TRANSPORT
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Route 3 (Country Park Section) and the Ting Kau Bridge, which will be opened by mid-1998.
To ease traffic congestion and to give priority to public transport, the government has commissioned a consultancy study to explore the feasibility of introducing cross- district bus-only lanes. The first trial scheme for a bus-only lane from Aberdeen to Wan Chai was launched in August 1997. A trial park-and-ride scheme was launched in Sheung Shui in December.
Legislation to improve the safety of school transport has also been implemented. The government will continue to monitor and review the effectiveness of drink- driving legislation and seat-belt legislation.
Good progress has been made in providing more parking spaces for private cars, goods vehicles and container vehicles through various measures including the use of short-term tenancy sites. In the long term, suitable sites will be identified for the incorporation of multi-storey vehicle parking into other development projects.
The expansion of public bus services has continued. New franchises for the New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited and Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) came into effect on April 1, 1997, and September 1, 1997, respectively.
New franchises for Citybus Limited and Long Win Bus Company Limited to operate 25 public bus services to North Lantau and the new airport came into effect on June 1, 1997. Five of these routes are in operation and the remaining ones will begin services when the new airport opens.
On September 1, 1997, the Octopus - a 'smart' card that need not make contact in order to operate - was introduced as a new ticketing system for passengers using the MTR, KCR, Light Rail, cross-harbour routes of KMB and Citybus, and certain outlying islands and new town routes run by Hongkong & Yaumati Ferry Company Limited (HYF).
The Administrative Framework
The Transport Bureau of the Government Secretariat, headed by the Secretary for Transport, is responsible for overall policy formulation, direction and co-ordination of internal transport matters. The Secretary is assisted by the Transport Advisory Committee, which advises the Chief Executive in Council on major transport policies and issues. The committee has 16 appointed members, including the chairman and three government officials, and is supported by a Transport Complaints Unit, which received 12 681 complaint cases on traffic and transport matters in 1997. On local transport matters, the government is advised by the district boards, and their traffic and transport committees.
The Commissioner for Transport, as head of the Transport Department, is the authority for administering the Road Traffic Ordinance and legislation regulating public transport operations other than railways. Responsibilities cover transport planning, road traffic management, government road tunnels, car-parks and metered parking spaces, and the regulation of internal road and waterborne public transport. The Commissioner for Transport is also the authority for the licensing of drivers and the registration, licensing and inspection of vehicles.