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The Transport Complaints Unit (TCU) of the Transport Advisory Committee received 3,893 complaints and suggestions from January 1 to March 31. Among these, 40 were pure suggestions. The total number of cases represents a decrease of 14.1% as compared with 4,534 cases in the previous quarter and a decrease of 8% when compared with 4,233 cases in the same quarter of 2008.
The complaints and suggestions were mostly related to public transport services (82%), enforcement matters (12%) and traffic conditions (4%).
The number of cases on public transport services decreased by 13.6% from 3,690 in the previous quarter to 3,187 in this quarter. Complaints and suggestions on traffic conditions decreased from 180 in the last quarter to 137 in this quarter. Cases about road maintenance dropped from 55 in the last quarter to 50 in this quarter. The number of complaints about illegal parking and other enforcement matters also fell from 554 to 474.
All the complaints and suggestions received by the TCU in the quarter were referred to the relevant authorities and government departments for follow-up action.
During the period under review, investigations into 4,412 cases were completed. Of these, 2,783 cases (63%) were found to be substantiated, 485 cases (11%) were unsubstantiated, and the remaining 1,144 cases (26%) were not pursuable due to lack of information.
For the substantiated cases, the relevant government departments and public transport operators have either taken steps to rectify the situation or are considering possible solutions to the problems identified.
During the quarter, the relevant government departments and organisations took on board 52 suggestions made by the public to enhance public transport services and improve traffic conditions. A summary of the cases where public suggestions have helped to bring about improvements is at the Appendix.
Members of the public may make their suggestions or complaints to the TCU by dialling the hotline 2889 9999 (voice mail service outside office hours), by fax to 2577 1858, by email to info@tcu.gov.hk or by filling in a complaint form downloaded from the TCU website (www.info.gov.hk/tcu).
Appendix
Public Suggestions Taken on Board by Relevant Authorities
(January ﷿ March 2009)
I. Public Transport Services
* Add bus stops at Wai Yip Street and Heung Fan Liu Street to meet the demand of passengers.
* Extend a bus bay at Ping Ha Road to facilitate passengers.
* Install queue railings at a bus stop at Ma Wan Main Street to facilitate passengers.
II. Traffic Management
Hong Kong Island
* Increase the pedestrian green time of traffic light at Bonham Road to facilitate pedestrians.
* Impose "No Stopping Restriction" and add a pedestrian crossing at Marble Road to prevent vehicle obstruction and to facilitate pedestrians respectively.
* Extend "No Stopping Restriction" at Wong Nai Chung Road to prevent vehicle obstruction.
* Add a traffic sign at Yee King Road to remind motorists to use low gear.
* Add a traffic sign at Yue Kwong Road to alert motorists of a pedestrian crossing ahead.
* Add a "Keep Clear" road marking at Robinson Road to prevent vehicle obstruction.
* Convert a staggered pedestrian crossing to a straight one at Hennessy Road to facilitate passengers.
* Enlarge a safety island, cancel a traffic sign and add a road marking at Des Voeux Road West to improve road safety.
* Shorten a lay-by at Admiralty Bus Terminus to improve the sight-line for pedestrians.
* Extend railings at Aberdeen Reservoir Road to deter illegal parking on pavement.
Kowloon
* Increase the vehicular green time of traffic lights at the following locations to alleviate traffic congestion : Tin Kwong Road, Man Yue Street, Shun On Road, Woosung Street and Nga Cheung Road.
* Increase the pedestrian green time of traffic lights at the following locations to facilitate pedestrians : Tat Chee Avenue, Ma Tau Wai Road and Cheung Lai Street.
* Add a pedestrian traffic light at the junction of Wang Kwong Road and Lam Hing Street to improve road safety.
* Impose "No Stopping Restriction" at a back lane of Nathan Road and Po Kong Village Road to deter illegal parking.
* Impose "No U-turn" restriction and add a solid and broken white line at Sham Mong Road to regulate lane-cutting activities.
* Add a "No Right Turn" traffic sign at Sheung Yee Road to remind motorists.
* Modify a traffic sign and add a road marking at Lin Cheung Road to remind motorists of the maximum speed.
* Add a "Keep Clear" road marking at Lok Shan Road to prevent vehicle obstruction.
* Add a double white line at Lomond Road to deter U-turning activities.
* Extend a double white line at Princess Margaret Road to regulate lane-cutting activities.
* Delete a right-turning pocket at Tong Mi Road to improve road safety.
* Shorten a loading/unloading bay at Wang Hoi Road to improve the sight-line for motorists.
* Modify railings and add a pedestrian traffic light at Tat Chee Avenue to improve road safety.
* Install railings/steel bollards at Luk Hop Street and Prince Edward Road West to deter illegal parking on pavement.
New Territories
* Increase the vehicular green time of traffic lights at Tsuen Fu Street and Shing Chuen Road to alleviate traffic congestion.
* Increase the pedestrian green time of traffic lights at the following locations to facilitate pedestrians : Castle Peak Road - Sham Tseng, Ma Miu Road and Yuen Long On Ning Road.
* Delete a left-turn signal of a traffic light and install additional traffic lights at Ma On Shan Road to provide better instructions to motorists.
* Synchronise traffic lights at Pui To Road to improve traffic flow.
* Impose "No Stopping Restriction" and extend a solid and broken white line at Pui Shing Road to deter illegal parking and to regulate lane-cutting activities.
* Add a "No Right Turn" traffic sign at Lek Yuen Street to remind motorists.
* Add a direction sign at Cheung Pei Shan Road to better guide motorists.
* Relocate a traffic sign and add direction signs at Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Public Transport Interchange to give better direction to the taxi queuing area and taxi drop-off point.
* Impose "No U-turn" restriction at Castle Peak Road - Sham Tseng to improve traffic flow.
* Add a road marking and enlarge a traffic sign at Kam Ying Road to alert motorists of traffic lights ahead and the need to slow down.
* Add road markings at Fung Kam Street to remind pedestrians to watch out for traffic.
* Add lane markings at Po Lam Road North to guide motorists.
* Convert a "Turn Right Only" arrow road marking to an "Ahead Only or Turn Right" one at Tai Po Road - Tai Wai to improve traffic flow.
* Add a double white line at Castle Peak Road - Ting Kau to improve road safety.
* Relocate parking spaces for lorries at Tai Uk Street to improve road safety.
Ends/Friday, June 5, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:27
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