ENG-2017 — Page 274

14

Transport

In 2017, these centres conducted 214,000 vehicle examinations. In addition, 3,500 spot checks were carried out on franchised buses to determine their safety, roadworthiness and service standards. Private cars over six years old and light goods vehicles not exceeding 1.9 tonnes are inspected annually at 45 designated car testing centres run by the private sector. These centres perform 331,000 vehicle examinations a year.

All imported vehicles must be examined to make sure they meet the statutory requirements before they can be registered and licensed. In 2017, 1,267 vehicle types were approved.

Intelligent Transport Systems

Smart mobility is an integral part of the government's transport policy. The government has been developing the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) under a three-pronged approach: dissemination of traffic information to the public, traffic control and supporting traffic enforcement.

In disseminating traffic information, real-time data is provided free of charge through the Road Traffic Information Service and the government's data.gov.hk portal. The data includes traffic snapshots captured by fixed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at 183 strategic locations, estimated journey times of the various cross-harbour routes and major routes from the New Territories to Kowloon at critical diversion points to help motorists make informed route choices, traffic speed maps advising commuters on the traffic conditions of selected major routes, and special traffic news.

In addition, the Hong Kong eTransport and Hong Kong eRouting websites and mobile applications help users search for public transport information and driving routes, and provide real-time traffic information any time and anywhere. People who do not have mobile data services, such as tourists, may access Hong Kong eTransport functions provided by 18 Hong Kong eTransport Kiosks installed at 15 locations, including the arrival hall of the airport's Terminal 1, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Peak Galleria and public transport interchanges. The eTraffic News mobile application strengthens the dissemination of information about traffic incidents and helps the public plan their journeys.

On utilising the ITS in traffic control, a computerised Area Traffic Control system connected to almost all traffic signal junctions enables better traffic control in response to changing road conditions. At the year end, 1,857 out of 1,898 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 vehicle detectors, CCTVs, variable message signs, variable speed limit signs and lane control signals. They 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

210