ENG-2010 — Page 312

258 Transport

three main themes in 2010. Firstly, appealing to drivers 'If you drink, don't drive.' Secondly, appealing to pedestrians on safe pedestrian crossing code 'Love yourself and your families, be a smart pedestrian' and lastly, appealing to cyclists and motorists on cycling safety. The Government also continued other campaigns on anti-drug driving, anti-speeding and red light jumping, safe cycling and passenger safety.

Public Transport and Environment

The Government's planning for public transport infrastructure projects is based on sustainable development principles. It strives for the best possible integration of land use, transport and environmental planning. It is also the Government's policy to give priority to railways which it sees as the backbone of the passenger transport system. Eight new railway lines, or extensions of existing lines, were commissioned between 2002 and 2009.

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 bus stops and the introduction of pedestrian schemes will continue. These will help reduce the adverse effect of vehicle emissions and noise pollution.

Since late 1998, about 4 400 daily bus trips have been eliminated from the busy traffic corridors of Hong Kong Island's northern shore through service cancellation, frequency reduction, route truncation and route amalgamation. On Nathan Road in Kowloon, about 1 800 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 pedestrian congestion in a number of streets. These schemes have been implemented 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 conversion to traffic calming streets of the sections of Saigon Street between Shanghai Street and Parkes Street, Ning Po Street between Shanghai Street and Nathan Road, Pak Hoi Street between Shanghai Street and Nathan Road, and Kweilin Street between Yu Chau Street and Un Chau Street. In addition, studies were conducted on improvements to the pedestrian environment in Causeway Bay, Mong Kok and Yuen Long.

The preliminary studies on improving pedestrian environment in Causeway Bay and Mong Kok have been completed. The conceptual ideas of the improvements are the construction of new pedestrian subways in Causeway Bay linking the MTR