ENG-2011 — Page 310

266 | Transport

The Government's road safety strategy during the year continued to adhere to the Road Safety Council's call for safe driving, underlined in the slogan 'Zero Accidents on the Road, Hong Kong's Goal'. Publicity campaigns in 2011 carried four main slogans: 'If you drink, don't drive', 'Love yourself and your families, be a smart pedestrian'; 'Stay alert, watch out for cyclists' and 'Drug driving may be your journey to death'. The Government also continued its campaigns on safe cycling and on advising drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.

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 4 490 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 1 910 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.

Franchised bus companies have been purchasing buses with environmentally friendly engines that meet the European emission standards (known as Euro engines) since 1993. At present, all franchised buses have been equipped with Euro engines. To help improve the environment, the franchised bus companies have been deploying buses with Euro II or above 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 franchised bus companies to deploy cleaner buses 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