ENG-2016 — Page 265

14

Transport

Po, North District, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tseung Kwan O enables better traffic control in response to changing road conditions. At the year end, 1,835 out of 1,893 road junctions operating with traffic signals were linked to the system, enabling a series of green signals to light up for vehicles passing through the signalised junctions, thus achieving smooth traffic. flow by minimising stops and delays of vehicles. The remaining junctions will be linked to the system progressively. To save costs and conserve the environment, light-emitting diode traffic. signals are adopted.

Traffic control and surveillance facilities enhance traffic condition monitoring and traffic incident management capabilities on trunk highways. These facilities include CCTVs, variable message signs, variable speed limit signs and lane control signals, are provided in all tunnels, the Tsing Ma Control Area, Tsing Sha Control Area, Airport Road, Shenzhen Bay Bridge and Tolo Highway, and are being installed on major highways under construction or reconstruction. CCTVs and variable message signs are also found on Kong Sham Western Highway, San Tin Highway, San Sham Road, Tsing Long Highway, Tuen Mun Road, West Kowloon Highway and Yuen Long Highway.

A Traffic and Incident Management System is also being developed to improve efficiency and effectiveness in managing traffic and transport incidents and in disseminating information to the public. The system is scheduled to be launched in 2017.

On traffic enforcement, digital red-light cameras are in operation at 195 signalised junctions throughout the territory to combat red-light jumping. In addition, digital speed enforcement cameras are deployed to combat speeding. On a rotational basis, 20 such cameras operate in 125 camera housings, six operate in 33 camera housings in the Tsing Ma and Tsing Sha control areas, and two portable units capable of being flexibly deployed cover eight locations in the Tsing Sha Control Area.

Automatic Toll Collection

Except for the Discovery Bay Tunnel Link, all tolled tunnels and the Lantau Link have automatic toll collection (autotoll) systems, allowing motorists with autotoll tags on their vehicles to drive through designated toll booths without having to stop to pay. About 47.7 per cent of motorists used autotoll when driving through the tolled tunnels and tolled roads in 2016.

Parking

On-street parking is provided where there is demand and when traffic conditions permit. At the year end, Hong Kong had about 18,000 parking spaces with electronic parking meters and about 15,900 non-metered on-street parking spaces.

The government owns 12 multistorey public car parks across the city and a 'Park-and-Ride' public car park in Sheung Shui. These are run by two private operators under government contracts and provide about 6,100 public parking spaces.

In addition to government car parks, off-street public parking is provided by the Airport Authority Hong Kong at the airport, the Housing Department and The Link Reit in some public housing estates, and the private sector in multistorey commercial/residential buildings and

215