DC Paper No. 72 /2013 (For discussion on 22 October 2013)

Progress Report of the Traffic and Transport Committee

The fifth meeting of the Traffic and Transport Committee (T&TC) in 2013 was held on 26 September 2013. The major issues discussed are summarised below:

Noise Barrier Construction Works at Station 2. Members were dissatisfied with MTR Corporation Limited (MTR) which did not consult with Shap Rural Committee and the Owner’s Corporation on the said works. Members were concerned about the impact of the works on the residents nearby, in particular when some of the works procedures would be carried out during night time for the sake of maintaining normal train operations. They were deeply concerned about the noise nuisance generated by the works and the mitigation measures that would be taken, as well as the transportation arrangements and setting up of temporary public car park during the works period. Members also relayed that residents of Tin Shing Court, Tin Yau Court and Fung Chi Tsuen had been complaining about the noise generated by the operations of West Rail (WR) trains for many years and hoped that MTR would respond on this by proposing improvement measures. Members thought that the noise barriers constructed by MTR were for the purpose of meeting the needs of the proposed property development adjoining the station and they were dissatisfied with this. Members also doubted about MTR’s statement that the works were carried out to fulfill the contract terms of Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCR). They proposed MTR to provide the related documents for Members’ reference and explain the background and details of the agreement to Members. They requested the Secretariat to write to the Transport and Housing Bureau (THB) and urge THB to disclose details of the agreement and respond to Members’ queries on the matter with a view to addressing Members’ concerns over the potential transfer of benefits allegedly involved in the works.

3. The representative of MTR said that the construction works was part of the KCR WR project before MTR and KCR merged. The said works was planned when WR was under development for the purpose of mitigating the impact of noise generated by the trains on the residential developments in the vicinity. In so doing, the operation of WR would meet the requirements of the relevant environmental legislations. After the merger, MTR was responsible for enforcing the provision and the works were not carried out for the development project’s sake. If noise mitigation measures were not taken, the noise generated by train operations would exceed the statutory standards. As regards the works arrangements, the representative of MTR said that the project team had to apply for an environmental permit from the Environmental Protection Department and they would only carry out noise barrier installation works where piling machine would not be used during night time. High noise, therefore, would not be generated. They would also take various mitigation measures to alleviate the noise of the works during day time. Besides, the temporary transport measures taken during the works period would have minimal effect on the residents nearby. Before occupying the public car park temporarily, temporary car park would be provided. MTR would conduct sound and vibration monitoring during the works period to ensure that the works met the relevant requirements on environmental protection and building safety. Apart from the above, MTR emphasized that it would closely monitor the railway operations noise level of WR and take mitigation measures in the light of actual situation. Since the noise levels of other road sections had met the statutory requirements, MTR had no plan to provide noise barriers in other road sections.

4. After discussion, Members carried forward the following motion with an absolute majority of votes:

“This Committee requests that the noise barrier construction works at MTR to be discussed by the Shap Pat Heung Rural Committee and consulted with the Sun Yuen Long Centre Owners’ Corporation, and then further discussed by T&TC. This Committee requests the Lands Department not to approve the application for short term tenancy.”

Proposal to discuss the regulation of personalized vehicle registration marks 5. Members enquired the reasons for the discrepancy among the number of complaints lodged by members of the public, number of complaints received and recorded by the Transport Department (TD), number of complaints provided by TD at this meeting and the number of complaints as provided in the paper submitted to T&TC earlier. They also enquired in what way could one lodge complaint against suspected unlawful personalized vehicle registration marks (PVRM) and whether all PVRMs would be publicized in the web page of TD. Attendees proposed that TD should require the manufacturers of the registration marks to ask the vehicle owners to produce the approval letter issued by TD before they made the registration marks, and TD should also compile a record of the manufacture of registration marks to serve deterrent effect and facilitate investigation.

6. The representative of TD said that the number of complaints received in 2011, 2012 and the first two quarters of 2013 was 89, 197 and 109 respectively, and TD had taken actions, including issuing advisory letters or vehicle examination orders, against 83, 191 and 108 cases in the respective periods. The discrepancy between the above number of complaints and the number of complaints as stated in the paper submitted to T&TC was owing to errors in calculation. Since members of the public would lodge complaints directly to TD, the Police or other departments and through the 1823 hotline, the number of complaints provided earlier had only included those cases received from some of the sources mentioned above, which did not reflect the full picture. Upon receipt of complaints, TD would check the information of the vehicles involved first, in avoidance of abuse of the complaint mechanism. Once the information had been verified, TD would issue an advisory letter to demand the vehicle owner to make corrections to the registration mark. If the owner failed to make improvements after receipt of the advisory letter, TD would consider issuing vehicle examination order and demand the owner to produce the vehicle for examination by the government vehicle examination centre. Members of the public could check PVRMs that had been approved and sold on the web page of TD.

Request for MTR to provide new Light Rail vehicle baffle plate 7. Members reflected that no baffle plate was provided in the compartments of Light Rail (LR) and passengers would be vulnerable to injury if the trains stopped suddenly during emergency. As the number of vertical handrails was inadequate in the compartments while hanging handrails were not convenient for use, Members proposed MTR to provide more handrails for the convenience of the passengers and expedite actions to refurbish the compartments so that those with baffle plates would put into service as soon as possible.

8. The representative of MTR responded that MTR had purchased new LR compartments in 2009 and had put them into service in 2011. In the meantime, MTR had been carrying out refurbishment works for the Phase 1 vehicles. The works included upgrading the facilities in the driving cabs, replacing the on-board recorders and various facilities in the compartments. As baffle plate was one of the facilities to be refurbished, it would be carried out in conjunction with other refurbishment works. At present, more than fifty vehicles had completed the relevant works and it was expected that the baffle plate provision works would be completed by 2014. Since the vehicles would have to undergo a series of technical and safety testing before re-commissioning, the Phase 1 vehicles would start operation by batches. Therefore, some of the serving Phase 1 vehicles were not provided with baffle plates whereas Phases 2 and 3 vehicles were provided with baffle plates.

Request for provision of traffic signs in Wang Toi Shan Shan Tsuen Road, Pat Heung, Kam Tai Road and Chi Ho Road, 9. Members welcomed TD’s positive response to the proposal and hoped that TD would carry out the relevant works promptly.

10. The representative of TD said that it had initially proposed 16 sites for Members’ reference. TD would invite the respective DC Members for a familiarization visit to the sites later and formulate a detailed design, including confirmation of site and measures.

Request for prompt renovation of stops facilities for GMB route no.77 and more frequent cleaning of vehicles 11. Members reflected that the stop signs of the above route were damaged and the prints thereon were blurred. Since the route had split into two, i.e. 77 and 77B recently, Members proposed to conduct a site visit with a view to urging TD to call on the operator concerned to update the information on the stop signs for the convenience of passengers as soon as possible. Members also expressed concern over the operator’s failure to clean the compartments and maintain the seats frequently, resulting in poor vehicle environment. They also relayed that the drivers had changed the route unnecessarily and the conduct and driving attitude of the drivers were poor. They demanded TD to follow up the issues.

12. The representative of TD said that TD had kept on demanding GMB operators to update information on routings for displaying at all the stops promptly. TD would continue to follow up the matter and would be willing to conduct a site visit to the stops for viewing the stop signs and compartments with the operator and Members. The representative reiterated that GMB routings must strictly adhere to those stated in the schedule of service. TD would investigate into the changing of routings by the drivers unnecessarily and the speeding problem as reflected by Members. He also pointed out that TD would not accept drivers’ impolite attitude and would liaise with the operator closely as regards to the service performance of the drivers, as well as consider reviewing the right of operating the route.

Request for provision of a Light Rail stop in the vicinity of Hung Uk Tsuen, 13. Members reflected that population of was growing rapidly and LR was the major means of transportation for the residents in the area. However, passengers of LR Hung Shui Kiu Stop were difficult to board the trains during morning peak hours. As public and private residential developments would be completed progressively in the coming years, population growth would aggravate the problem. Nevertheless, as it was difficult to extend the Hung Shui Kiu Stop to accommodate more passengers, Members put forward the above proposal for the purpose of relieving the congestion in the Hung Shui Kiu Stop. Members also requested that a letter should be sent to the THB to reflect their views.

14. The representative of MTR said that Members’ views were noted. She mentioned that the development of railway and LR networks in the territory was implemented by the government and the planning for transportation in new development areas was also responsible by the government. MTR would work to dovetail with the government’s overall transportation planning and the “Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area Planning and Engineering Study”.

Request for MTR to enhance train frequency and use couplet set 15. Members reflected that LR was very important to Yuen Long and Tuen Mun districts which had a large population. In recent years, the population in Hung Shui Kiu rose rapidly whilst secondary school places were inadequate in the district. Many students who lived in Yuen Long and had to take LR route nos. 610, 615 or 751 to travel to and from Hung Shui Kiu. Since these routes were mostly served by single-set trains, they failed to address the overcrowding problems in LR Hung Shui Kiu Stop, and from Road Stop to Fung Nin Road Stop in during peak hours. In view of the above, Members hoped that MTR would use couplet set to serve the said routes and enhance train frequency. Members also relayed that many passengers from Hung Shui Kiu, Yuen Long Town and Tin Shui Wai had to go to Tuen Mun Hospital during visiting hours and they hoped that the train service during that period would be enhanced. Members reflected that for many years they had proposed MTR to procure more vehicles. However, MTR refused to devote more resources on procuring more vehicles. Members were deeply dissatisfied with that and opined that MTR had the responsibility to meet the needs of the passengers. They also demanded TD to exercise tighter control over the service provided by LR. Members called on MTR to provide double-decked trains to increase the carrying capacity, or procure more MTR buses and operate new bus routes to address the problems of inadequate LR trains and low carrying capacity.

16. The representative of MTR said that MTR had been paying close attention to the service provided by LR and would adjust train frequency and adjust train service in the light of different needs of passengers in different periods of time. At present, couplet sets were used to serve route no.751 and other routes stopping at Hung Shui Kiu Stop during morning peak hours. The representative of MTR supplemented that currently, the overall LR service for Hung Shui Kiu section would meet the demand of passengers during morning peak hours. As there was more than one route which stopped at LR Hung Shui Kiu Stop, the train frequency of the stop was 3 to 5 minutes during morning peaks hours and 6 to 8 minutes during non-peak hours. The representative of MTR had conducted a site visit to Hung Shui Kiu Stop and found that overall speaking, passengers were able to board the first LR train arriving at the stop during morning peak hours whereas she agreed that the platform of Hung Shui Kiu Stop became quite congested around 7:30 am. In this connection, MTR had assigned platform assistants to help passengers board/alight the trains, maintain order at platforms and improve passenger flow. MTR would also advise passengers to move inside the compartment as far as possible by displaying signs and making announcements in the trains, so that more passengers could board the trains.

Request for construction of a car park over the nullah near Hung Shui Kiu Market, Yuen Long 17. Members relayed that there was no parking space provided by the government around Hung Shui Kiu Market, and a few private car parks had provided some parking spaces. Illegal parking was common in the area, which had blocked the access of residents of the adjoining Parkview Garden. Members suggested covering up the nullah in Hung Shui Kiu for constructing a car park over it so that an adequate number of parking spaces would be provided. Some Members were concerned about if the suggestion would affect the nullah’s performance in flood relief. Therefore, Members proposed to conduct a site visit with the representatives of the departments concerned for identifying a suitable site for constructing a car park.

18. The representative of TD said that the demand for parking spaces in the area was noted. TD thought that a piece of government land with low utilisation rate, of suitable size and shape as well as located near public roads could be identified for the purpose of providing public parking spaces. The option would be more feasible than Members’ proposal and the expenditure involved would also be lower.

19. The representative of Lands Office said that the Office was willing to work with other departments to process applications for land allocation in accordance with appropriate procedures. In the meantime, TD had to identify a piece of government land suitable for converting into a car park at first.

Proposal to discuss the traffic issues of Lung Tin Tsuen 20. Members proposed that GMB route no.39 should stop at the entrance of Lung Tin Tsuen for the convenience of the residents. Contrary to what TD had pointed out in its reply, they opined that the proposal would not lengthen the journey time of the said route. Members also expressed concern about whether the provision of signal-controlled pedestrian crossing at Kung Um Road near the junction of Kiu Hing Road and Shap Pat Heung Road would affect the traffic conditions of the said road section and Lung Tin Tsuen. They also enquired about the commission date of the permanent access point of Park Signature at Shap Pat Heung Road.

21. The representative of TD said that TD was now installing the signal-controlled pedestrian crossing at Kung Um Road near the junction of Kiu Hing Road and Shap Pat Heung Road. TD would adjust the operation of the traffic signals so that residents of Lung Tin Tsuen could turn from Kiu Hing Road to Kung Um Road via Shap Pat Heung Road and gain access to Lung Tin Tsuen. As regards the said permanent access point, the representative of TD said that a written reply would be given to Members upon obtaining further information.

Progress report from the Transport Department 22. Members noted the above report and were concerned about the implementation of some of the service enhancement measures in respect of GMB and bus routes in the district set out therein.

Statistics on cycling accidents and related enforcement actions 23. Members noted the above report and were concerned about some locations of potential cycling accidents in the district.

Yuen Long District Council Secretariat October 2013