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Following is a question by the Hon Martin Lee and a reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (June 21):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective numbers of footbridges and outdoor escalators currently managed and maintained by various government departments, together with a breakdown by administrative districts;
(b) whether it will consider contracting out the management and maintenance of such facilities to private operators; and
(c) whether it will consider providing advertising spaces at such footbridges and escalators for the display of public, cultural and recreational, or commercial information, so as to best utilise the space and generate additional revenue; if not, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) According to information provided by the relevant government departments, there are currently 807 footbridges under their control. Out of them, 48 are equipped with escalators. The total number of escalators is 122. Generally speaking, the Housing Department is responsible for maintaining the footbridges located within public housing estates while the maintenance responsibility of those outside the boundary of public housing estates mainly falls on the Highways Department. Information on the distribution of these footbridges and escalators among the administrative districts is in the annex that has been circulated to Members.
(b) The Highways Department has contracted out the maintenance works for the footbridges under its control to the private sector. Its contractors are also responsible for cleansing the footbridge structures, railings, signs, etc. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department or its contractors is/are responsible for cleansing the floor area. As regards footbridges under the control of the Housing Department, its contractors are responsible for their maintenance, cleansing and other up-keeping work.
(c) Government departments have set up notice boards on some suitable footbridges for displaying public information. The contractor of the Transport Department who manages the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System is arranging for suitable locations to be let out for commercial advertisements. If there are suggestions in the market that other footbridges have a certain level of commercial advertisement value, we are prepared to consider them.
Ends/Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Issued at HKT 11:48
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