ENG-2009 — Page 317

Transport | 249

Kowloon, about 1 700 daily bus trips have been eliminated since August 2002, enhancing the efficiency of bus operations along that busy road. Bus stops have also been rationalised to reduce the number of stops along busy corridors.

The environmental impact of new transport projects, during both their construction and operation phases, is also carefully monitored. Environmental mitigation measures are implemented where necessary to reduce this impact.

To make it easier for people to make their way through busy and congested roads, pedestrian schemes have been introduced to reduce congestion in a number of streets. These schemes are in operation in Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, North Point, the Peak, Stanley, Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan, Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po, Yuen Long and Sheung Shui. They have been well received by the public, and more will be introduced, including the shared surface construction on the section of Lockhart Road between Cannon Street and East Point Road, traffic calming measures on the sections of Saigon Street between Shanghai Street and Parkes Street, Parkes Street between Jordan Road and Nanking Street, and Yu Chau Street between Yen Chow Street and Nam Cheong Street. Detailed studies are also being conducted for improvements to pedestrian environment, urban design, streetscape and landscape in Mong Kok, Causeway Bay and Yuen Long areas.

Franchised bus companies have been purchasing buses with environmentally friendly engines that meet the European emission standards (known as Euro engines) since 1993. About 93 per cent of franchised buses are equipped with Euro engines. while the remaining buses have all been retrofitted with catalytic converters. To help improve the environment, the franchised bus companies have been deploying buses with Euro II or more environmentally friendly engines on routes along Yee Wo Street in Causeway Bay, the busiest shopping area on Hong Kong Island. The Government is working with the companies to deploy cleaner vehicles along other busy corridors.

The franchised bus companies and the Government have also been working to improve the overall quality of public transport interchanges to make them more user-friendly for passengers. Electronic route information panels and customer service centres have been set up at some interchanges. Other improvements included refurbishing some of the interchanges and their ventilation systems.

Since August 2001, all newly registered taxis have been required to run on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to meet stricter emission standards to reduce air pollution. Incentive schemes to encourage the early replacement of diesel light buses with LPG or electricity-driven vehicles were implemented between August 2002 and December 2005. Almost all taxis and 61 per cent of PLBs have switched to LPG.

An incentive scheme was also introduced in April 2007 to encourage replacement of Pre-Euro and Euro I commercial vehicles with more environmentally friendly ones to comply with prevailing emission standards. By year-end, about 13 400 applications had been approved under the scheme. A reduction in first. registration tax was also offered to new buyers of cars that run on petrol instead of diesel. A total of 10 700 applications to join the scheme were processed during the year.