Committee (“SSC”) meeting held earlier, Members had discussed matters relating to the provision of additional beds for various specialties in the New Territories East Cluster. In light of this, he believed that the number of Tai Po residents going to North District Hospital for follow-up consultation would increase gradually in future. Having considered that the services of GMB route 502 could no longer meet the current demand, he found it necessary to deploy buses with larger capacity to pick up passengers travelling between Tai Po and North District Hospital. He hoped that the department and the bus company would consider his views seriously.

38. Mr. MAN Nim-chi’s comments were as follows:

(i) He opined that both the TD and KMB had to provide statistics on how Tai Po residents had been affected since route 73 was revamped in 2013, such as whether the journey time from Tai Po to North District had increased, so as to justify whether the relocation of the terminus of route 73 from North District to Wah Ming at that time had produced the expected outcome and made it more convenient for the passengers. In the absence of such information, Members would have no clue about the effectiveness of the afore-mentioned revamp.

(ii) At present, Members were only asking to extend route 73 from Fanling to Sheung Shui again. Therefore, the bus services between Tai Po and Wah Ming were supposedly unaffected.

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(iii) It was inappropriate for the department and KMB not to take the initiative to provide any statistics for reference.


(i) The reason for endorsing the revamp of route 73 at that time was that the road condition of the new route was more stable, and it could help improve the stability of services (including the services along Tai Wo Service Road West). In addition, passengers could also use the interchange in Wah Ming to change to other routes for their destinations. This could further reduce the number of buses on the road and make the best use of bus resources.

(ii) The revamp back then was on such a large scale that it involved a number of inter-district bus routes. She said that she had noted Members’ views and would relay them to the Bus and Railway Branch, which would work with North District to explore the feasibility of service adjustments.


(i) The reason for KMB to revamp route 73 at that time was that many passengers found the route too circuitous in Sheung Shui and therefore preferred not to take it. Moreover, if a route was too long, its service stability would be compromised. Therefore, KMB relocated the terminus of route 73 to Wah Ming where an interchange was also set up for residents to change to other bus routes for Sheung Shui North or Sheung Shui South.

(ii) Before taking forward the revamp plan for route 73, KMB had considered various factors such as journey time and passengers’ experience. Although passengers heading for Sheung Shui might have to change to other routes in Wah Ming after the bus route revamp, the overall journey time was still reasonable.

(iii) He thanked Members for their valuable views on route 73 and the transport services between Tai Po and North District. KMB would consider these views and discuss with the TD if adjustments were necessary.

41. The Chairman said that he would deal with the motion moved in the paper by Members, and asked the Secretary to read the motion as follows:

“The TTC under the TPDC requested the bus company and the TD to extend KMB route 73 and to restore the bus services from Tai Po to Fanling and Sheung Shui, and vice versa.”

The motion was moved by Mr. Francis YAM and seconded by Mr. AU Chun-wah.

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42. No Members proposed any amendments at the meeting. The TTC agreed to vote by open ballot. After the Secretary had briefed on the voting procedure of the motions, the Chairman guided the TTC to vote on the motion moved by Mr. Francis YAM and the results were as follows:

For: 22 votes Mr. AU Chun-wah Mr. CHAN Cho-leung Mr. CHAN Siu-kuen Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai Mr. KWAN Wing-yip Mr. LAM Yick-kuen Mr. LAU Yung-wai Mr. LO Hiu-fung Mr. Patrick TANG Mr. Clement WOO Mr. Francis YAM Mr. YAM Man-chuen Mr. YU Chi-wing, Ken Mr. AU Chun-ho Ms. CHAN Wai-ka, Olive Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wai Mr. MAN Nim-chi Mr. WAN Hing-choy Mr. WU Cheuk-him Mr. WU Yiu-cheong, Max Mr. YIP Chun-kit Mr. YIU Kwan-ho, Herman Against: 0 vote Abstain: 2 votes Ms. WONG Pik-kiu Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wah Total: 24 votes

43. The motion had been carried.

V. Concerns about the safety issues in relation to the use of motor-driven bicycles, motor-driven skateboards and electric unicycles by the public (TPDC Paper No. TT 71/2019)

44. Mr. Francis YAM went through the captioned paper. 45. Mr. FU Kin-chiu responded as follows:

(i) If prosecution had to be instigated against the use of motor-driven bicycles, motor-driven scooters, electric unicycles and so on (collectively referred to as “electric vehicles”), the HKPF would first arrange for examination to confirm whether these electric vehicles fell under the category of vehicles.

(ii) Although the cases were different in nature and could not be mentioned in the same breath, the HKPF usually instigated prosecution for offenses such as possessing no driving license, using the vehicle without third party risks insurance, not wearing a helmet, driving on a pedestrian way, careless driving or driving an unlicensed vehicle, etc.

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(iii) As far as Tai Po District was concerned, the HKPF instigated five prosecutions against the unlawful use of electric vehicles in 2018, and four in the first quarter of 2019.

(iv) It was lawful to use these electric vehicles on private premises if it had not caused harm to anyone.

(v) The HKPF would continue to take actions to educate road users and prosecute offenders.

46. Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung added that the TD commissioned the “Consultancy Study on Enhancing Walkability in Hong Kong” in 2017 and was committed to implementing the “Walk in HK” initiative. The consultancy study examined whether certain mobility devices (such as pedelecs and motor-driven scooters) were safe and suitable for use in Hong Kong, including whether and how they should share the road with other users, as well as the regulatory issues with regard to safety. As the consultancy study was still in progress, the department would report on the findings in due course. 47. Mr. Patrick TANG said that a person using an electric vehicle on a road managed by the TD could be regulated by the existing legislation. He, however, asked whether it was lawful for a person to use an electric vehicle on a rural road not managed by the TD. He said that he had advised the public not to use electric vehicles on rural roads. Nevertheless, some members of the public had indicated that they could use electric vehicles on the roads concerned as they were not managed by the TD. He would like to ask the HKPF or the TD whether it was the case. 48. Mr. LO Hiu-fung would also like to know whether the Administration had any ways to prosecute those using electric vehicles on rural roads. In addition, the HKPF had just mentioned that there were a total of four prosecutions in the first quarter of 2019 against the use of electric vehicles. It meant that there was just about one prosecution per month on average, which he believed was a rather small number. He asked the HKPF whether such a small number of prosecutions was the result of few people using electric vehicles in the district, or the issues involving the direction, location or number of law enforcement actions conducted by the HKPF. 49. Mr. MAN Nim-chi would like to know whether there were any differences between the law enforcement standards for unicycles, bicycles and motor-driven bicycles. 50. Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wah indicated that many villagers had asked him whether they could use electric vehicles, including bicycles driven by electricity and pedalling. He would like the HKPF to explain whether the use of such bicycles was lawful. 51. Mr. Francis YAM indicated that some electric vehicles could be driven by pedalling. If there were police patrols, the user could instead pedal the electric vehicle for a while and then

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switch it back to electric mode. In this connection, he would like to know the specific details of the prosecution efforts and which laws had been violated. He stressed that the reason why he was proposing this agenda item was not to ask the HKPF to take law enforcement actions. Instead, he would like to raise concerns about whether an inclusive environment for these electric vehicles could be fostered in society. He explained that if the use of electric vehicles could discourage the public from driving vehicles, their use would be worth promoting. Nevertheless, if there was no prevailing legislation regulating the use of electric vehicles, the public would have no idea about where they could use electric vehicles legally. Therefore, he had proposed this agenda item for discussion at the TTC, and would like the HKPF to provide details of the prosecutions so that the public would understand the circumstances under which they might have violated the law. 52. Mr. LAU Yung-wai would like to know how these electric vehicles could be used legally. He indicated that some members of the public had been using electric vehicles at a high speed near On Chee Road, thus threatening the safety of the passers-by. However, even if they were scolded by other passers-by or even chased by police officers, they managed to leave the scene swiftly using the electric vehicles. Therefore, he hoped that the TD could suggest solutions to step up its regulation efforts. For example, it could stop the sale of electric vehicles at source so that the HKPF would not have to spend too much effort in taking law enforcement actions. As electric vehicles had a high start-up speed, it was very difficult for the HKPF to intercept those involved in the improper use of electric vehicles. Therefore, he understood why there were few prosecutions. 53. Mr. KWAN Wing-yip’s comments were as follows:

(i) He had also considered buying an electric vehicle for personal use, but later found out that using them might not be legal.

(ii) Members of the public did not break the law on purpose. However, as there were limited promotion and publicity about the laws on electric vehicles, the public had no idea about what kinds of regulation electric vehicles were subject to. Therefore, he would like the HKPF or the TD to enhance their education and publicity efforts so that members of the public who had no intention to break the law could become more vigilant about the use of electric vehicles.

(iii) He understood that the HKPF accorded priority to different tasks. Although the problem of cycling on pedestrian ways was rather serious in Tai Po District, these cases were less urgent. Therefore, the HKPF might not be able to take enforcement actions in a timely manner, thus putting public safety at risk.

(iv) The existing laws on electric vehicles lagged behind technological advancement. Moreover, some companies on the Mainland were also providing electric vehicle rental services. He opined that if electric vehicles had to be regulated, we could not solely rely on the HKPF’s enforcement efforts. The TD should also review the regulations and, in the long run, explore ways to allow the public to use electric

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vehicles in a safe and regulated manner. 54. Mr. YAM Man-chuen was also concerned whether the existing legislation could keep up with technological advancement. He asked whether the TD and the government departments concerned had any plans at present to refer to the legislation in other countries so as to regulate the specifications of electric vehicles, such as their maximum power output and speed, etc. He pointed out that many countries, rich or poor, had made the regulatory efforts, but Hong Kong had not. Furthermore, the Government had earlier advocated making Hong Kong an environmental-friendly / bicycle-friendly city. Nevertheless, its legislation efforts in this regard were way behind other places. Therefore, he would like the departments concerned to amend the law and provide a legislation timeframe as soon as possible. In addition, he opined that law enforcement efforts had to be taken in a synchronised manner. Even if the use of electric vehicles was allowed by law, the Government should also educate the public how to use them lawfully. 55. Mr. Max WU’s comments and questions were as follows:

(i) He agreed with Mr. YAM Man-chuen, and opined that the focus of this agenda item was not about how many prosecutions had been instigated by the HKPF, but about the fact that the legislation had failed to keep up with the times. He said that, for example, if the HKPF regarded electric vehicles as vehicles, would using an electric vehicle on private premises while intoxicated be considered as drink driving? Would the HKPF instigate any prosecution? He opined that these were the problems arising from the failure of the legislation keeping up with the times.

(ii) He opined that shared bicycles were supposed to be a technology that brought convenience to the public. However, as the existing legislation could not keep up with technological advancement, shared bicycles ended up being a technology that caused nuisance to the public.

(iii) Regarding the on-going consultancy study mentioned by the TD just now, he indicated that regardless of what the study findings were, the department would have to amend the law. For example, if it was found that the use of electric vehicles was not suitable in Hong Kong, the department would have to amend the law to prohibit the public from buying electric vehicles, rather than allowing the public to buy them but prohibiting the use of them. If the study findings had shown that the use of electric vehicles was suitable in Hong Kong, the Administration could also refer to the legislation in other countries and lay down rules about the specifications and use of electric vehicles, such as imposing a speed limit for the saleable electric vehicles.

(iv) He would like to know whether the department was working on the afore-mentioned law amendment at present, and what the timeframe of law amendment was. He went on to ask when the department would promulgate the

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findings of the “Consultancy Study on Enhancing Walkability in Hong Kong”. 56. Regarding the situation that a Member had just mentioned regarding the use of electric vehicles while intoxicated, Mr. MAN Nim-chi asked whether the person concerned, if in possession of a driving license, would also incur driving-offense points for violating the road traffic regulations, in addition to having committed the offence of drink driving. He found it necessary to clarify these issues. Meanwhile, the Administration should, through education and publicity, make the public fully aware of the consequences of using electric vehicles improperly. 57. Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung added that the TD commissioned the “Consultancy Study on Enhancing Walkability in Hong Kong” in 2017. The study examined, among other issues, ways to make it convenient for different road users to share the roads, and what safety and regulatory issues had to be noted. He believed that the study, upon its completion, would serve as a reference on ways to embrace and regulate electric vehicles. He indicated that the study was still in progress, and the department would promulgate the study findings in due course. 58. Mr. FU Kin-chiu responded as follows:

(i) The HKPF had noted Members’ views.

(ii) Using electric vehicles in public places was against the law. The use of electric vehicle was lawful only when it took place on private premises without causing harm to others. Therefore, the use of electric vehicles on rural roads was also against the law.

(iii) The successful prosecutions by the HKPF did not involve motor-driven unicycles. Having noticed an increasing trend in the use of such electric vehicles, the Traffic Wing had stepped up its law enforcement efforts.

(iv) A person using an electric vehicle under the influence of alcohol would incur driving-offense points for violating the road traffic regulations.

59. The Chairman asked about the number of successful prosecutions among those mentioned by the HKPF just now. 60. Mr. FU Kin-chiu responded that the information concerned was not available for the time being. Supplementary information could be provided later where necessary. 61. The Chairman opined that the information would help prove that the illegal use of electric vehicles could be prosecuted successfully under the existing legislation. 62. Mr. WAN Hing-choy noticed that some electric wheelchairs were driven at a high speed. As such, he asked whether there was any existing legislation that governed the electric

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wheelchairs, and whether the HKPF had prosecuted the improper use of electric wheelchairs. 63. Mr. FU Kin-chiu said that wheelchairs could be driven on the road because they fell under the exempted category.

VI. Request for reviewing the bus travel arrangements for children with disabilities (TPDC Paper No. TT 72/2019 (Revised)) 64. Ms. Olive CHAN went through the captioned paper. At the meeting, she also circulated photos of various kinds of carriers, and asked Members to tell whether they were baby strollers or child wheelchairs. 65. Ms. Flora MA responded as follows:

(i) The existing legislation did not restrict anyone from using bus services. Therefore, any person was allowed to take the bus unless he or she carried large objects with potential danger.

(ii) The TD had noted Members’ views. She also asked the bus company to put more emphasis on the training for bus drivers and encourage them to provide passengers with the required assistance wherever possible.

(iii) In addition to franchised bus services, Rehabus services were also available in Hong Kong. Passengers who had limited mobility or required special care could ask the medical institutions concerned about the booking procedures for Rehabus services.

66. Mr. TAM Tsun-hei, Jeff responded as follows:

(i) When training bus drivers, KMB had taught them ways to distinguish between a wheelchair and a baby stroller. KMB would once again educate the bus drivers about it so that they could distinguish between a wheelchair and a baby stroller more clearly.

(ii) KMB had noted Members’ views on the attitude of its bus drivers, and would remind its bus drivers to remain polite towards passengers. KMB apologised to the passengers who were unhappy for being treated impolitely by its bus drivers.

(iii) As the safety belts at the wheelchair position on the bus were specially designed for wheelchairs, they could not secure anything other than wheelchairs (including baby strollers). If a passenger got onto the bus with a baby stroller, the bus driver would usually ask him or her to fold up the baby stroller, hold the baby in his or her arms, and put away the baby stroller properly.

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(iv) For the sake of the safety of all passengers on board, baby strollers could not be kept anywhere else (including the wheelchair position). Such a requirement could prevent unsecured objects from falling down and injuring the passengers when the bus was in motion.

67. Mr. LAU Yung-wai’s comments were as follows:

(i) Children with disabilities and their parents were already under a lot of pressure on the bus because of the unfriendly glances by the people around. If they got on a bus only to be ordered by an impolite bus driver to fold up the child wheelchair, they would find the entire journey even more unpleasant.

(ii) Citing the second case in the paper, he indicated that apart from the poor attitude of the bus driver, KMB had also stated in its reply to the complainant that if he would like to lodge a complaint to the Equal Opportunities Commission, he “must not forget to quote the KMB case number”. Given that KMB was a public transport service provider, he found the tone of its reply inappropriate.

(iii) Although not many child wheelchair users travelled by bus at present, he would like the bus company to take a step further by considering enhancing the design and arrangement for the safety belt at the wheelchair position so as to cater for the travelling needs of children with disabilities.

68. Ms. Olive CHAN’s comments were as follows:

(i) When they felt sick, children with disabilities had to go out in child wheelchairs as their parents might not be able to carry them. Suffering from numerous health problems, children with disabilities might have to go to hospital several times a day for follow-up consultations. Therefore, taking the bus was something that they had to do every day. That was why she would like the bus company to make every effort to help the children with disabilities.

(ii) Child wheelchairs looked very similar to baby strollers in general. She believed that most bus drivers could not tell whether it was a child wheelchair if they had no experience in taking care of children with disabilities or no medical knowledge.

(iii) She opined that as long as the passengers could show the Registration Card for People with Disabilities (“the Card”), bus drivers should provide the exemption and assistance required. Meanwhile, the bus company should also consider improving the design of the buses, so as to make it easier for children with disabilities to travel by bus and to improve the safety of their bus journeys.

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69. Mr. WU Cheuk-him’s comments were as follows:

(i) He was concerned about bus drivers ignoring the Card shown by passengers. He opined that the bus company should enhance its staff training and equip its staff with up-to-date knowledge on a regular basis.

(ii) As it would take time to enhance the facilities in the bus compartment, while children with disabilities and their parents had to travel by bus every day, he hoped that the bus company would remind its bus drivers to make every effort to provide exemption or assistance for the passengers who had shown the Card.

(iii) He was saddened by the TD’s proposal that people in need could use Rehabus services as the services were not immediately available and were rather expensive. Therefore, travelling by bus was the only option for children with disabilities and their parents.

(iv) Children with disabilities and their parents were already faced with many difficulties when they went out. He opined that more barrier-free access should be provided in society to show them our acceptance and inclusiveness.

70. Mr. Eric TAM said that as shown in the paper, some parents of children with disabilities were still treated impolitely by bus drivers after showing the Card. The reason, he speculated, was that bus drivers did not know much about the Card or had even forgotten what the Card looked like. As such, he suggested the bus company put up labels containing a sample of the Card at prominent spots inside the bus for reference by bus drivers where necessary. In doing so, they could cater for the needs of people with disabilities in a friendlier manner.

71. Mr. MUI Siu-fung said that he had on many occasions travelled by bus and MTR with a baby stroller, and agreed that it had to be folded up as it could obstruct the passageway. He, however, indicated that what the paper referred to was not baby strollers but child wheelchairs. As the users of child wheelchairs and traditional wheelchairs both had limited mobility, he wondered how they could walk and even get onto the bus after their wheelchairs had been folded up. He stressed that people with disabilities had the rights to travel by bus, and bus drivers could tell who were disabled with the naked eyes. Therefore, he found it unnecessary to put up labels showing a sample of the Card inside the bus. If the cases described in the paper were true, he opined that the TD and the bus company had to take follow-up actions seriously.

72. Ms. Flora MA had noted Members’ views. She reiterated that child wheelchairs were allowed on the bus, while baby strollers had to be folded up once on board. She believed that the cases cited in the paper were just isolated incidents. However, the department had also asked the bus company to enhance its training for bus drivers so as to provide passengers with the necessary assistance.

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73. Mr. Jeff TAM responded as follows:

(i) KMB supported an inclusive and accepting environment for people with disabilities, and had equipped the buses with many disabled-friendly facilities such as low-floor facilities. Moreover, some buses were even equipped with double wheelchair positions.

(ii) KMB had taught its bus drivers ways to identify the Card. As regards the poor attitude of bus drivers, KMB would rectify the situation in a proactive manner, and review with bus drivers how to meet the demands of passengers and the needs of people with disabilities.

(iii) He stressed that safety was the main concern for KMB when considering whether to allow people with disabilities to get onto the bus. He indicated that if passengers did not secure items such as baby strollers to the wheelchair position properly, it could easily endanger the people with disabilities or other passengers.

(iv) As regards Members’ proposal to enhance the facilities at the wheelchair position so that baby strollers or other items could be secured properly, KMB would accept the opinion and explore ways for improvement so as to meet the travelling needs of different passengers.

74. Mr. LAU Yung-wai said that the cases cited in the paper were not isolated incidents as similar cases were aplenty. Apart from some bus drivers picking on passengers travelling with baby strollers, he opined that most bus drivers could not distinguish between baby strollers and child wheelchairs. Even if a passenger was using a child wheelchair, the bus driver would ask him or her to fold it up. Otherwise, he would not drive the bus away. In addition, some ill-mannered bus drivers not only refused to accept the Card shown by passengers, but also regarded child wheelchairs as baby strollers and asked the passengers to fold them up. He would like to learn about how KMB trained its bus drivers, and whether it had regularly reminded them to provide the necessary assistance for passengers holding the Card or travelling with baby strollers. He hoped that KMB could understand and empathise with the plight of people with disabilities and their carers. 75. The Chairman believed that KMB had noted Members’ views. He opined that KMB should remind its bus drivers that parents of children with disabilities who had shown the Card should receive special treatment. In particular, as buses were equipped with low-floor facilities, bus drivers had the responsibility to set up the platform for wheelchair users. With an overall public image of being disabled-friendly, KMB should not treat child wheelchair users with different criteria.

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76. Ms. Olive CHAN stressed that child wheelchairs and baby strollers looked so similar that it was hard to distinguish between them. That was why she suggested the bus company verify passengers’ identity with reference to the Card so as to provide the suitable assistance. She indicated that as the physical condition of every child with disabilities was different, the child wheelchairs required might vary. If bus drivers did not refer to the Card as a means of identification, they could hardly tell whether the child wheelchair was a baby stroller. 77. The Chairman asked the TD to inform other bus companies of Members’ views and concerns. 78. Mr. Patrick TANG opined that the cases mentioned in the papers were serious in nature. As such, he suggested that passengers encountering such situations could jot down details of the bus driver and bus service concerned, such as the name of the driver, the staff number, the time of the incident, the boarding location, etc. Photos of the bus driver could also be taken to track down the driver when complaints were filed later. In addition, he indicated that the design of child wheelchairs was changing all the time, and they also looked similar to baby strollers so that the users were less likely to be discriminated against. Therefore, he asked the TD to urge the bus company to update its guidelines and frequently remind its drivers to pay attention to cases relating to child wheelchairs, so as to prevent similar incidents from happening again. 79. Mr. LO Hiu-fung said that many passengers used the wheelchair position on the bus to store items other than wheelchairs, such as suitcases and trolleys, and it had sped up the wear and tear of the safety belts. He asked whether the bus company had checked the condition of these safety belts regularly, or whether it could improve their design to ensure that passengers in wheelchairs could use these safety belts properly. 80. Mr. Jeff TAM responded as follows:

(i) Regarding the poor attitude of bus drivers, he welcomed further information from Members for follow-up actions, so as to rectify the problem and improve the services.

(ii) The safety belt at the wheelchair position on the bus was for securing the wheelchair only and nothing else. Therefore, KMB advised passengers not to use the safety belt for securing items such as suitcases or trolleys.

(iii) KMB would check and repair the facilities on the bus on a regular basis, and would explore ways to further educate passengers about the correct use of wheelchair position and safety belts.

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81. The Chairman said that he would deal with the motion moved in the paper by Members, and asked the Secretary to read the motion as follows:

“Requesting the Government and the bus company to review the bus travel arrangements for children with disabilities.”

The motion was moved by Mr. LAU Yung-wai and Ms. Olive CHAN and seconded by Mr. YAM Man-chuen. 82. Mr. Eric TAM agreed with the above motion. However, as the above discussion also involved issues relating to the safety belts on the bus, he moved an amended motion as follows:

“Requesting the Government and the bus company to review the bus travel arrangements for children with disabilities, and to improve the design of safety belts at the wheelchair position as a friendly initiative for children with disabilities.”

The amended motion (“Amended Motion I”) was moved by Mr. Eric TAM and seconded by Mr. LO Hiu-fung. 83. The Chairman asked whether Members had any other amended motions. 84. At the request of Members, the TTC agreed to take a five-minute recess. 85. The recess ended. The TTC resumed the meeting. 86. Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai moved another amended motion. The Secretary read the amended motion as follows:

“Requesting the Government and the bus company to review the bus travel arrangements for children with disabilities, and to review and improve the facilities for people with disabilities inside the bus as a friendly initiative for children with disabilities and their families.”

The amended motion (“Amended Motion II”) was moved by Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai and seconded by Mr. KWAN Wing-yip and Mr. AU Chun-ho. 87. No Members proposed any further amendments at the meeting. The TTC agreed to vote by open ballot. After the Secretary had briefed on the voting procedure of the motions, the Chairman guided the TTC to vote on Amended Motion I moved by Mr. Eric TAM and the results were as follows:

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For: 23 votes Mr. AU Chun-wah Mr. CHAN Cho-leung Mr. CHAN Siu-kuen Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai Mr. KWAN Wing-yip Mr. LAU Yung-wai Mr. LO Hiu-fung Mr. Eric TAM Mr. Patrick TANG Mr. Clement WOO Mr. Francis YAM Mr. YAM Man-chuen Mr. Ken YU Mr. AU Chun-ho Ms. Olive CHAN Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wai Mr. MAN Nim-chi Mr. MUI Siu-fung Mr. TSANG Hon-man Mr. WAN Hing-choy Mr. WU Cheuk-him Mr. Max WU Mr. Herman YIU Against: 0 vote Abstain: 0 vote Total: 23 votes 88. Amended Motion I had been carried. 89. The Chairman guided the TTC to vote on Amended Motion II moved by Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai and the results were as follows: For: 24 votes Mr. AU Chun-wah Mr. CHAN Cho-leung Mr. CHAN Siu-kuen Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai Mr. KWAN Wing-yip Mr. LAU Yung-wai Mr. LO Hiu-fung Mr. Eric TAM Mr. Patrick TANG Mr. Clement WOO Mr. Francis YAM Mr. YAM Man-chuen Mr. Ken YU Mr. AU Chun-ho Ms. Olive CHAN Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wai Mr. MAN Nim-chi Mr. MUI Siu-fung Mr. TSANG Hon-man Mr. WAN Hing-choy Mr. WU Cheuk-him Mr. Max WU Mr. YIP Chun-kit Mr. Herman YIU Against: 0 vote Abstain: 0 vote Total: 24 votes 90. Amended Motion II had been carried. As the two said amended motions had been carried, the original motion moved by Mr. LAU Yung-wai and Ms. Olive CHAN would not have to be put to vote.

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91. The Chairman hoped that the TD and the bus company would improve the bus travel arrangements for children with disabilities.

VII. Request for operating bus services from Fu Heng to Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing District (TPDC Paper No. TT 73/2019) 92. Mr. WU Cheuk-him went through the captioned paper. 93. Ms. Flora MA responded as follows:


(ii) Route 272P provided bus services from Fu Heng to Kwai Hing on weekday mornings. The department would urge KMB to closely monitor passengers’ demand for route 272P, and would consider increasing its service frequency where necessary. In addition, route 73X also provided services between Tai Po and the Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing area. Residents in Fu Heng Estate could take route 71K, 71A or 71B to other bus stops in the district before changing to route 73X.

(iii) As Fu Heng Bus Terminus was busier in the morning, the department was preparing for its enhancement works at present. If the bus terminus had sufficient room in future, the department would urge KMB to deploy more bus resources to meet passengers’ demand.

(iv) The department would continue to keep in view the bus service networks between different districts, and would ask the bus company to enhance its services in a timely manner.


(i) He thanked Members for their views as regards the bus services in Fu Heng.

(ii) KMB route 272P provided bus services from Fu Heng to Kwai Hing in the morning. With an average patronage of about 70% at present, it could more or less meet passengers’ demand. KMB would closely monitor the changes in patronage and adjust the services as necessary.

(iii) In addition to route 272P, passengers could also take route 71K at Fu Heng and then change to route 73X for the Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing area, so as to enjoy an interchange concession of $4.2.

(iv) KMB had noted Members’ proposal to provide additional bus services from Fu Heng to other districts. It would closely monitor the population growth and route operation in the district, and would consider providing additional bus services as

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necessary. 95. Mr. YAM Man-chuen’s comments and questions were as follows:

(i) He had been asking for additional bus services from Fu Heng to Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing and vice versa in the past, but the crux of the issue was that there was no more room at Fu Heng Bus Terminus for additional bus routes. That was why he sought to expand Fu Heng Bus Terminus and use the area near Tai Po Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital (“Nethersole Hospital”) as a bus terminus.

(ii) Apart from route 73X, he also sought to operate a special morning departure of route 74X in Fu Heng. He hoped that the department could turn the idle taxi stand outside Nethersole Hospital into a bus stop for the additional special morning departures or regular bus routes. In doing so, bus services could be enhanced for residents in Fu Heng and those who would move into Area 9 in Tai Po in future.

(iii) Regarding the afore-mentioned works proposal, he would like the department to report on the latest progress and invite District Council (“DC”) Members of the constituencies concerned to discuss the details in a timely manner.

(iv) Several DC terms ago, some DC Members suggested the department make the best use of the newly constructed Tsing Sha Highway by operating a bus route between Tai Po and Kwai Tsing District. However, it had never come to fruition for various reasons. He asked whether the department had an implementation timeframe for this route.

(v) During the discussion on the Bus Route Planning Programme in 2018, Members had suggested enhancing the services of route 272P by, for example, increasing its service frequency or even turning it into a whole-day route so that the residents in Tai Po District (including Fu Heng) could travel to and from Kwai Tsing District directly by bus. However, the department and the bus company stated at that time that as the patronage of route 272P was only 60%, it was not enough to support additional bus services.

(vi) As regards the situation in point (v) above, he opined that the reason for the insufficient patronage of route 272P was that its service time was a little too early at present. He explained that it took just 45 minutes or so for residents to travel to Kwai Hing by route 272P, which was quicker than taking route 73X and then changing to route 47X at Shing Mun Tunnels. Therefore, he believed that if KMB could provide an additional bus service at 7:30 a.m. or 7:45 a.m., it would fit the working hours of the residents even more and the patronage would increase accordingly.

(vii) The Working Group on Provision of Public Bus and Minibus Services (“WGBM”) under the TTC had earlier commissioned a consultancy study on the public bus

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services in Tai Po District. The study report also pointed out that there was a certain demand for bus services between Tai Po District and other districts, including many routes travelling to and from New Territories West (such as Tuen Mun and Kwai Tsing District). Subsequently, KMB had suggested operating route 263C between Tai Po and Tuen Mun. On the contrary, bus services to and from Kwai Tsing District had not been enhanced. Therefore, he hoped that the department, having regard to the recommendations in the report, would enhance the services of route 272P or operate a route between Tai Po and Kwai Tsing District.

96. Mr. Francis YAM’s comments were as follows:

(i) Residents in Fu Heng had to transfer three times before arriving at Kwai Tsing District. Therefore, it was unrealistic for the TD to advise the residents to transfer.

(ii) As there was only one departure of route 272P at 7:15 a.m., it was really necessary to enhance its services. He explained that if there was only one departure the entire day, it would be impossible to wait for the next bus after missing it. This arrangement could hardly attract and retain passengers, making it difficult to develop the route.

(iii) There were no return trip services for route 272P at present. He said that he had been writing to the TD and KMB over the past few years asking for expanding the services of route 272P by providing morning departures and return trips, and subsequently turning it into a whole-day route to serve Tai Po residents.

(iv) While KMB had switched to 12.8-metre-long buses for route 73X, many passengers were still complaining that they could not get on route 73X buses at Shing Mun Tunnels Bus Interchange during the afternoon rush hours. As the burden on route 73X could be shared by enhancing the services of route 272P, the department should allow KMB to operate additional departures of route 272P.

(v) While the department had stated that there was no more room at Fu Heng Bus Terminus for additional bus services, he indicated that Members had all along been suggesting the department use the idle urban taxi stand outside Nethersole Hospital as a bus stop. Moreover, as it was the department’s responsibility to make the best use of resources, he criticised the department for being unfair by merely pointing out the lack of space at Fu Heng Bus Terminus without mentioning the existence of an idle site outside Nethersole Hospital. He demanded the department ask the engineering staff to contact Mr. YAM Man-chuen as soon as possible, so as to explore ways to revitalise the area concerned and build a bus bay that would serve as a bus terminus.

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97. Mr. Eric TAM’s comments were as follows:

(i) The route 272P bus departed from Fu Heng at 7:15 a.m. and then arrived at Kwai Tsing District at 8 a.m. or so. However, as the working hours in that district usually started sometime between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., the service time of route 272P was a little too early. Judging from the current service time, he opined that a patronage of 70% was already very good.

(ii) To save passengers the trouble of making numerous bus transfers and to prevent them from arriving at the Kwai Tsing area too early, he opined that KMB should operate additional departures of route 272P at least during the morning and afternoon peak hours.

(iii) Rather than being a remote area, Kwai Tsing District comprised commercial areas and workplaces and was inhabited by a lot of residents. Therefore, there was always a certain traffic demand at different hours.

(iv) With the development of railway networks, the coverage of bus services would continue to shrink. He opined that the bus company had to develop routes proactively. As there were no direct railway services between Tai Po and Kwai Tsing District, it would be desirable to operate a point-to-point bus route between them. He would support the operation of this route as it could bring convenience to passengers and increase the market share of the bus company.


(i) It was not appropriate for KMB to consider whether to increase the services of route 272P according to the population growth in the area, as the reasons for its insufficient patronage were its unattractive route and its less than ideal service time.

(ii) KMB should not wait until the completion of Area 9 in Tai Po before providing additional bus services because, at present, it could already foresee a population growth in the area concerned. Therefore, it had to plan ahead by providing additional morning departures and even return trips in the evening to meet the future demand.

(iii) Given that the journey with bus transfers was rather circuitous and the bus might only have standing room available, residents in Fu Heng who had missed the route 272P bus might go to Kwai Tsing District by MTR instead. In Kwai Tsing District, there were office buildings, construction sites, factories and so on where the working hours were all different. Therefore, he opined that if KMB could provide one additional departure before and after 7:15 a.m. respectively, it would attract more passengers.

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99. Mr. WU Cheuk-him said that his views were similar to those of other Members. He also stressed that KMB should not always refer to patronage as the basis for not providing additional services. The route 272P bus was not full because its service time could not meet the demand, and passengers would not leave home earlier for the sole purpose of meeting the service time of route 272P. He hoped that KMB would operate another departure after 7:15 a.m. If the bus was full by then, another departure would be operated. He went on to ask the TD and KMB to review the criteria for increasing service frequencies so that bus services could better meet the passengers’ demand.


(i) There were limited bus services between Tai Po and Kwai Tsing District, except for a handful of routes such as 272P and 73P. However, it could be said that route 272P existed in name only because of its less than ideal service time and limited departures.

(ii) He suggested providing additional services of route 272P or even turning it into a whole-day route to enhance the services between Tai Po and Kwai Tsing District.

(iii) He suggested the department and the bus company arrange for more bus routes to take Eagle’s Nest Tunnel so as to make the best use of the interchange. If more routes in Tai Po District could take Eagle’s Nest Tunnel, passengers could change to route 286X or 287X at the interchange there for Kowloon West.

(iv) The route from Tai Po to Kwai Tsing was not long. If a route could make a detour to Eagle’s Nest Tunnel, passengers could change to other buses there. Given that the majority of bus routes in Tai Po District took Shing Mun Tunnels, operation of new routes taking Eagle’s Nest Tunnel could provide options for passengers. Therefore, he hoped that the department and the bus company could seriously consider this suggestion.



(ii) As some Members opined that the service time of route 272P was less than ideal, the department would call on KMB to conduct a review. However, inter-district routes were easily affected by traffic conditions, and passengers would be late for work in the event of congestion. Therefore, the bus company would also consider traffic conditions when drawing up the service schedule so that it could strike a balance wherever possible and passengers would not be late for work.

(iii) The department had been discussing the situation at Fu Heng Bus Terminus with the Members concerned since 2018, and had consulted the TTC in March 2019 about

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the enhancement works there. As the bus terminus would have more space for bus parking after the completion of the works, the department would not look for other locations to set up bus stops.

(iv) As regards some Members’ suggestion that a bus stop could be set up outside Nethersole Hospital, she explained that as buses departing from there would still have to return to Fu Heng to pick up passengers, the department would not consider setting up a bus stop there, and would arrange for buses to depart mostly from Fu Heng.

(v) The department would continue to keep an eye on the passengers’ demand for various bus routes, and would provide bus services from various parts of Tai Po to other districts wherever possible. In addition, the department would also continue to review whether other bus interchange combinations were available to make it more convenient for passengers.

102. Mr. TANG Ching-kit thanked Members for their views. He indicated that KMB knew there was a certain public demand for a route between Tai Po and Kwai Tsing District. Therefore, in June 2019, KMB began operating route 73P from Tai Mei Tuk to Tsuen Wan via Shing Mun Tunnels. KMB would closely monitor the situation of route 73P. If the demand increased in future, KMB would consider operating additional morning departures and return trips. 103. Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung said that the TD had earlier briefed the TTC on the concept plan for the enhancement of Fu Heng Bus Terminus. Subsequently, some found it necessary to reserve a pick-up / drop-off area for vehicles. As such, the department was currently exploring whether the planters near the existing taxi stand could be converted to a pick-up / drop-off area. At present, the department hoped to finalise the works concept plan as soon as possible and then consult the stakeholders. The department would revise the plan according to the comments and then hand it over to the HyD for a review on the feasibility of the works. 104. Mr. YAM Man-chuen’s comments were as follows:

(i) While he thanked the TD for enhancing Fu Heng Bus Terminus, he could not accept that the TD had flatly rejected the proposal to turn the two taxi stands outside Nethersole Hospital into a bus stop. He explained that the two idle lay-bys outside Nethersole Hospital were large enough for parking four to six buses and could be used as a bus terminus or the parking space for special departures. They should not be confused with the enhancement works at Fu Heng Bus Terminus.

(ii) During the discussion on the development at Area 9 in Tai Po in 2016 and 2017, Members had pointed out the shortage of bus parking spaces there. If the housing development at Chung Nga Road East was completed before the commissioning of the bus terminus at Area 9 in Tai Po, residents who would like to take a bus would

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go to Fu Heng Bus Terminus to do so. Therefore, he hoped that the burden of insufficient bus stops could be relieved by revitalising the area outside Nethersole Hospital into bus parking spaces. In the long run, this could provide more bus services for the residents at Fu Heng, Chung Nga Road East and Area 9 in Tai Po.

(iii) After a bus stop had been set up outside Nethersole Hospital, there could be further discussions on whatever routes the department planned to run there. Nonetheless, it could at least provide the residents with a bus stop in a short period of time. On the other hand, the conversion works at Fu Heng Bus Terminus would take some time. Given that the works were still at the design stage, it would take at least four to five years to complete. By contrast, it was relatively easy to turn the area outside Nethersole Hospital into a bus stop, and the works might take only a year or half a year to complete. As such, he did not understand why the department did not give it a thought.

(iv) For the reasons mentioned above, he would like the department to carefully consider the suggestion, take back its statement about not implementing it, and reconsider setting up a bus stop outside Nethersole Hospital.

105. The Chairman believed that the TD had noted Members’ views. 106. Ms. Flora MA said that in view of the longer walking distance from Fu Heng to Nethersole Hospital, the TD hoped that the buses could depart from Fu Heng Bus Terminus. In addition, as there would be bus stops at Area 9 in Tai Po and the housing development at Chung Nga Road East, residents who would like to take a bus would not be asked to go to Nethersole Hospital to do so. The department would closely monitor the situation upon the completion of the afore-mentioned works projects, and would review the passengers’ needs and the bus travel arrangements concerned. 107. Mr. YAM Man-chuen added that he expected the buses departing from Nethersole Hospital bus stop would go directly to Chung Nga Road bus stop to pick up passengers without having to return to Fu Heng Bus Terminus. As such, he hoped that the department would give it another thought.

VIII. Request for turning route 264R into a regular route (TPDC Paper No. TT 74/2019) 108. Mr. YIP Chun-kit went through the captioned paper. 109. Ms. Flora MA had noted Members’ views. She indicated that route 264R currently provided express bus services between Tai Po and Tin Shui Wai with fewer en-route bus stops on

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weekends, whereas route 64K provided bus services between Tai Po and Yuen Long on a daily basis. She said that the department would review the services of routes 64K and 264R altogether.

IX. Request for introducing sectional fares for route 71A (TPDC Paper No. TT 75/2019) 110. Mr. WU Cheuk-him went through the captioned paper. 111. Ms. Flora MA said that the maximum fares of all bus routes (including route 71A) were calculated according to the scale of fares and the distance travelled. The TD hoped that the bus company could offer more fare concessions to passengers wherever possible. 112. Mr. TANG Ching-kit had noted Members’ views. As mentioned by the TD just now, KMB set the fares according to the scale of fares. He understood that Members would like the bus company to offer more fare concessions to meet passengers’ demand, but the bus company had to take into account its financial burden as well. On the other hand, KMB currently offered an interchange concession of $4.2 to passengers who interchanged from routes 73X and 75X to route 71K. KMB hoped that this interchange concession would make it easier for members of the public to change buses at Tai Po Centre for Fu Heng. 113. Mr. Francis YAM opined that KMB could resolve the problem simply by offering an interchange concession to passengers who changed from routes 73X and 75X to route 71A. Citing the examples in Singapore, Taiwan and Japan, he also indicated that the bus fares there were based on mileage. Passengers only had to tap the card when boarding and alighting, and he was not against charging the passengers in this way. He noticed that many residents travelled by bus from Fu Heng to the Fu Shin area, where they went to school or changed to route 307 for Hong Kong Island, and it was not reasonable to charge them the full fare. Therefore, he opined that the bus fare system had to be changed, and suggested KMB introduce two-way section fares for all bus routes (including route 71A). 114. Mr. YAM Man-chuen supported the proposal to introduce section fares, but opined that a straightforward solution was to offer an interchange concession for route 71A. Therefore, he urged the bus company to consider it proactively. In addition, he indicated that many residents complained about the numerous en-route stops of route 71A that made the route very long. As such, he hoped that the department and KMB could take into account the passengers’ needs and consider how to strike a balance. 115. Mr. WU Cheuk-him said that instead of walking to another bus stop to change to route 71K after getting off at the bus stop at Tai Po Centre Phase 5, he would rather walk all the way back to Fu Heng from there. He indicated that residents could not wait to go home after work. Given

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that route 71A would stop at the bus stop at Tai Po Centre Phase 5, he opined that it was logical for KMB to offer interchange concession for the public’s convenience. 116. Mr. Eric TAM’s comments were as follows:

(i) Having travelled past the bus stop at Tai Po Centre Phase 5, route 71A buses would return to Fu Heng Bus Terminus directly. For route 71K buses, however, they would have to take a detour before arriving at Fu Heng after passing the bus stop at Tai Po Centre. Therefore, he found it unreasonable for KMB to suggest passengers change to route 71K.

(ii) He opined that both sectional fares and interchange concession were acceptable as the bus routes did not travel past the seven major housing estates in the district. Moreover, as the bus company often encouraged passengers to make bus transfers, more interchange concessions had to be offered so that the residents in Fu Heng and Chung Nga could travel to their destinations more comfortably.

(iii) Provision of interchange concession could attract more passengers to make transfers, thereby generating more income for the bus company.

117. Mr. MAN Nim-chi said that the outbound traffic in Fu Heng had always been a difficult problem to resolve, and free feeder bus services were not available either. Nevertheless, being a large enterprise, KMB had its own share of social responsibilities. As such, he hoped that KMB could look at the problem from the public relations perspective and provide the residents in Fu Heng and Chung Nga with an interchange concession for route 71A. He stressed that poor bus route planning was the only reason why Fu Heng residents had to get off at the bus stop at Tai Po Centre Phase 5 and then walk home. If, however, KMB was willing to offer an interchange concession for route 71A, he believed that residents would also consider making a bus transfer to return to Fu Heng Bus Terminus. In addition, as the completion of the buildings at Area 9 in Tai Po would lead to population growth, he opined that the TD should roll out measures as early as possible to meet the demand, rather than wait until the completion before increasing the service frequency. 118. Mr. TANG Ching-kit thanked Members for their valuable comments on the fare and route of route 71A. KMB would consider the suggestions carefully. 119. Ms. Flora MA said that she would relay Members’ views on route 71A to the Bus and Railway Branch of the TD. She called on KMB once again to offer more fare concessions to passengers wherever possible.

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X. Requests for widening the pedestrian crossings at where Route 9 meets the intersection of Tai Wo Road and Po Nga Road, and for widening the pedestrian ways around Po Nga Court (TPDC Paper No. TT 76/2019) 120. Mr. YIP Chun-kit went through the captioned paper. 121. Mr. Alex LAM responded as follows:

(i) At present, the captioned pedestrian crossings had sufficient room for use by pedestrians. As the crossings were situated at a major road section, it was difficult to close it or squeeze room out of it for widening works. Therefore, it was somewhat difficult to carry out the works.

(ii) As Members had stated that some pedestrian ways along Po Nga Road were rather narrow and obstructed by road signs, the TD would review the situation and explore ways for improvement. However, as some of the road sections might be located within Po Nga Court, the department would have to discuss with Po Nga Court if the works were deemed necessary.


(i) After turning from Route 9 onto Tai Po Tai Wo Road, vehicles would first arrive at a set of traffic lights where they could turn left to Shui Wai, go straight to Greenery Plaza or turn right to Tai Wo Shopping Centre. As the vehicles would arrive at the traffic lights as soon as they turned out of Route 9, the view of the motorists might be obstructed, and the traffic there was often congested.

(ii) He noticed that most people walking from the junction concerned to Shui Wai did not use the afore-mentioned pedestrian crossing but often crossed the road directly. If the road signs had to be relocated, he suggested the department consider using the area under the noise barrier at Po Nga Court.

123. Mr. Patrick TANG said that some residents in Shui Wai had complained to him that the afore-mentioned pedestrian crossing was so narrow that there was not enough room for two people to walk side by side with an open umbrella. He suggested the Administration remove the switch boxes and road signs on the pedestrian way as well as the planters nearby so as to widen the pedestrian way and improve the situation. If assistance was required, he asked the department concerned to contact him and carry out on-site inspections. 124. Mr. Alex LAM had noted Members’ views. He indicated that the TD would carry out an on-site inspection later and, if necessary, discuss with the other departments concerned.

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XI. Request for the provision of interchange concessions by jointly operated bus routes

(TPDC Paper No. TT 77/2019 (Revised))

125. Mr. MUI Siu-fung went through the captioned paper. 126. The Chairman said that Citybus Limited (“Citybus”) had earlier given a written reply in response to Members’ paper. For details, please refer to Annex I. 127. Ms. Flora MA had noted Members’ views. The TD would continue to call on the bus company to offer more interchange concessions if the circumstances permitted, and would explore the possibility of providing more bus interchange combinations. 128. Mr. WONG Tsz-kin said that KMB currently offered interchange concessions for cross-harbour routes (such as routes 373 and 673, etc.) at Tate’s Cairn Tunnel Bus Interchange. Some jointly operated cross-harbour routes also offered interchange concessions at Eastern Harbour Crossing (“EHC”). He indicated that as the provision of more interchange concessions would involve additional financial burden, KMB had to consider it carefully. However, KMB had noted Members’ views which would be recorded for future reference. 129. Mr. MUI Siu-fung said that only some routes of the 307 series in the district travelled through the EHC, while other routes such as 74X and 75X travelled to and from the urban areas through Tate’s Cairn Tunnel. Passengers who took route 74X or 75X and then changed to route 678 at Tate’s Cairn Tunnel had to pay a bus fare of $27.1 in total which was way too expensive. He said that KMB had earlier stated that its services were passenger-oriented. As such, he opined that as there was a demand for interchange among passengers, KMB should not only offer interchange concessions for its own routes, but should also extend the concessions to other jointly operated routes so that passengers could actually be benefitted. 130. Mr. WONG Tsz-kin had noted Members’ views. He explained that before providing interchange concessions for the jointly operated routes, the financial affordability of the two bus companies had to be taken into account. KMB would carry out the relevant studies in future.

XII. Request for reviewing and enhancing the airbus services in Tai Po District in a comprehensive manner (TPDC Paper No. TT 78/2019) 131. The Chairman welcomed Mr. LAW Yiu-wah, Rayson, Planning and Support Officer I of Long Win to attend the meeting for this agenda item.

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132. Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai went through the captioned paper. 133. The Chairman said that Long Win had given a written reply before the meeting in response to Members’ paper. For details, please refer to Annex II. 134. Mr. Rayson LAW responded as follows:

(i) Long Win had been closely monitoring the situation of route E41. Its service frequency would be adjusted flexibly if it was affected by road conditions and emergencies.

(ii) Long Win had noted Members’ views on routes A47X and NA47, and would review the possibility of enhancing their services. It would discuss with the TD where necessary.

135. Ms. Flora MA added that regarding airbus services (E routes or A routes), the TD not only discussed with the bus company, but also worked with the Airport Authority (“AA”) to review the departure time so as to cater for the travel needs of airport staff and travellers. The TD hoped that Long Win could explore ways to enhance the airbus service arrangements in Tai Po District with regard to Members’ views. 136. The Chairman asked whether Long Win could provide statistics on the patronage of routes E41 and A47X in the first half of 2019 for Members’ reference. 137. Mr. LO Hiu-fung said that as some Members had asked Long Win at the previous meeting about the patronage of route E41, he would like Long Win to provide the information. In addition, owing to an increasing demand for overnight flights, the travel pattern of passengers had also changed. He said that he had earlier written to Long Win and suggested bringing forward the morning service hours of route A47X from the airport to Tai Po, and extending the overnight service hours between Tai Po and the airport. In this connection, he would like Long Win to report on its follow-up actions. 138. Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai’s comments and questions were as follows:

(i) He would like Long Win to provide the operation statistics mentioned above.

(ii) He opined that it would be easier to enhance the services by changing the route of route NA47.

(iii) Currently, the WGBM did not have any representatives from Long Win. He asked whether Long Win could send representatives to attend the WGBM meetings from now on for discussing matters relating to airbus services in detail.

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(i) During the discussion on route E41 at the previous meeting, Members had asked Long Win for the patronage data of the route concerned. He indicated that many passengers had complained about the infrequent services and lost trips of route E41. However, Long Win had only replied in writing that the road traffic was normal without providing the traffic data concerned. That was why he was disappointed. He hoped that Long Win could carefully consider ways to enhance the services of route E41, or at least restore the service frequency to once every 20 minutes.

(ii) He opined that Tai Po District had been short-changed compared with North District. For example, route A43 in North District (from the airport to Luen Wo Hui) commenced service at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, but route A47 in Tai Po District did not commence service until 10 a.m.

(iii) He found it unfair that the TD had just stated that it had to work with the AA to discuss the departure time of airbus services. Otherwise, there would not have been such a big difference between the services in Tai Po and North District. He opined that the department should not adopt different criteria for the airbus services in North District and Tai Po District, or else it would be unfair to Tai Po residents.

140. Mr. WU Cheuk-him’s comments were as follows:

(i) Sharing his own experience, he said that he had once landed in Hong Kong around midnight, but had already missed the route NA47 bus when he made his way to the bus stop. However, he noticed that the nearby route NA43 for North District was still in service until 1 a.m. or so. He opined that even if passengers missed an A route bus in daytime, they could still take an E route bus for their destinations. After midnight, however, passengers mainly took overnight routes as they had no other choices. Regarding Long Win’s written reply in which it suggested passengers opt for route N42A for Tai Po after midnight, he pointed out that the departure times of routes N42A and NA47 buses were only five minutes apart, and passengers who failed to catch the route NA47 bus could barely catch the route N42A bus either. Therefore, he was not happy with Long Win’s reply.

(ii) On another occasion, he had to arrive at the airport at 6 a.m. or so to catch a morning flight. However, the service hours of route NA47 could not meet his needs either. He indicated that as overnight flights had become more common, he hoped that Long Win could cater for the travel needs of passengers by adjusting the overnight airbus services accordingly. In addition, he said that as route A47X from the airport to Tai Po did not commence service until sometime after 10 a.m., he would like Long Win to provide additional services and commence service earlier.

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141. The Chairman asked Long Win to provide the patronage data of routes E41 and A47X at the next meeting so that Members could find out the passengers’ demand for these two airbus routes. He agreed that the service hours of route A47X from the airport to Tai Po had to be brought forward, and those of route NA47 had to be adjusted as well. 142. Mr. Eric TAM agreed that the airbus services in Tai Po District had to be reviewed in a comprehensive manner. He, however, indicated that there was currently no bus route from the district directly to Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (“HZMB”) Hong Kong Port. Therefore, residents had to take route E41 or A47X and then change to other routes to get there, which was far from ideal. In this connection, he would like to find out how the TD would provide bus services between Tai Po and the HZMB Hong Kong Port in future. For example, whether it would set up more bus stops for route A47X or simply operate a new route. If the airbus services had to be reviewed in a comprehensive manner, he opined that the above problems should also be taken in account altogether. 143. Mr. YAM Man-chuen said that if Fu Heng residents who had returned to Hong Kong after midnight did not want to take a taxi, they had to travel to Tsim Sha Tsui or Hung Hom first by overnight bus, and then return to Tai Po by changing to route N271. The journey would take three hours or so. He asked the department and Long Win to take note of that. 144. Mr. MAN Nim-chi criticised government officials and Long Win for failing to empathise with the public and having their heads in the clouds. Furthermore, in view of the negative sentiments in society recently, if they kept addressing residents’ demands in a perfunctory manner by, for example, suggesting Tai Po residents take route N42A instead of improving the services of route NA47, the consequences would be beyond everyone’s imagination. He indicated that Members had asked Long Win for patronage data at the previous meeting. However, Long Win had neither provided such information at this meeting nor addressed the demands directly. He was really unhappy about it and criticised the department for its bureaucracy. 145. Mr. Rayson LAW responded as follows:

(i) Patronage data was commercially sensitive data that Long Win could not disclose for Members’ reference. He hoped that Members could understand. However, Long Win would look at the data with the TD to review the operation of airbus routes in Tai Po District.

(ii) Long Win had noted Members’ comments about bringing forward the service hours of route A47X from the airport to Tai Po. However, owing to the low patronage of the first departure (at 10:05 a.m.) at present, its service hours could not be brought forward any further for the time being. Long Win would keep in view the

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patronage of route A47X, and review the feasibility of bringing forward the time of first departure in a timely manner.

(iii) Owing to the difference in population size and passenger distribution among the districts, the arrangements for airbus services also varied. Taking into account its operation and passenger distribution, Long Win would deploy resources accordingly to meet the actual demand of passengers.

(iv) Regarding the punctuality of the services of route E41, Long Win had been providing services according to the time set out in the schedule of service approved by the TD. Long Win would closely monitor the situation and review the schedule of route E41 in a timely manner.

(v) Regarding the service times of routes NA47 and N42A being too close to each other, Long Win would review the feasibility of adjusting their service times.

(vi) At present, passengers of route A47X or E41 could transfer to route A31, A33X, A36 or A41 at Lantau Link Toll Plaza or Terminal 2 (for route A47X only) for the HZMB Hong Kong Port. Long Win would keep working with the TD to review the services concerned and co-ordinate the public transport service arrangements at the port.

(vii) As regards overnight airbus services, apart from route NA47, passengers could also take route NA40 at the airport for Sha Tin town centre, from where they could return to Tai Po by changing to route N271. Passengers using this bus trip combination could also enjoy interchange concessions.

146. Ms. Flora MA said that the TD had been discussing the airbus service arrangements with Long Win and the AA, with a view to meeting the travel needs of airport staff and travellers, as well as striking a balance between the services of A routes and E routes. On the other hand, the department would work with Long Win to review the schedule of airbus services in Tai Po District, and would give a reply at the next meeting. 147. The Chairman said that when discussing the revisions to route A47X in the past, Long Win would provide the TTC with the relevant patronage data as a reference for service adjustments. Moreover, as routes E41 and A47X were not jointly operated routes, he did not understand why Long Win currently denied the TTC’s request for the relevant patronage data. As such, he asked whether the TD also agreed with Long Win’s approach. He added that as route A47X had been operating for about two years, it was the right time to review the services of route E41 together. In this connection, he once again asked Long Win to provide the patronage data of the above two routes in the first half of 2019, and explore ways to improve the services with regard to Members’ views.

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148. Mr. LO Hiu-fung’s comments and questions were as follows:

(i) Long Win had disclosed the relevant information during the previous discussions on route A47X at the TTC meetings, and it was also a routine practice for KMB to provide the patronage data of other routes for reference upon Members’ request. Therefore, he also did not understand why Long Win currently refused to provide the patronage data of routes E41 and A47X.

(ii) He asked Long Win about the basis on which it determined when to disclose such data. He added that the information Members were asking for was only simple information such as the maximum and average patronage of the routes, but not their daily operation statistics. He would like Long Win to take note of that.

(iii) Long Win had indicated that there was insufficient patronage on the first departure of route A47X. He opined that it was nothing unusual as the first departure was at 10 a.m. which was after the morning peak hours of the airport. To him, what was going on was like Members helping tout for business on Long Win’s behalf, but Long Win failing to take the initiative to adjust the services to meet the passengers’ demand.

(iv) There should not be just one or two departures of overnight bus services. If Long Win opined that the present situation was not suitable for service enhancement, it still had to give reasons instead of replying in a perfunctory manner. He indicated that as Long Win had stated at the previous meeting that it would like to improve its communication with the DC, it was meaningless to give the same response time and again.

149. Mr. WU Cheuk-him was outraged at Long Win’s written reply, in which it stated that it had to set an appropriate service level according to the population in Tai Po District. Citing the information in the statistical reports of 2016 Population By-census, he said that the populations in North District and Tai Po District were 315 270 and 303 926 respectively. However, there were four departures and one departure of overnight airbus services in North District and Tai Po District respectively, which showed that the service levels in the two districts were vastly different. Therefore, he found the statement “set an appropriate service level according to the population” totally groundless. He hoped that Long Win would take Members’ questions about public bus services seriously.

150. Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai’s comments and questions were as follows:

(i) He opined that Long Win did not respect the DC and its reply was well and truly perfunctory. He indicated that no bus company had ever stated that patronage data was a commercial secret, and Members could only rely on the information provided by the bus company as the reference data for discussion.

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(ii) If the bus company refused to provide such basic data, Members would find it difficult to respond to residents’ enquiries and to deal with matters relating to bus routes. Also, the TTC would not have to discuss the bus-related matters anymore.

(iii) Once again, he asked whether Long Win would send representatives to attend the WGBM meetings from now on and discuss with Members the airbus services in Tai Po District.

151. Mr. Francis YAM agreed with the Chairman and other Members. In addition, he indicated that whenever the bus company requested to operate or terminate certain routes, it would take the initiative to provide statistics to explain its decision. On the contrary, when Members requested for the enhancement of airbus services, Long Win refused to provide information on the excuse that it was a commercial secret, and Members found it not convincing at all. He hoped that Long Win’s representative at the meeting would relay Members’ demands to the company, so that the TTC could put forward demands and suggestions with statistical support. 152. Mr. LAU Yung-wai agreed with the Chairman and opined that Long Win’s reply was ridiculous and irresponsible. He stressed that the TTC was only asking Long Win for simple data and no personal privacy data was involved. Therefore, he did not understand why such data was a commercial secret. In addition, Long Win had just explained that the time for the first departure of route A47X for Tai Po would not be brought forward due to its low patronage. He countered this argument by asking whether it meant that the first few departures of route A43 were all full. He opined that Long Win had to bring forward the service hours so as to know for certain whether there were any passengers during that time period. The reason why Members always made comparisons with North District was that North District had more bus services than Tai Po despite the similar population size between them. Citing route NA43 as an example, he said that while Long Win provided six overnight bus trips between North District and the airport every night (i.e., three in each direction), it had provided only two for route NA47 (one in each direction). He opined that Long Win had shown favouritism. He stressed that Tai Po residents also had to go to the airport for work or travel. As such, he urged Long Win to treat Tai Po residents impartially. 153. Mr. MAN Nim-chi hoped that the TD and the bus company could understand that the low patronage of bus routes was often attributable to unattractive route design. He did not understand why Long Win did not try to bring forward the service hours of route A47X (from the airport to Tai Po) and even refused to provide patronage data on the excuse that it was a commercial secret. He indicated that Members were helping relay residents’ views about insufficient airbus services in the district. Furthermore, as the department and the bus company had shown favouritism and adopted double standards when dealing with the bus services in Tai Po District and North District, he would like the Chairman to help relay the views.

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154. Mr. Rayson LAW responded as follows:

(i) He clarified that the commercial secret he had just mentioned was the patronage of all airbus routes. If Members would like to find out the patronage of the routes in question, Long Win could explore ways to provide such data after the meeting.

(ii) Long Win would review the feasibility of bringing forward the service hours of route A47X (from the airport to Tai Po) with reference to the flight schedule of the airport and the actual needs of passengers. Where necessary, Long Win would discuss the issue with the TD.

155. The Chairman reiterated his hope that Long Win would provide the patronage data of routes E41, A47X and NA47 in the first half of 2019 and ways of service improvement at the next meeting. In addition, he said that Long Win could also consider attending the next WGBM meeting to follow up on the issue. 156. Mr. Rayson LAW responded that Long Win would follow up on Members’ views. In addition, Long Win was willing to attend the meeting to respond to any proposals put forward by Members. 157. Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai said that to his understanding, Members were not allowed to once again bring up issues that had been discussed at the TTC for a period of half a year. As such, he would not be able to bring up the same issue at the next meeting. Furthermore, as there were many other traffic and transport issues to be discussed at the TTC, he would not like to spend too much time discussing the airbus services in the district. He opined that the issue of airbus services could be discussed in detail at the WGBM meetings, and asked why Long Win could not send representatives to attend the WGBM meetings. 158. The Chairman suggested directly forwarding the captioned issue to the WGBM for follow-up actions. He asked the Secretary to contact Long Win after the meeting to make the relevant arrangements. 159. Mr. MAN Nim-chi asked the Chairman whether he would help relay his views to the TD. 160. The Chairman responded that Members had expressed their views at the meeting and he had also dealt with the issue. As regards the request by Mr. MAN Nim-chi, he suggested dealing with it separately after the meeting.

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XIII. Matters arising from the minutes of the 3rd meeting in 2019 of the TTC on 10 May 2019 (TPDC Paper No. TT 79/2019) (1) Request for more parking spaces in Tai Po 161. Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung reported that the Food and Health Bureau (“FHB”) would build an integrated health centre at the vacant site next to On Po Road Multi-storey Car Park. Meanwhile, the TD and the bureau were discussing the number of parking spaces to be provided at the centre in future. 162. Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wai indicated that there was a shortage of parking spaces in Tai Po District that motorists dared not drive to the Tai Po Market area on weekends. He would like to find out the approximate number of vehicles that could be accommodated at the afore-mentioned car park in future so that he could inform the residents. 163. Mr. MUI Siu-fung knew that the TD planned to use the vacant site next to On Po Road Multi-storey Car Park as a temporary car park, and would like to learn more about when the department would start the tender exercise. He added that On Po Road Multi-storey Car Park would be closed from late September 2019 for renovation works, and the number of parking spaces in the area concerned would be reduced by several hundreds during that period. If the department did not open the afore-mentioned temporary car park as soon as possible, he believed that the traffic condition around Tai Po Centre would become even worse. In addition, there was a serious illegal parking problem around Tai Po Centre, especially near the Hong Kong Jockey Club Off-course Betting Centre on On Pong Road where vehicles were parked illegally on both sides of the road and had led to serious congestion. In this connection, he was not happy that the TD had not yet announced any specific details about the temporary car park (such as the number of parking spaces), and he also expressed his worries about the dire consequences. 164. Mr. LO Hiu-fung said that the construction of the integrated health centre at the site on On Po Road had just been discussed at the previous SSC meeting, during which Members had suggested building a smart car park at the underground level of the centre. Subsequently, the FHB had replied that it would forward the views concerned. He would like to ask the TD about the details of the current situation. 165. Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung responded as follows:

(i) Regarding whether the vacant site next to On Po Road Multi-storey Car Park would be used as a temporary car park, he could not provide any relevant information for the time being. As the District Lands Office, Tai Po (“TPDLO”) was responsible for the application for the temporary use of the government site concerned, it might have more information about the site.

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(ii) The TD had to pay attention to the traffic condition in the vicinity, such as whether there was any illegal parking or changes in parking spaces nearby, so as to decide on the number of parking spaces the afore-mentioned integrated health centre should provide in future. In addition, as the maximum number of parking spaces was also subject to how much room the FHB had reserved at the centre for the car park, the TD could not provide any information on the parking spaces in the project.

(iii) Generally speaking, if the departments concerned or the developers planned to incorporate special parking facilities (such as smart car parks) into the project, they could submit an application to the TD for follow-up actions. As regards Members’ proposal to construct a smart car park at the afore-mentioned integrated health centre, the TD would forward their views to the department responsible for the project.

(iv) The TD would suggest the number of parking spaces from the traffic perspective. However, the department responsible for construction might also have to consider other factors, such as the size of the car park, its ceiling height and restrictions on ventilation, before deciding on the number of parking spaces. He hoped to discuss with the FHB again as soon as possible so as to provide the TTC with further information.

166. Mr. MUI Siu-fung stressed that the illegal parking problem near On Po Road was very serious. As such, he reminded the department to give due consideration to the problem when deciding on the number of parking spaces at the integrated health centre in future. In addition, as there were many residential buildings near On Po Road and a multi-storey car park nearby, he suggested the department carefully consider the entrance location of the car park of the integrated health centre so as to prevent serious traffic congestion around On Pong Road. Specifically, he suggested the department set up an entrance on the side facing Tai Yuen Estate so that vehicles could enter the car park without passing Tai Po Centre. This could reduce the impact on the nearby residents. 167. Mr. Patrick TANG indicated that as the FHB did not even have a finalised plan regarding how many storeys would be built for the car park at the integrated health centre, it was too early for the TTC to discuss the number of parking spaces in the project. On the other hand, he indicated that the TTC had been following up on some medium- and long-term measures for addressing the parking problem since the previous meetings. For example, it was suggested that the TD should construct a temporary car park using the area below the flyover, and launch a mobile app for motorists to feed the parking meters. As such, this meeting should also focus on discussing these measures. 168. Mr. KWAN Wing-yip indicated that the integrated health centre project on On Po Road was still at the very initial stage. Therefore, the provision of parking spaces there as reported by the

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TD at this TTC meeting was similar to the “sale of uncompleted flats”, meaning that it would not be able to address the shortage of parking spaces in a short period of time. In addition, he indicated that when TPDC Members met with the Secretary for Transport and Housing (“STH”) not long ago, they had proposed setting up temporary multi-storey parking racks at some idle sites in the district, and the STH had also expressed that it was worth considering. As such, he would like the TD to study the feasibility of these proposals, thereby increasing the supply of parking spaces in a short period of time. He thanked the department for reporting on the long-term measures for increasing the supply of parking spaces, but opined that it was more advisable for the department to roll out short-term measures to alleviate the shortage of parking spaces at present. 169. Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung responded as follows:

(i) The TD usually preferred minor roads to major roads when setting up car park entrances. As the site at On Po Road was located next to Nam Wan Road, if the car park entrance was not set up on On Po Road or On Pong Road, it would have to be set up on Nam Wan Road, which was far from ideal as far as traffic was concerned.

(ii) The department had been exploring ways to increase the supply of parking spaces in the medium and long run. For short-term measures, the department had been identifying suitable sites in the district to provide more roadside parking spaces. However, it had to admit that it was somewhat difficult. As regards medium-term measures, the TTC had earlier discussed the feasibility of introducing new parking facilities in the district to increase the supply of parking spaces. He indicated that the department was currently carrying out a pilot scheme at different trial locations to review the effectiveness of various new parking facilities. As there were no updates on the progress of the above short- and medium-term measures for the time being, he had nothing to report at this meeting.

(iii) Provision of temporary car park under a flyover would require a lot of space. Another concern was whether the view of motorists would be obstructed when they drove in and out of the area. Therefore, it was unlikely that the proposal could be taken forward. However, the department would still make every effort to identify locations to provide roadside parking spaces, metered parking spaces and night-time parking spaces.

170. The Chairman added that the remarks made by Mr. MUI Siu-fung just now meant that the car park entrance to the integrated health centre in future should not be set up on On Pong Road or Nam Wan Road. Instead, it should be on On Po Road so that the entrances of this car park and the nearby multi-storey car park would not be located on the same road, so as to reduce the likelihood of traffic congestion.

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171. Mr. Patrick TANG reiterated that as the planning of the integrated health centre project was still at the initial stage, there was no pressing need to discuss it at this stage. As regards the short- and medium-term measures to increase the supply of parking spaces, he asked the department to continue to identify locations to provide parking spaces. However, he would like the department to pay special attention to the shortage of goods vehicle parking spaces, most of which were roadside parking spaces available from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next day. If goods vehicle drivers had to drive the vehicle away at 7 a.m., their rest time would be affected, and so would the road traffic condition in the early morning. In response to the department’s remarks about the numerous restrictions on the provision of parking spaces under flyovers, he indicated that the requirements for goods vehicle parking spaces were minimal, so much so that being located at remote locations would also be acceptable. Therefore, he asked the department to proactively increase the provision of parking spaces for general vehicles as well as goods vehicles. 172. Mr. KWAN Wing-yip suggested the TD inform the departments concerned about Members’ traffic concerns when it took part in the planning of the integrated health centre on On Po Road in future. However, he had reservations about the proposal to set up a car park entrance on On Po Road. As the traffic from Nam Wan Road to the Tai Po Centre area was heavily congested every weekend, setting up a car park entrance on On Po Road might not have a smaller impact than setting up one on On Pong Road. He asked the TD to give more thorough consideration to different proposals and think carefully about which location was more appropriate for setting up a car park entrance. 173. Mr. AU Chun-ho said that he had the same concerns as Mr. KWAN Wing-yip’s. He said that the traffic on On Po Road was rather heavy on holidays, with many vehicles even occupying the bus lane on On Po Road waiting to turn left onto On Pong Road. Therefore, setting up a car park entrance on On Po Road might result in traffic queues stretching all the way back to the Nam Wan Road area. 174. Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung said that the FHB would study where it should set up the car park entrance to the integrated health centre when construction was underway. Meanwhile, the TD had also noted Members’ views in this regard. He added that various factors had to be considered before setting up a car park entrance on either On Po Road or On Pong Road. For example, if the car park entrance was set up on On Po Road, the department had to consider whether traffic queues would stretch all the way back to Nam Wan Road. 175. The Chairman asked which department should apply for the use of the afore-mentioned site as a temporary car park. 176. Mr. CHEUNG Wai-fung said that the TPDLO could provide information on the leasing of land for temporary uses.

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177. Mr. MUI Siu-fung added that the TPDLO had completed the land lease procedures not long ago. It was currently waiting for the completion of the tender exercise so that it could select an operator for the temporary car park. (2) Request for the addition of a covered taxi stand next to the petrol filling station on

Kwong Chun Street 178. Ms. PUN Fun-yu, Winnie reported that the TD had presented the information on the site for the captioned works to the TPDLO via the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (“LCSD”) in early 2019 so that the TPDLO could process the application for the transfer of land rights. Subsequently, the TPDLO consulted the departments concerned about the newly drafted boundary plan in April and May 2019. The TD had given advice to the TPDLO and was waiting for it to process the application. 179. Mr. Clement WOO, the Vice-chairman, said that the last TTC meeting for this DC term would be held in September, after which the operation of DC would be suspended. To ensure that the captioned works could continue during the suspension of DC operation, he would like the TD to expedite the process. Any issues requiring the TTC’s consent had to be raised at September’s meeting to prevent delays. 180. Ms. Winnie PUN said that she would ask the LCSD and the TPDLO about the latest progress of the afore-mentioned application after the meeting, and would get back to Mr. Clement WOO, the Vice-chairman. 181. The Chairman said that although the next TTC meeting would be the last one in this DC term, as Mr. Clement WOO, the Vice-chairman, was the DC Member of the constituency concerned, he suggested that he should continue to follow up on the captioned works with the department outside the meeting. (3) Concerns over illegal parking in Tai Po District 182. Mr. SIU Wai-kwan reported that the HyD had earlier received comments from the HD and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department against the traffic improvement proposals for Po Heung Street. Subsequently, the HyD had put forward improvement proposals. If the above departments agreed with the proposals, the HyD would apply for a works permit and start the works as soon as possible. 183. Mr. FU Kin-chiu reported that Tai Po Police District had issued a total of 19 482 fixed penalty illegal parking tickets in May and June 2019.

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184. Mr. Herman YIU said that the HKPF had earlier set up a special team dedicated to dealing with illegal parking. The team was effective and deserved recognition. However, he opined that the manpower shortage of the team was worth Members’ attention. Sharing what he observed on 11 June 2019, he indicated that two police officers had been lingering around Tai Po Centre for more than four hours while nothing was going on. During that period, they had gone to the second floor of Tai Po Plaza to observe the obstruction caused by members of the public. He asked why the HKPF had the manpower to observe the obstruction but had no manpower to deal with the illegally parked vehicles. He wondered if this was because the obstruction was political in nature, to which the HKPF accorded higher priority over general livelihood issues. 185. Mr. MUI Siu-fung said that he had pointed out at the previous meeting that many vehicles were parked on both sides of Po Wu Lane (near Wong Siu Ching Family Medicine Centre) on holidays. While the situation had improved slightly afterwards, it had deteriorated again in recent days. He indicated that the area concerned was close to the car park entrances to Tai Po Centre Phase 3 and Golden Gate. Meanwhile, the illegal parking problem on the road was so serious that it was impossible for ambulances to go to Wong Siu Ching Family Medicine Centre. As such, he opined that the HKPF had to deal with the problem seriously. 186. Mr. Max WU said that the HKPF had cracked down on illegal parking at the non-franchised bus pick-up / drop-off area on Tat Wan Road in March and April 2019. Actions included sending police vehicles and police officers to the scene to take law enforcement actions during the morning peak hours. However, the law enforcement efforts were less strenuous in the past two months, and he would like to know why. 187. Ms. Olive CHAN said that an exceptionally large number of vehicles would be parked on Fuk Wo Road every Friday and Saturday, and some of them even obstructed the fire escapes and might affect the rescue services of emergency vehicles. He hoped that the HKPF would explore ways to deal with this situation. 188. Mr. AU Chun-ho indicated that when he was driving along Chung Nga Road in early June 2019, he saw how serious the illegal parking problem was (especially around the garages in Nam Hang). Therefore, he reported the case by calling the Report Room of Tai Po Police Station. Having called different police officers on many occasions to inform them of the problem, however, the HKPF still did not send any officers to deal with the illegally parked vehicles there nearly six hours afterwards. He understood that illegal parking problem, as the HKPF had mentioned, existed in many parts of the district. However, he could not accept that the illegal parking on Chung Nga Road remained unattended by any police officer nearly six hours after he had reported the case. He hoped that the HKPF could pay extra attention to the situation.

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189. Mr. MAN Nim-chi understood that the HKPF had limited manpower, and that the duties of police officers varied according to their posts. However, he indicated that on 11 June 2019, he saw about 10 police officers deal with some sort of situation near a snack shop (花菓山小食店) at Tai Po Plaza for nearly four hours, and they even surrounded and followed some students. On the other hand, there was always illegal parking at town centre near On Po Road and On Tai Road. It showed that even though there was illegal parking throughout the district, no police officer would take any action. He did not understand why the HKPF deployed so many officers to deal with those students, but deployed no one to deal with the illegal parking of vehicles. That was why he brought up the matter at this meeting. 190. Mr. LAU Yung-wai’s comments were as follows:

(i) He understood that the HKPF had been dealing with the illegally parked vehicles in a proactive manner, but some motorists still parked their vehicles illegally. He said that, for example, many vehicles were parked behind the bus stop on Ting Kok Road near Ping On Lane, often preventing buses from pulling up at the bus stop there. As a result, buses had to pick up and drop off passengers on the adjacent lane, thus blocking the vehicles behind them and forcing the passengers to board and alight on the carriageway. That was not an ideal situation. He said that the illegal parking problem at this blackspot had persisted for half a year and was getting more serious to the extent that it was hardly acceptable. Therefore, he would like the HKPF to step up its law enforcement efforts.

(ii) The illegal parking problem on Mei Sun Lane deteriorated again in the past three months or so. In particular, when vehicles were parked on both sides of the road, large vehicles had to cut into another lane to overtake the illegally parked vehicles, thus threatening the safety of passers-by. Therefore, he would like the HKPF to pay extra attention to the situation.

(iii) He commended the HKPF for placing traffic cones at the illegal parking blackspots on Chui Lok Street on Fridays and Saturdays, which he believed could help reduce illegal parking. He also hoped that the HKPF would continue with the arrangement and step up its law enforcement efforts.

(iv) Night-time parking spaces for goods vehicles were currently available on Ting Tai Road. However, if goods vehicles did not leave by 7 a.m., there would be traffic congestion. He said that he had received several complaints from the residents since July. As such, he would like the HKPF to take appropriate follow-up actions.

191. Mr. Herman YIU said that there was a serious illegal parking problem on Tai Po Road – Yuen Chau Tsai near Wang Fuk Court Car Park. He had witnessed a fire engine being obstructed

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by the illegally parked vehicles there. As a result, it was forced to pull up on Kwong Wang Street, thus obstructing other vehicles that were about to turn right. As such, he would like the HKPF to pay attention to the situation. 192. Mr. FU Kin-chiu had noted the situation at all the illegal parking blackspots mentioned above, and follow-up actions would be taken in due course. Meanwhile, in response to the recent social events, a lot of manpower in Tai Po Police District had been deployed to other police districts for crowd control and the like. Therefore, there was less manpower dealing with illegal parking. The HKPF, however, would make every effort to deal with residents’ complaints. In addition, the HKPF would record all the cases received by the Report Rooms. However, as there were other urgent cases that required immediate actions, the HKPF might not be able to deploy manpower to deal with the illegally parked vehicles in a timely manner. (4) Improving the facilities of Tolo Highway 193. Mr. Alex LAM reported as follows:

(i) Regarding the works to paint double white lines on Tai Po Road – Yuen Chau Tsai, the temporary traffic arrangements submitted by the HyD had been approved. The HyD anticipated that the works would be completed in August 2019.

(ii) Regarding the proposal to paint double white lines on the southbound Tolo Highway at the exit towards Ma On Shan or Kowloon East, staff of the Works Section in Sha Tin District had carried out an on-site inspection of the traffic condition from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. According to their observation, there was heavier traffic on the slow lane, whereas the traffic on the fast lane towards Lion Rock Tunnel was smooth in general. In light of the situation, the staff said that no road markings would be painted at the road section concerned for the time being. However, they would continue to closely monitor the traffic there and explore other enhancement measures.

(5) Setting up an interchange at Lam Kam Road Roundabout 194. The Chairman said that the TD had earlier submitted to the Secretariat a layout plan relating to the addition of a roundabout on Lam Kam Road. For details, please refer to Annex III. 195. Ms. Flora MA reported that the TD convened a case meeting on 28 June to give the Chairman, Mr. CHAN Cho-leung and Mr. Patrick TANG a detailed rundown of the department’s work as regards the bus services on Lam Kam Road over the past two years. She added that

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buses longer than 12.8 metres were not allowed on Lam Kam Road due to the vehicle length restriction there. Moreover, as Lam Kam Road had no room for buses to turn around, route 64K buses could not turn around until they had reached Yuen Long. Therefore, it was impossible to provide short-haul services to and from Tai Po. In view of this, the TD suggested setting up a roundabout on Lam Kam Road near Ng Tung Chai, and relaxing the vehicle length restriction on the Tai Po section of Lam Kam Road, with a view to enhancing the bus services in Lam Tsuen. 196. Mr. Alex LAM went through the captioned roundabout works and sought Members’ views on the proposal. 197. The Chairman said that he would respect the views of Mr. CHAN Cho-leung, who was the DC Member of the constituency concerned, and would hand the works over to the Working Group on Improvements to Major Roads in Rural Areas under the TTC for follow-up actions.

XIV. Situation report on traffic improvement works completed in the past two months and to be carried out in the next three months in Tai Po District by the Highways Department (TPDC Paper No. TT 80/2019) 198. Mr. SIU Wai-kwan asked Members to take note of the captioned paper. 199. Mr. Patrick TANG said that he would comment on behalf of Mr. Rex LI, who had to leave the meeting due to other commitments. As the works of the signalised crossing at Sai Keng Tsuen were still at the stage of underground cable relocation, he asked whether it was the result of poor arrangements by CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (“CLP”). He asked the HyD to invite Mr. Rex LI for an on-site inspection where necessary, so as to find out more about the situation and the causes for the delay of the works. 200. Mr. SIU Wai-kwan said that the TD did have to wait for the completion of underground cable relocation before carrying out the captioned works. He indicated that the department met with the departments concerned and CLP in March 2019 to jointly discuss ways to launch the works as soon as possible. The one factor that would affect the works progress the most was the temporary traffic arrangements for the works. He continued that CLP had submitted a revised proposal for temporary traffic arrangements in June, and was waiting for a reply from the departments concerned. 201. Ms. Winnie PUN added that CLP had submitted to the TD the latest proposal for temporary traffic arrangements for the captioned works just a few days before the meeting. The TD had responded to CLP and commented on the arrangements.

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202. Mr. Patrick TANG asked whether the TD supported or opposed the temporary traffic arrangements proposed by CLP. 203. Ms. Winnie PUN replied that the TD was not against the temporary traffic arrangements proposed by CLP.

XV. Reports of Working Groups (1) Working Group on Provision of Public Bus and Minibus Services 204. Ms. WONG Pik-kiu, Chairman of the Working Group, reported as follows:

(i) The Working Group convened its fifth meeting in 2019 on 28 June 2019 to continue the discussion on matters relating to the public bus and minibus services in Tai Po District.

(ii) Regarding public bus services, the Working Group followed up on the service improvement proposals for routes NR918, 271, 274X and 307 with the TD and the bus companies.

(iii) The Working Group would continue to follow up on the bus and minibus services in the district, and report to the TTC on the actual changes if there was any.

(2) Working Group on Improvements to Major Roads in Rural Areas 205. Mr. Patrick TANG, Chairman of the Working Group, reported that the Working Group had not held any meeting recently. The Secretariat would inform Members to attend the next meeting once the date had been confirmed. (3) Working Group on Road Safety Campaign and Cycling Network Development 206. Mr. Clement WOO, Chairman of the Working Group, reported that the Working Group convened its first meeting in 2019 on 20 June 2019. At the meeting, the Working Group endorsed two activities to be held in 2019, namely “Tai Po District Schools Road and Traffic Safety Competition cum Publicity Campaign 2019/20” and “Tai Po Road and Traffic Safety Campaign Carnival 2019/20”. Besides, the CEDD also reported on the progress of the cycle tracks connecting North West New Territories with North East New Territories – Extension (Sam Mun Tsai Section), and collected Members’ views at the meeting. Also at the meeting, the TD consulted Members about the proposed bicycle parking spaces. The Working Group would

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continue to follow up on the bicycle-related matters in the district and report to the TTC on the progress on a regular basis. (4) Working Group on Kwong Fuk Vehicular Bridge 207. The Secretary, on behalf of Mr. LI Kwok-ying, Chairman of the Working Group, reported that the Working Group had not held any meeting recently. The Secretariat would inform Members to attend the next meeting once the date had been confirmed.

XVI. Applications for DC Funds (TPDC Paper No. TT 81/2019) 208. The Secretary reported that the HAD had recently informed all districts about the arrangements for the suspension of DC operation. It stated that during the suspension of DC operation, any activities hosted or co-organised by the committees and working groups under the DC had to be suspended. As the two funding applications originally scheduled for vetting at this meeting were related to activities hosted or co-organised by the Working Group on Road Safety Campaign and Cycling Network Development under the TTC, the applicant organisations had to find out how to change the form of the activities so as to comply with the relevant guidelines. Under the afore-mentioned circumstance, the two funding applications set out in the captioned paper would not be processed at this meeting. 209. Mr. Clement WOO, the Vice-chairman, expressed his understanding about the arrangements during the suspension of DC operation, but pointed out that activities with schools’ participation were generally time-limited and could only take place between October and January. Sadly, this period always coincided with the suspension period before DC election. He regretted that these annual activities had to be suspended because of the arrangements for DC election. He also hoped that the HAD could take this situation into account and offer solutions for the schools to hold the activities wherever possible.

XVII. Any other business 210. The Chairman said that Mr. CHAN Siu-kuen had submitted a paper to the Secretariat before the meeting, demanding the provision of bus routes to and from Tai Po Mei, Cheung Shue Tan, Providence Bay, Mayfair by the Sea, various MTR stations and the urban area. For details, please refer to Annex IV. He asked Members to take note of the paper.

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XVIII. Date of next meeting 211. The Chairman announced that the next meeting would be held at 2:30 p.m. on 13 September 2019 (Friday). 212. There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:43 p.m.

Tai Po District Council Secretariat August 2019

Documents

Minutes of the 4th Meeting in 2019 of the Traffic …...2019/07/12 · Mr. KWAN Wing -yip Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LAM Yick -kuen Beginning of the meeting 3:40