If you haven’t noticed, traffic jams have become a common occurrence on Hong Kong’s roads. With travel times extending and average speeds crawling to an almost standstill, the Hong Kong government is planning to do something about it… very slowly.
“Hong Kong cannot afford to sit still and let road traffic congestion erode the sustainability and competitiveness of our city,” said Larry Kwok, the chairman of the Transport Advisory Committee (TAC), in a statement following a LegCo meeting on Tuesday.
Despite being grilled by legislators for being slow to act, Professor Anthony Cheung, Hong Kong’s secretary for public transport, insisted the government is planning to bring in multiple measures to reduce congestion.
He added that the government is looking at the feasibility of implementing the 12 schemes that have been presented by the TAC.
These include increased registration and license fees, improved park-and-ride facilities, and the implementation of a congestion charge.
According to the SCMP, in the 10-year time span between 2003 and 2013, the number of cars on the road jumped by 40 percent, while length of roads increased by a mere 0.8 percent.
Kwok said that, “some of the measures may entail inconvenience to road users and members of public… [but that]… the benefits of a more efficient road network outweigh these inconveniences.”
So prepare for things to get worse before they get any better.
Photo: Andreas via Flickr
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