14
Transport
exercise on enhancing walkability; completed the synchronisation of traffic lights at 18 staggered pedestrian crossings; and continued constructing shelters above selected public walkways.
Hillside Escalator Links and Elevator Systems
To help pedestrians access hilly terrain, a newly constructed hillside escalator link and elevator system at Waterloo Hill in Kowloon City was opened in November 2019. A similar project at Cheung Hang Estate in Tsing Yi is scheduled for opening in February 2020, while main construction works for another project between Castle Peak Road and Kung Yip Street in Kwai Chung started in December 2019 for completion by the second quarter of 2023. The Transport Department has substantially completed the review of an assessment mechanism established in 2009 for hillside escalator link and elevator system proposals. It is screening and scoring 114 proposals received in the past few years according to the revised mechanism, with a view to consulting the respective District Councils and completing the entire scoring process by 2020 in order to come up with a new batch of proposals on building more hillside escalators and elevators.
Improving Pedestrian Environment
In 2019, the Highways Department completed the detailed design for a proposed elevated pedestrian corridor in Yuen Long Town connecting with Long Ping Station. It is reviewing proposed pedestrian environment improvement schemes in Mong Kok and Causeway Bay, taking into account the latest developments in the areas.
Universal Accessibility
Where technically feasible, barrier-free access facilities such as lifts and ramps may be installed at footbridges, elevated walkways and subways that span public roads. The Highways. Department completed 38 retrofitting items during the year.
The government announced in the 2019 Policy Address that a special scheme would be launched under the Universal Accessibility Programme to retrofit lifts at walkways in or connecting to the common areas of Tenants Purchase Scheme Estates, Public Rental Housing Estates with properties divested and Buy or Rent Option Scheme Estates under the Hong Kong Housing Authority. The Highways Department is liaising with the other departments to work out detailed arrangements for the scheme and plans to consult District Councils in 2020 on the implementation.
Maritime Transport
Domestic Ferries
Ferries provide essential transport links to outlying islands where no or limited land transport is available. Ferries also offer an alternative transport service between the inner harbour and other areas in Hong Kong.
Fourteen franchised and licensed ferry operators run 21 regular passenger ferry services, two services for dangerous goods vehicles, and two special services for the harbour, outlying islands and other areas. These are supplemented by 70 'kaito' ferry services, which cover relatively
217
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.