OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 19
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 November 2020 1725 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 19 November 2020 The Council continued to meet at Nine o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN, B.B.S. 1726 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 November 2020 THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, S.B.S., J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE JUNIUS HO KWAN-YIU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HOLDEN CHOW HO-DING THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-FAI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE WILSON OR CHONG-SHING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YUNG HOI-YAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LUK CHUNG-HUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KWOK-FAN, M.H. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG WING-SHUN, M.H., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 November 2020 1727 MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, G.B.S., J.P. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WAN SIU-KIN THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAM CHEUK-TING THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-CHUN DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHUN-YING, J.P. 1728 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 November 2020 THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-KWAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LAU IP-KEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE CHENG CHUNG-TAI THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHUN-YU THE HONOURABLE JEREMY TAM MAN-HO THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN, B.B.S., J.P. PUBLIC OFFICER ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE FRANK CHAN FAN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING CLERK IN ATTENDANCE: MS DORA WAI, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 November 2020 1729 MEMBERS' MOTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): This Council continues the debate on the motion with no legislative effect. Mr LEUNG Che-cheung, please speak. MOTION ON "ALLEVIATING ROAD TRAFFIC CONGESTION" Continuation of debate on motion which was moved on 18 November 2020 MR LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG (in Cantonese): Good morning, President. Today I continue discussing the motion on "Alleviating road traffic congestion", the debate on which was started at yesterday's meeting. In fact, the biggest problem faced by Hong Kong people, especially during peak hours, is that it is really difficult to commute by various means of transport. I drive from New Territories West to Admiralty every day. The traffic is very heavy during peak hours and sometimes I feel very upset. Of course, citizens taking public transport are even more upset. Under the pandemic at present, in particular, everyone is a little worried. The more people they ride with, the more worried they are. Therefore, in addition to wasting the time and life of all citizens in the city, traffic congestion causes unrest among them too. President, as traffic congestion has an impact on social harmony, I hope that the Secretary will listen to Members' opinions in this regard and improve the current traffic situation as soon as possible. At present, the essential means of public transport in Hong Kong are railways. Mr LUK Chung-hung raised the issue yesterday, querying whether the public transport policy of 'according priority to railway' is the best. However, in places with little land but many people, mass transport is undeniably the most efficient mode. But can this policy be foolproof? Yesterday I heard the Secretary say that Hong Kong's railway is the world's number one in terms of efficiency. Should that be the case, there would not be frequent signal system failures or track problems. These problems could paralyse the entire territory. Such situation did happen at the East Rail, which paralysed the traffic all over Hong Kong. Regarding the public transport policy of 'according priority to railway", I find it most important to connect all transport networks. Yesterday, many colleagues criticized the Government's failure to build the Northern Link as it had 1730 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 November 2020 promised. This is also important. Furthermore, it was five to six years ago when the Government decided to build the Tuen Mun South Extension. Such efficiency and speed will not help solve the current problems faced by people in the availability and crowdedness of public transport. I hope that the Secretary will make vigorous improvements in this area to honour the Government's promises as soon as possible to improve the entire transport network for the public to commute more easily. Of course, apart from improving the network, there is another problem with railway services. One or two million people take the railway during peak hours every day. But quite often they cannot board the train immediately. More serious is the situation at the Light Rail in Yuen Long and Tuen Mun. Everyone knows that citizens cannot board the train soon when standing on an open platform. They have to wait for a couple of trains before they can board one. I often go there with colleagues from the Transport Department to inspect the situation, and they also notice these problems. When it comes to the traffic demand arising from population development, West Rail is facing a very severe situation. I want to discuss with the Secretary about the situation of Yuen Long and Tuen Mun, the district in which I live. The current population of the district is about 1.1 million, but it will rise to 1.6 million in the next two decades, seeing an increase of about 400 000. About the population development there, we have been told that when the relevant railway network is completed, the passenger capacity will increase by 30%. There will not be any problem. If the population increases by 40% only, and if most of the residents do not commute to work outside the district, there will be no problem, of course. However, if most of these residents have relocated to Yuen Long or Tuen Mun from Hong Kong Island or Kowloon, will there be any problem, Secretary? Some people have always lived or worked on Hong Kong Island or in Kowloon. After moving to Yuen Long or Tuen Mun, they will have to commute between the areas to work. Under such circumstances, the Bureau has made some hypothetical claims that cannot convince the public. They really fail to explain why people's inability to board the train when travelling by rail can be solved by increasing the passenger capacity. We have never believed this saying. Therefore, we think that the authorities are doing a poor job in transport services as the increase in passenger capacity of the railway does not match the population growth at all. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 November 2020 1731 Another point I want to talk about is the auxiliary bus service of the MTR. With the introduction of railways, many existing auxiliary bus services have also been reduced, resulting in great restrictions on "point-to-point" bus services. Some citizens tell me that they often need to wait for two buses before boarding because of such restrictions. This is also an aspect in which the public believes that the authorities have not done enough. What can be done to improve the situation? I mentioned planning just now. If too many people are squeezed at one place for a long time, such as Yuen Long and Tuen Mun, where the population will increase by 400 000, the current traffic situation can never be solved because the means of transport and roads cannot be increased. Therefore, I think planning is the most important consideration and we should discuss it with the Development Bureau. Second, we think that the types of auxiliary bus services should be increased, not only those of the Kowloon Motor Bus or the so-called franchised buses, but also other bus services. There must be more competition, and not too many bus services should be cut due to the availability of railway. I so submit.