ENG-2005 — Page 315

Transport 1 269

Road Safety

Traffic accidents involving injury increased slightly by 0.2 per cent in 2005. There were 15 062 traffic accidents, of which 2 504 were serious and 139 fatal. This compares with 15 026 accidents in 2004, of which 2 519 were serious and 160 fatal.

In-depth investigations were carried out at 107 traffic accident blackspots to identify common accident causes. Remedial measures were recommended at 87 of these locations.

Road safety campaigns, including the 'Zero Accidents on the Road, Hong Kong's Goal' promotion, continued to play an important role in reducing traffic accidents. Publicity to remind passengers to wear seat belts on public light buses was strengthened in 2005. There was also a publicity campaign about obeying traffic signals, including public information advertisements broadcast on radio and TV, posters and leaflets.

To enhance road safety, legislation was amended in June 2005 to increase the penalties for disobeying traffic signals and update the standards of protective helmets and seat belts. The new compulsory requirement for kindergarten pupils to be escorted on school private light buses was also implemented in September.

Transport and Environment

Government planning for transport infrastructure projects is based on sustainable development principles. It strives to ensure the best possible integration. of land use, transport and environmental planning. It is also the Government's policy. to accord priority to railways as the backbone of the passenger transport system. Five new railway lines or extensions of existing lines were opened between late 2003 and 2005, with another to be opened in 2007.

Less reliance on road-based transport will alleviate the pressure on transport systems and, in turn, lessen the impact on the environment. At the same time, the rationalisation of bus routes and stops and the introduction of pedestrian schemes will continue. These will help reduce the impact of vehicle emissions and noise pollution on pedestrians.

Since late 1998, about 4 200 daily bus trips have been eliminated from the busy corridors on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island through service cancellation, frequency reduction, route truncation and amalgamation. In Nathan Road in Kowloon, about 1 100 daily bus trips have been eliminated since August 2002, enhancing the efficiency of bus operations. Bus stops have also been rationalised to reduce the number of stops on busy corridors.

The environmental impact of new transport projects, during both the construction and operation phases, is also carefully examined. Environmental mitigation measures are implemented where necessary to minimise the environmental impact of transport projects. These include landscaping, artificial contouring of surrounding hillsides, depressed roads, laying of noise-reducing road surfacing and the installation of noise barriers or other forms of noise insulation.

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