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Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (February 15):
Question:
The Administration has implemented a trial scheme since March 2003, permitting taxis and green minibus (GMB) on four routes to access the Lok Ma Chau Control Point (LMCCP) for picking up and dropping off passengers between 12 midnight (advanced to 11 pm since January 26, 2005) and 6.30am every day. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective daily average numbers of passengers taking urban taxis, New Territories taxis and GMBs of various routes to and from the LMCCP;
(b) whether it will consider implementing the above arrangement on a long-term basis, as well as extending the relevant access period to the whole day; if so, of the details of its consideration; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) whether it has considered implementing similar schemes at other boundary control points; if so, of the details of such schemes; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
Madam President,
According to the survey conducted by the Transport Department, the average number of passengers taking green minibuses to and from the LMCCP between 11 pm and 6.30am each day is 4,200. The numbers of New Territories and urban taxi patrons during the period are 1,200 and 300 respectively.
We have to ensure that cross-boundary traffic, particularly freight traffic, which is of paramount importance to the economic development of Hong Kong, would not be affected by the trial scheme. Cross-boundary traffic via LMCCP has been increasing rapidly in recent years. Traffic in the vicinity is heavy. At San Sham Road and the San Tin Interchange nearby, the traffic remains busy until night time. Moreover, there is very limited space and facilities for the operation of public transport services at the control point. We therefore consider it undesirable to extend the operating hours of the scheme to the whole day. Also, we consider that keeping the scheme as a trial arrangement will give us more flexibility in adjusting the scheme having regard to the traffic conditions of the control point.
Due to the physical constraints at the other three land boundary control points, i.e. Lo Wu, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok, we cannot provide public transport interchanges (PTIs) or pick-up and drop-off facilities. We therefore cannot carry out similar trial schemes at those control points. However, we have reserved spaces for providing PTIs at the control points at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor and Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, both of which are under construction. Upon the commissioning of these new control points, franchised buses, green minibuses and taxis will be able to access them during their operating hours.
Ends/Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:31
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