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The Transport Complaints Unit (TCU) of the Transport Advisory Committee (TAC) received a total of 4,634 complaints and suggestions from January 1 to March 31. Among these, 38 were purely suggestions. The total number of cases fell 6.7% compared with 4,968 cases in the previous quarter.
The major areas of complaints and suggestions were related to public transport services (75%), enforcement matters (16%) and traffic conditions (5%). The number related to public transport services decreased by 5.3% from 3,691 in the previous quarter to 3,496 in this quarter. Complaints and suggestions on traffic conditions decreased from 285 in the last quarter to 241 in this quarter.
Complaints and suggestions about road maintenance dropped from 94 in the last quarter to 89 in this quarter. The number of complaints about illegal parking and other enforcement matters decreased from 776 to 727.
"It is noteworthy that we stepped up publicity about the TCU's hotline in the second half of 2005. Apart from displaying the hotline at major public transport interchanges, bus termini and on taxis, we also published it in newspapers," a spokesman for the TAC said.
In addition, a new requirement to display the hotline inside public light buses has been included in their licensing conditions since late October 2005. "We note that the number of complaints and suggestions received by the TCU has been on the rise since the third quarter of 2005," the spokesman said.
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 4,403 cases were completed. Of these, 3,205 cases (73%) were found to be substantiated, 276 cases (6%) were unsubstantiated, and the remaining 922 cases (21%) could not be pursued due to lack of evidence.
For the substantiated cases, the relevant government departments or 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 43 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 after office hours), by fax (2577 1858), by email (info@tcu.gov.hk) or by filling in a complaint form downloaded from the TCU website (http://www.info.gov.hk/tcu).
Appendix
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Public suggestions taken on board by relevant authorities
(January ¡ª March 2006)
I. Public Transport Services
* Widen a green minibus terminus at Hin Tin Street to facilitate passengers.
II. Traffic Management
Hong Kong Island
* Increase the vehicular green time of traffic lights at the following locations to alleviate traffic congestion: Chai Wan Road, Lei King Road, Canal Road West, Des Voeux Road West, Hennessy Road and Hung Hing Road.
* Impose a "No Stopping Restriction" at Fleming Road and Shipyard Lane to prevent vehicle obstruction.
* Add a yellow box and a solid white line at Connaught Road Central to prevent vehicle obstruction and regulate lane-cutting activities respectively.
* Lengthen a double white line at Chi Fu Road to regulate lane-cutting activities.
* Cancel a solid white line at Harcourt Road to facilitate motorists in changing lanes.
Kowloon
* Increase the vehicular green time of traffic lights at Hung Hom Road and Sham Mong Road to alleviate traffic congestion.
* Increase the pedestrian green time of traffic light at Tin Kwong Road to facilitate pedestrians.
* Add right-turn signal to traffic lights at Wylie Road and Wuhu Street to facilitate motorists.
* Relocate traffic light and a stop line at Tai Po Road to improve sightline of motorists.
* Impose a "No Stopping Restriction" at the following locations to prevent vehicle obstruction : Canton Road, Tai Yip Street, Shantung Street, Sai Yee Street and Castle Peak Road.
* Extend the effective hours of the "No Stopping Restriction" at Tong Mi Road to prevent vehicular obstruction.
* Extend the "No Stopping Restriction" at Tsui Fung Street and Fung Shing Street to prevent vehicular obstruction.
* Add warning signs at Sham Mong Road to alert motorists of children/school ahead.
* Add "Keep Clear" road markings at King Lam Street to prevent vehicular obstruction.
* Modify road markings at Cheung Wong Road to facilitate turning movements of long vehicles.
* Extend road markings at the bus terminus at Lung Poon Street to facilitate pedestrians.
* Install railings at Fei Fung Street to deter illegal parking on pavement.
* Add parking spaces for motorcycles at Sai Yeung Choi Street North to facilitate motorcyclists.
* Delete a parking space at Man Cheong Street to facilitate pedestrians.
* Convert two-way traffic at Hoi Yuen Road to one-way traffic to improve traffic flow.
* Reduce the number of bus routes and construct a "build out" at a bus stop at Choi Hung Road to improve road safety.
New Territories
* Increase the vehicular green time of traffic light at Tai Kei Leng Road to alleviate traffic congestion.
* Add road markings at Yuen Wo Road to alert motorists of merging traffic.
* Add road markings at the pedestrian crossing at the public transport interchange outside Prince of Wales Hospital to improve road safety.
* Add cautionary crossings at Lok Lam Road and Lok Lin Path to facilitate pedestrians.
* Convert a staggered pedestrian crossing into a straight crossing at Kwan Mun Hau Street to facilitate pedestrians.
* Provide a run-in/out at the entrance of Tsat Sing Kong Tsuen at Kam Tin Road to facilitate motorists.
Ends/Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:07
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