The minutes were confirmed on 9 September 2016 without amendment.

Minutes of the 4th Meeting of the Traffic and Transport Committee under the District Council in 2016

Date: 22 July 2016 (Friday)

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Venue: Conference Room, Council, 13/F, Yuen Long Government Offices, 2 Kiu Lok Square, Yuen Long

Present Time of Arrival Time of Withdrawal Chairman: Mr CHING Chan-ming Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Vice-chairman: Mr MAK Ip-sing Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Members: Mr CHAM Ka-hung, Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Daniel,BBS, MH, JP Mr CHEUNG Muk-lam Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Ms CHIU Sau-han Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr CHOW Wing-kan Beginning of the meeting 1:00 p.m. Mr KWOK Hing-ping 1:05 p.m. End of the meeting Mr KWOK Keung, MH Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr KWONG Chun-yu Beginning of the meeting 2:00 p.m. Ms LAU Kwai-yung 10:25 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Mr LEE Yuet-man, MH Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting The Hon 2:10 p.m. 2:25 p.m. LEUNG Che-cheung, BBS, MH, JP Mr LEUNG Ming-kin Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr LUI Kin 11:30 a.m. 2:25 p.m. Mr LUK Chung-hung Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Ms MA Shuk-yin 1:15 p.m. End of the meeting Mr MAN Kwong-ming Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr MAN Ping-nam, MH Beginning of the meeting 12:15 p.m. Mr SHUM Ho-kit Beginning of the meeting 10:50 a.m. Mr SIU Long-ming Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr TANG Cheuk-him Beginning of the meeting 12:15 p.m. Mr TANG Cheuk-yin 10:40 a.m. End of the meeting Mr TANG Hing-ip,BBS Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr TANG Ka-leung Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr TANG Yung-yiu, Ronnie Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr TO Ka-lun Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr WONG Cheuk-kin Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr WONG Wai-shun Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting

1 Mr WONG Wai-yin, Zachary Beginning of the meeting 2:05 p.m. Mr YIU Kwok-wai Beginning of the meeting 12:15 p.m. Mr YOUNG Ka-on Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Ms YUEN Man-yee Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Co-opted Mr CHAN Tin-yam Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Members: Mr CHEUNG Wai-sum Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr CHUI Kwan-siu 2:30 p.m. End of the meeting Mr CHUNG Chau-wah 10:30 a.m. End of the meeting Mr HONG Chin-wah Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr KO Chun-kit Beginning of the meeting 1:30 p.m. Mr NG Ka-leung Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr SZE TO Chun-hin 2:30 p.m. End of the meeting Mr TANG Kam-fai Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting

Secretary: Miss Cherry NG Executive Officer (District Council)2, Yuen Long District Office

In Attendance Mr WONG Chi-wah, Steve Assistant District Officer (Yuen Long) 1, Yuen

Long District Office Mr HO Ming Yin, Jim Acting Senior Transport Officer/Yuen Long,

Transport Department Mr YEUNG Engineer /Yuen Long East, Transport Department Shiu-wing, Chris Mr FUNG Ching-cheung, Engineer/Yuen Long West, Transport Department Samuel Mr AU Man Yu, Derek Engineer/Yuen Long Central, Transport

Department Mr CHIU Chi-yiu District Engineer/YL(E), Highways Department Ms LAM Sze-wing Engineer/16 (NTW), Civil Engineering and

Development Department Mr CHIU Chi-keung District Operations Officer (Yuen Long Dist),

Hong Kong Police Force Ms POON Wai-yuen Housing Manager/YLG5, Housing Department Mr WONG Kin-wai, Kelvin Administrative Assistant/Lands (District Lands

Office, Yuen Long), Lands Department

Absent Ms CHAN Mei-lin (Absent due to other commitments) Mr CHAN Sze-ching (Absent due to other commitments) Mr LAI Wai-hung (Absent due to other commitments) Ms WONG Wai-ling (Absent due to sickness) Mr LEUNG Fuk-yuen Mr TANG Lai-tung Mr CHING Yung-fai

2 Item 2 & 6 Ms TAM Yuk-ying Principal Project Coordinator/North West New

Territories, Highways Department Mr CHAN Chi-kin, Ken Engineer 30/-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Project Management Office, Highways Department Mr LAM Chiu-yu, Alfred Chief Engineer/Transport Planning, Transport

Department Mr WONG Kwong-mo Senior Engineer/North West, Transport

Department Mr HO Wai-kee Senior Engineer/Housing and Planning/New

Territories West, Transport Department Mr CHEUNG Ka-leung, Chief Engineer/ West Tony 3, Civil Engineering and Development Department

Item 3 Mr CHAN Chi-ming Senior Engineer/Special Duty, Transport

Department Mr LEE Sai-hang Engineer/Special Duty 1, Transport Department Ms LO Shuet-yee Engineer/Special Duty 2, Transport Department Mr TANG Kam Kee Senior Engineer/CWY1, Highways Department Mr KWOK Chun Sum Engineer/NT4-2, Highways Department

Item 4 Mr Francis CHU Chief Executive Officer, the Hong Kong School

of Motoring Ltd Mr Kenneth TO Planning Consultant, the Hong Kong School of Motoring Ltd Mr CHAN Man-ho Head – Operations, the Hong Kong School of Motoring Ltd Mr David LO Head – Engineering and Quality Assurance, the Hong Kong School of Motoring Ltd Mr TSUI Ka-chi Senior Operations Manager, the Hong Kong School of Motoring Ltd Mr Bill LI Operations Manager, the Hong Kong School of Motoring Ltd Mr S L NG Traffic Consultant, the Hong Kong School of Motoring Ltd

Item 7(iv) Ms Annie LAM Assistant PR Manager – External Affairs, MTR

Corporation

* * * * * Opening Remarks The Chairman welcomed Members and representatives of government departments to the 4th meeting of the Traffic and Transport Committee (“T&TC”) under the Yuen Long District Council (“YLDC”) in 2016. Firstly, congratulations were extended to Ms CHIU Sau-han for being awarded

3 the Medal of Honour (MH). In addition, Mr WONG Chi-wah, Steve, Assistant District Officer (Yuen Long) 1, attended the meeting on behalf of Mr WU Cheuk-wang, Ricky, Assistant District Officer (Yuen Long) 2, who was unable to attend the meeting due to official duties. Mr HO Ming-yin, Jim, Senior Transport Officer of the Transport Department (TD) attended this meeting on behalf of Mr LAI Sing-chuen, Gary of the TD. Considering that Mr TANG Cheuk-him would have to deal with other important matters shortly, it was recommended that Agenda Item 7(5) proposed by him should be discussed following the matters arising.

Item 1: Confirmation of the Minutes of the Third Meeting of Traffic and Transport Committee (T&TC) in 2016 2． Minutes of the third meeting were confirmed by Members unanimously.

Item 2: Western Bypass (T&TC Paper No.62/2016) Item 6: Matters Arising Mr CHAM Ka-hung Daniel, BBS, MH, JP proposed to discuss the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB) and the design and works progress of the Airport-Tuen Mun/Yuen Long Link (T&TC Paper No.46/2016) 3． The Chairman noted that the two agenda items should be discussed together due to their correlation.

4． The Chairman welcomed the following persons to the meeting:

Highways Department (HyD) Principal Project Coordinator/North West New Ms TAM Yuk-ying Territories Engineer 30/ Engineer 30/Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Mr CHAN Chi-kin, Bridge Hong Kong Project Management Office Ken

Transport Department (TD) Chief Engineer/Transport Planning Mr LAM Chiu-yu, Alfred Senior Engineer/Northwest Mr WONG Kwong-mo Senior Engineer/Housing and Planning/NTW Mr HO Wai-kee

Civil Engineering Development Department

4 Chief Engineer/ New Territories West 3 Mr CHEUNG Ka-leung, Tony

5． The Chairman mentioned that Mr YAU Shing-mu, JP, Under Secretary for Transport and Housing, had originally planned to attend the meeting, but was absent due to official duties. Mr YAU expected to attend subsequent meetings and made an apology to other Members for his absence.

6． Ms TAM Yuk-ying briefly introduced the paper.

7． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) Members enquired about the construction schedule and date of works commencement of the above-mentioned project and the updated construction schedule for the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link as well as the possibility of opening the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to public traffic at the same time;

(2) Members enquired of the TD as to whether the traffic pressure on the Tuen Mun-Yuen Long road had been assessed with the opening of the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link in 2018 and the future development plan, and whether there were mid-term plans and other transportation arrangements to relieve traffic congestion;

(3) Members pointed out that the newly proposed routes connected by tunnels could reduce the problems arising from land acquisition, but would restrict ground development, and suggested the departments concerned should deal with land ownership appropriately;

(4) Members enquired of the TD as to whether the current airport buses would change their routes after the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link is opened in 2018;

(5) It was suggested that the HyD should pay attention to the geographical environment surrounding the project during the survey, especially the cemeteries near the exit of Tsing Shan Tsuen, to mitigate factors leading to project delays;

(6) A Member applauded the HyD for adopting the proposal given by the District Council in 2010 of extending the road to Yuen Long, but was dissatisfied with the slow project progress, pointing out that this project was lagging behind

5 other related projects, the original scheme experienced setbacks due to objections from the Tuen Mun community, but the department did not report to the Members on the progress; and hoped to understand why the department failed to carry out the project in phases by kicking off the undisputed part first;

(7) Another Member proposed to establish a mechanism under which in the event of delays or changes in large-scale infrastructure projects following the consultation with the District Council, the government departments concerned should submit a mid-term or temporary report to Members for an overview of project progress;

(8) Members reported the lack of data from the HyD and enquired about specific arrangements of project design, including optimised arrangements for access to rural roads of Ha Tsuen, width of tunnels, and the number of traffic lanes;

(9) Regarding the contribution of the project to cargo transportation links, it was reported that the project would cater to the needs of the logistics industry of the future logistics park in Hung Shui Kiu and also provide links between terminals of inland rivers and between high-end logistics industries in Chek Lap Kok now or Lantau North in the future. But the only concern was that the access to the Kwai Chung container terminal would not be very convenient and the interchange between the Tuen Mun Road, and the project might become a bottleneck in traffic. So Members asked the HyD whether it could provide any more direct routing proposals and design specifics;

(10) It was indicated that the HyD did not follow the practice of the Yuen Long District Council in procedure by first consulting the Rural Committee (RC) of the district affected by major projects and then submitting the issue to the District Council for discussion;

(11) It was indicated that Tuen Mun residents also placed high hopes on the project as it would support the implementation of major projects. Yet, the project delay disappointed the District and Yuen Long residents;

(12) Members hoped to keep informed about the earliest implementation date, schedule, predictable difficulties and the possibility of overcoming the difficulties even if the newly suggested route was confirmed by Members;

(13) A Member welcomed the new routing proposal, believing that the new route would boost the development of Hung Shui Kiu and also would provide a link to other road networks. Moreover, the tunnel design could also alleviate concerns of Tuen Mun

6 residents, and it was hoped that the project would start as early as possible;

(14) It was noted that traffic congestion might occur before the above-mentioned project was linked to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link. Yet, the TD replied that the department would keep a close eye on the progress and would take appropriate measures in the case of any problem. The department was required to provide a solution;

(15) The TD was required to clarify whether bus route E34A, E34B and A37 would be diverted after the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link was put into use;

(16) A Member favoured the confirmation of the proposal by suggesting that the proposal should be confirmed first. The survey for the project should start early and the HyD should consult the RC later during the survey due to the feasibility, necessity and urgency of the overall proposal;

(17) Opposition was made against the confirmation of the proposal at this meeting, asking the HyD to comply with the three-tier parliamentary procedure by first seeking advice from Ha Tsuen as a core development area in the project, consulting the RC before discussion by the District Council;

(18) An enquiry was raised about the HyD as to whether there were other options other than the new proposal, and worried that further project delays would be caused by the suspension of the current proposal for whatever reasons;

(19) It was indicated that Members were not against the project, but merely requested the HyD to follow the original advisory structure as a principle. It was suggested that other government departments should also clearly understand this general direction and consult local parties so as to design a project balancing the benefits of all stakeholders concerned; and

(20) There was a concern that the consulting procedure would delay the project, hoping to know whether the HyD would consult the RC as soon as possible and discuss with the District Council.

8． Ms TAM Yuk-ying gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) As a dual two-lane trunk road, the project consists of tunnels with a total length of 12km. Given dramatic topological and geological changes, the large scale of the

7 project and technical difficulty, upon approval by Members, a funding application would be filed for subsequent surveys and assessments. She said that local people concerned would be contacted immediately after the survey was launched;

(2) In response to the question about the project schedule raised by some Members, she said that more information on the actual conditions and foreseeable difficulties was needed before a schedule was designed;

(3) She said that the affected population in Tuen Mun showed concerns not only about elevated roads, but also about air pollution, noise pollution and landscape deterioration through the traffic at the entrance and exit of interchange tunnels on Tsing Tin Road;

(4) She added that the recommended new route would involve four links, which included two new links to Yuen Long in addition to the two originally planned links to the Kong Sham Western Highway. The roads were not connected to the Yuen Long Highway for the sake of safety. Moreover, the recommended new links could also be connected to the Yuen Long Highway indirectly;

(5) She expressed her knowledge of Members’ opinions, expected to launch the survey and research immediately, and consult the Ha Tsuen Heung RC as early as possible However, she suggested more geological data should be provided to determine the final location of the interchange;

(6) In response to the proposal on the implementation of the project in phases, she argued that the part not in question (the road section between Tuen Mun Area 40 and Tsing Tin) still drew attention from Tuen Mun people. The department concerned had already provided different solutions but the related issue remained unsolved. Moreover, the design and construction of the interchange between the two new tunnels posed a daunting challenge and required further research and survey. Therefore, starting with certain road sections might affect the construction of the remaining tunnels; and

(7) She said that the department would consult the Ha Tsuen Heung RC, but the timetable for consulting the District Council remained unknown. She could understand that people from different districts had different concerns, but the department would try to reply to them.

8 9． Mr LAM Chiu-yu, Alfred gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) He said that the connection between the above-mentioned project and the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link was delayed for various reasons and the department would keep an eye on the traffic situation after the link was put into use. The initial studies revealed that the traffic situation would be still under control in the first few years after the link was open to traffic because large developments, such as the Hung Shui Kiu new development area, had yet to be completed. The department concerned would closely monitor the surrounding environment, and take timely and appropriate traffic management measures to alleviate the potential congestion problem;

(2) The bus route plan would be referred to his colleagues concerned. Changes in bus routes needed to be negotiated with bus companies and would be reported to Members in due time; and

(3) He reiterated that although the project failed to coincide with the completion of links, the existing transportation networks were expected to cope with the need in the next few years because no large-scale development projects would be completed and the population would not grow much. In addition, the department would closely monitor changes in traffic flow after the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link was opened, take appropriate measures to satisfy traffic demands, and would continue to plan and build new roads.

10． Mr HO Ming-yin, Jim said, Bus and Railway Branch of the TD sent data on infrastructure construction to bus companies every year, which would make a five-year plan accordingly. Usually, bus companies would develop easy and efficient plans for the benefit of residents. Then Bus and Railway Branch of the TD and the branch offices would work together with the bus companies to keep a of the progress.

11． The Chairman summarised that due to the special circumstances of Yuen Long District, all issues about infrastructure development in rural areas should first be negotiated with the RC before they were tabled at the District Council, which should be the principle to be followed by the departments concerned. The Chairman also hoped that the department concerned would provide clear information in subsequent documents, suggested the HyD should carry out the project in phases by starting with the undisputed part, and the TD should also forecast the traffic load and study other supporting plans to improve future traffic situations. The departments concerned should give written replies to Members if they had any updates.

9 Item 3: Provision of Shelters at Pedestrian Links (T&TC Paper No. 63/2016) 12． The Chairman welcomed the following persons to the meeting:

TD Senior Engineer/Special Duty Mr CHAN Chi-ming, Lawrence Engineer/Special Duty 1 Mr LEE Sai-hang, Kenneth Engineer/Special Duty 2 Ms LO Shuet-yee, Zoe

HyD Senior Engineer/CWY1 Mr TANG Kam-kee Engineer/NT4-2 Mr KWOK Chun -sum

13． Ms LO Shuet-yee, Zoe briefly introduced the paper.

14． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) Some Members expressed their support for the plan, and some raised routing plans for the following pedestrian walkways: the pedestrian walkway linking and , the walkway opposite to Tin Wah Estate between Chung Fu Stop and Hospital, the pedestrian walkways at Fung Yau Street North near Yuen Long Station, pedestrian walkways linking Tin Fu Light Rail Stop with Tin Fai Road Sports Centre, Community Hall and surrounding estates, the roads between and Ha Tsuen Ancestral Hall, the pedestrian walkway before the Tai Lam Tunnel interchange station, and the pedestrian walkway linking and Hung Shui Kiu Light Rail Stop;

(2) Some Members hoped to learn about the procedure, but at this meeting Members might not be able to come up with all proposals at this meeting. Therefore, procedural issues could be left to the next meeting for further discussion and voting;

(3) Some Members disagreed with the proposal raised by the HyD that the covered walkway should not exceed 200m and requested revisions to this requirement. They

10 even questioned the practical use of shelters with such a length and proposed to check whether this index could be more flexible or the restriction could be alleviated in individual cases;

(4) Some Members disapproved of related plans, arguing that among the three routing plans submitted by the District Council, only one would be adopted for the whole district, which would face quite a lot of limitations and might lead to unnecessary competition for resources and conflicts within the Council;

(5) The TD was welcomed to consult the Members in the meeting. Moreover, the department was expected to share past experience of successful addition in other districts, and an enquiry was raised as to whether the related project would be continued in the future;

(6) The department was advised to learn some experience from the operation model of the “Universal Accessibility” programme, which allowed the government to first conduct assessment and determine feasible sites, and offer objective data to Members for consideration;

(7) It was indicated that although most pipelines and cables laid under pavements were 1.2m deep, this would not limit the option because the 1-metre-deep pillars were enough to support shelters above;

(8) It was reported that the government was not necessarily right in using the population mobility as a reference for assessment. Members hoped to know whether the TD could provide any standards to measure the weight of various conditions;

(9) It was noted that most Members had agreed that there was an urgent need to build shelters over pedestrian walkways linking medical facilities because such facilities were very important. As part of the government’s responsibility, this project should be prioritised with separate funding without occupying the resources for the above-mentioned new project; and

(10) An enquiry was raised as to whether the HyD could provide alternatives which were lighter and more convenient or portable in addition to the existing design of shelters for pedestrian walkways. The HyD was expected to provide more reference data.

11 15． Mr CHAN Chi-ming, Lawrence gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) He pointed that the department would consult at the same time in 18 districts to pool resources and carry out the first routing plan within the framework of the District Council. However, when it comes to whether the project would continue later, the department would review related policies and the necessity of the next round of planning according to the progress and results of new policies, as well as the opinions of the District Council, department resources and public response;

(2) The District Council was advised to raise three routing options to implement related plans as soon as possible. To determine the figure was not to restrict Members from raising proposals, as the District Council could submit proposals according to actual circumstances;

(3) The conditions for routing were informational rather than absolute. Related factors might affect project costs and hence the fund allocation and project schedule. Additionally, this consultation was only to introduce new policies, so after Members raised proposals, the government would provide relevant technical data for Members to make an ideal choice; and

(4) He acknowledged receipt of other Members’ views, and described this project as a new policy providing a new operation model in which the District Council would consult local people before coming up with ideal options catering to local needs. Meanwhile, the department would continue the works of building shelters over pedestrian walkways according to current design standards.

16． Mr TANG Kam-kee gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) He explained that the 200m routing requirement merely represented initial estimation because the inclusion of the project into Category D involved many other conditions, such as the width of the shelter, pipeline laid under pavements, the impact of works at busy streets on traffic, and the possible impact of the project on the operation of nearby shops;

(2) He said that the department had initially understood the routing plan for and Pok Oi Hospital suggested by most Members and would study its feasibility; and

(3) He said that the department had already considered other design proposals for the shelters, such as moveable shelters. The operation model had yet to be finalised for

12 this project, but consideration would also be given to the appearance design, safety and maintenance of the covered walkways.

17． The Chairman summarised that Members had put forward a lot of views during the meeting and hoped that the departments concerned would collect comments and respond to questions raised by Members, and Members should contact the departments concerned within three months if they had any other questions.

Item 4: Relocation of Hong Kong School of Motoring Yuen Long Road Safety Centre (T&TC Paper No. 64/2016) 18． The Chairman welcomed the following persons to the meeting:

The Hong Kong School of Motoring Ltd Chief Executive Officer Mr Francis CHU Planning Consultant Mr Kenneth TO Head – Operations Mr CHAN Man-ho Head – Engineering and Quality Assurance Mr David LO Senior Operations Manager Mr TSUI Ka-chi Operations Manager Mr Bill LI Traffic Consultant Mr S L NG

19． Mr Francis CHU and Mr Kenneth TO briefly introduced the paper.

20． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) It was noted that quite some Members received complaints from Wing Ning Tsuen villagers as the relocation involved selection of a new site. It was suggested that the School should communicate more with villagers to remove their doubts and resolve conflicts;

(2) It was noted that driving trainees might drive out of the village for road tests or practice at night, so the lighting in the streets should be improved to ensure the safety of villagers when they go out;

(3) It was reported that villagers had expressed concerns about road safety, hoping to

13 make clear whether the School met the requirements of the TD by turning the suburban paths of Wing Ning Tsuen into roads and whether the pedestrian walkways would be widened, and suggesting placing bars to separate pedestrians and vehicles;

(4) Some Members noted that the operation of the School was discussed by the District Council years ago and won applause for bringing a lot of convenience to local residents and creating more jobs for the district. Despite much concern within the District Council at that time, the experience showed that years of operation of the School had not caused serious problems;

(5) Concerns were raised about the increase in future traffic volume, because the selected site was originally a green belt without adequate transportation planning, public housing would be built nearby and property developers submitted applications to build densely-populated buildings. An enquiry was raised as to whether related junctions could accommodate all passing vehicles;

(6) It was indicated that the traffic at the Wing Ning Tsuen junction should not be part of site selection and expected to confirm whether the project cost would be borne by the government or the School. Other Members wanted to confirm whether the installation of traffic lights at two locations close to each other complied with the rules of the TD and the existing light would be removed because they noticed that one crossing with traffic lights was already there close to the and just before the traffic lights to be added at the junction;

(7) Members worried that the existing plan might exert an impact on the environment around Wing Ning Tsuen, such as occupying sitting-out areas or other places of Wing Ning Tsuen, preventing the use by villagers for activities or celebrations, and affecting the parking lot near government land due to the widening of roads, as well as noise and air pollution caused by an increasing number of vehicles;

(8) Some Members suggested that the School should take improvement measures in response to villagers’ demands to improve villagers’ lives, such as interconnecting roads to facilitate villagers’ access, and upgrading drainage facilities;

(9) Some Members said that the area was originally a green belt, which was not a suitable site, because the relocation of the School would cause damage to the environment and encroach on the green belt, and would also serve as a precedent for altering the intended use of green belts. It was hoped that the school could consider other places, and suggested the school should check with the Lands Department about the feasibility of leasing vacant land in the Yuen Long Industrial Estate for

14 temporary use;

(10) It was hoped that the School could communicate with the Town Planning Board (TPB) as to whether it could continue its operation at the existing location. Other Members enquired about the reason why the government had approved the use of wetlands before but asked to recover them in recent years;

(11) An enquiry was raised about the operations of vehicles and the number of vehicles entering and leaving the school per hour and per day within the driving school, worrying that the busy operations would affect residents’ lives; and

(12) It was reported that the School once sent a letter to consult the Rural Committee, but had yet to receive a reply as to whether the communication would be furthered.

21． Mr Francis CHU made a consolidate response as follows:

(1) In term of consultation and communication, he understood that he had the responsibility to explain the reasons for relocation and the content of the plan to district organisations and people concerned. He had sent letters to the District Council, the T&TC and the Ping Shan Rural Committee on the same day to explain the reasons for relocation and the plan. He thought that he was invited to attend this meeting instead of visiting the Ping Shan Rural Committee because each council adjusted its procedure according to its own needs;

(2) He said that the School had also contacted the villagers and held a consultation exercise at the new site on 18 June. The communication with the villagers at the new site was to allow them to experience the environment of the new site on their own and to know about planning and future operations. Solutions were also provided to ease their concerns. For example, the extended road would not occupy the land of the villagers, affect or occupy sitting-out areas on the roadside. Other measures included the construction of two-way roads and bars to separate vehicles moving towards different directions according to the TD’s requirements and improvement of lighting facilities. On traffic safety issues, he said that trainees would be accompanied by experienced instructors while driving, and speeds would be slow, which was proven by the strong safety records of the school. The School was open to any other questions from the villagers and would further communicate with them;

(3) He answered the questions raised by Members, saying that the number of vehicles

15 for exercise entering or leaving the School per hour would be no more than 30 and driving exercises were only allowed within the School during peak hours in the morning and in the afternoon so as not to block the traffic and road users, particularly commuters;

(4) Regarding the question about the wetland restoration plan, he said the school was not informed of that at the beginning. The School had been operating in Nam Sang Wai since 1994 and did not receive the notice from the TPB until 2006 (12 years later) that the government had planned to change the land use for wetland restoration and included the School site into the plan. Since then, the School had been seeking a new suitable site for relocation and applied for operating at the original site to the TPB before moving to the new site. In the recent approval of renewal, the TPB requested the School to find a new site for relocation. For relevant information, Members might review the minutes of the TPB.

(5) He promised that if the relocation plan was approved, the School would bear the cost of upgrading the Wing Ning Tsuen Long Ping Road junction to a T-shaped junction with traffic light control; and

(6) He said that in the past 20 years of operation in Yuen Long, the School had been fully aware of the importance of maintaining positive cooperation with all sectors of the community and local residents, and would continue to communicate with the villagers in the hope that, through joint efforts, both sides could coordinate and cooperate well to ease the villagers’ worries and seek help from the government and the District Council when necessary.

22． Mr S L NG answered the question about the traffic project of the Wing Ning Tsuen Road junction, saying that he had never considered cancelling the existing pedestrian crossings from the plan and he already understood Members’ concerns. So he would coordinate traffic light arrangements and discuss with the TD at the detailed design stage.

23． The Chairman said in summary that most Members thought alike, agreeing on the School’s needs and site selection. But the School should coordinate efforts and cooperate according to the requirements of the local villagers, communicate more with them, and listen to the voices of those Members opposing the plan.

16 Item 5: Motions raised by Members: Motion on “Proposal for the Government to plan for the construction of Route 11 promptly to meet the future transport demand in Yuen Long” to be moved by Mr CHOW Wing-kan, Mr SHUM Ho-kit, Mr WONG Wai-shun, Mr LEUNG Fuk-yuen, Mr LEUNG Ming-kin, Mr CHAM Ka-hung Daniel, BBS, MH, JP and Mr WONG Wai-yin, Zachary and seconded by Mr TANG Hing-ip, BBS, Mr MAN Ping-nam, MH, Ms YUEN Man-yee, Mr MAK Ip-sing, Ms CHAN Mei-lin, Mr TO Ka-lun, Mr TANG Yung-yiu, Ronnie, Mr TANG Ka-leung, Mr WONG Cheuk-kin and Mr CHAN Sze-ching (T&TC Paper No. 65/2016) 24． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) It was indicated that the project of Route 10 had been suspended due to the construction of Route 3 many years ago. Yet, as the population grew and large-scale construction projects were completed, outbound traffic facilities were falling far behind the needs of residents who solely relied on the Yuen Long Highway, Tuen Mun Road and Route 3 to shuttle between their home and urban areas. The Government was therefore requested to kick off this project as soon as possible;

(2) An enquiry was raised as to whether the TD had an initial plan for Route 11 and would retain the plan to connect the Tsing Lung Bridge and the Lantau Highway proposed during the discussion about Route 10, and whether this project was undertaken by the TD or by consultancies;

(3) It was hoped that the TD should report updates and provide new information to the District Council regularly if any large-scale construction projects were discussed at the meetings so that Members could stay updated on the progress and make comments accordingly; and

(4) For any project requiring discussion with RCs, the departments concerned should consult the Shap Rural Committee, Ping Shan Rural Committee and Ha Tsuen Heung Rural Committee first.

25‧ Mr FUNG Ching-cheung, Samuel said that the department would pool resources to conduct a feasibility study on Route 11 linking Yuen Long and North Lantau, including road routing and traffic impact assessment because it considered the impact of the new planning of Northwest New Territories, especially Hung Shui Kiu, on the traffic, and also understood the concern of Members about external transport links of Tin Shui Wai and Yuen Long District. Yet, the detailed plan for road routing was not available at this stage.

17 26． Members voted by show of hands and by open ballot for or against the motion. The following Members favoured the motion: Mr MAK Ip-sing, Mr. CHAM Ka-hung, Daniel, BBS, MH, JP, Mr CHEUNG Muk-lam, Ms CHIU Sau-han, MH, Mr KWOK Keung, Mr KWONG Chun-yu, Mr LUI Kin, Mr LUK Chung-hung, Ms MA Shuk-yin, Mr MAN Kwong-ming, Mr TANG Ka-leung, Mr TANG Yung-yiu, Ronnie, Mr TO Ka-lun, Mr WONG Cheuk-kin, Ms YUEN Man-yee, Mr LEUNG Ming-kin, Mr YOUNG Ka-on, Mr WONG Wai-yin, Zachary, Mr CHAN Tin-yam, Mr CHEUNG Wai-sum, Mr CHUNG Chau-wah, Mr HONG Chin-wah, Mr NG Ka-leung and Mr TANG Kam-fai.

27． The Chairman summarised that 24 votes in favour, zero against and zero abstention, so the motion was passed by an absolute majority of votes.

28． The Chairman summarised that Route 11 was urgently needed for the overall transportation network of Yuen Long, as the road network was lagging behind the rapid development of Yuen Long District. The project was closely linked with supporting facilities in the future, so the Chairman hoped that the TD and the government departments concerned would study the feasibility of constructing Route 11 as early as possible.

Item 7: Questions Raised by Members: (5) Mr TANG Cheuk-him requested to provide red light cameras near the traffic lights at Tin Sau Road (T&TC Paper No. 70/2016) 29． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) Members pointed out that the intersection of Tin Sau Road and the light rail had seen a number of accidents, leaving drivers and passengers injured. So this location was believed to be a black spot in traffic and should be equipped with red-light cameras to deter drivers. Moreover, the police should toughen prosecution and law enforcement to reduce the accident rate;

(2) It was suggested that the TD should strengthen education so as to prevent drivers and pedestrians from jumping red lights;

(3) It was reported that different from common junctions, the aforesaid intersection was a special point where vehicles and light rails meet. Coupled with its narrow entrance and a large section of straight road there, drivers had difficulty detecting the traffic light. Therefore, installation of red-light cameras could deter drivers from jumping red lights;

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(4) It was indicated that this location once witnessed traffic accidents and caused severe damage to light rails and . Yet, the installed traffic lights had failed to lower the occurrence of accidents. The TD was therefore asked whether red-light cameras would be installed only after accidents of death occurred; and

(5) It was of the opinion that the DC Member of the respective district raised proposals according to the actual circumstances of their own districts but the government departments concerned ignored these proposals due to resource constraint and it was too late for the government departments to consider them after serious accidents of death occurred.

30． Mr. FUNG Ching-cheung, Samuel gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) He clarified that the department had given attention to the issue of jumping red lights, but not every junction was equipped with red-light cameras due to resource shortage. The department concerned made a decision according to relevant rules, including traffic accident records, the ratio of vehicles jumping red lights observed by the police, the degree of even distribution of junctions with red-light cameras and the suitability of the location for red-light cameras. Based on the assessment of these aspects, the department thought that there was no need to install red-light cameras at the moment;

(2) He said that he would work with the police to monitor the phenomenon of jumping red lights at this location, pay attention to road traffic, and consider possible further actions according to conditions; and

(3) He reminded the public to obey traffic light signals while crossing the junction.

31． Mr LUK Chung-hung proposed the following motion, seconded by Ms CHIU Sau-han, MH and Mr LUI Kin.

“Request to provide red light cameras near the traffic lights at Tin Sau Road to deter traffic violations”

32． Members voted by show of hands and by open ballot for or against the motion. The following Members favoured the aforesaid motion: Mr MAK Ip-sing, Mr CHEUNG Muk-lam,

19 Ms CHIU Sau-han, MH, Mr KWOK Hing-ping, Mr KWOK Keung, Mr LUI Kin, Mr LUK Chung-hung, Ms MA Shuk-yin, Mr MAN Kwong-ming, Mr SIU Long-ming, Mr TANG Cheuk-yin, Mr TANG Ka-leung, Mr TANG Yung-yiu, Ronnie, Mr TO Ka-lun, Mr WONG Cheuk-kin, Ms YUEN Man-yee, Mr LEUNG Ming-kin, Mr YOUNG Ka-on, Mr WONG Wai-yin, Zachary, Mr CHAN Tin-yam, Mr CHEUNG Wai-sum, Mr CHUNG Chau-wah, Mr NG Ka-leung and Mr TANG Kam-fai. Mr HONG Chin-wah abstained.

33． The Chairman summarised that 24 votes in favour, zero against and one abstention, so the motion was passed by an absolute majority of votes.

34． The Chairman summarised that the TD should intensively study Members’ proposals, and analyse the suitability of the road section for installation of red-light cameras because Members of the local district understood their own district better. In most cases, the TD judged based only on data and benefits, which had dissatisfied Members. Therefore, the TD representatives to the meeting were advised to report Members’ opinions to their senior management.

(4) Mr LEE Yuet-man, MH proposed to widen the crossing between MTR Light Rail Ginza Stop and Light Rail track as well as Tin Yan Road crossing (T&TC Paper No. 69/2016) 35． The Chairman welcomed the following person to the meeting:

MTR Corporation (MTR) Assistant Public Relations Manager - External Affairs Ms Annie LAM

36． Ms Annie LAM gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) She said that the design of pedestrian crossings between light rail platforms met the government departments’ statutory requirements and MTR’s safety standards. She added that the crossings at the Ginza stop also met related standards in terms of the width of pedestrian walkways, safety reminder measures and brightness. MTR already sent staff to the site, finding that the flow of pedestrians was smooth during peak hours and the crossing area had ample space for pedestrians waiting to cross roads;

(2) She said MTR had been working with the government departments concerned to check the use of crossings between light rail platforms and between roads and light rails, and would take measures to improve road safety according to actual

20 circumstances. The current design for the Ginza stop was to extend the stay of pedestrians on walkways, who were expected to examine road situations before crossing roads. This function would be weakened by widening pedestrian walkways; and

(3) She would closely track the use of the crossings and consult with the government departments concerned about measures to improve the safety of pedestrians crossing the road.

(1) Mr CHAM Ka-hung Daniel, BBS, MH, JP requested the Transport Department to provide double-deck bicycle parking racks at popular bicycle parking spaces (T&TC Paper No. 66/2016) 37． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) Members said that over the past years Yuen Long District had successfully regulated illegal bicycle parking but there were a lot of complaints from the district about insufficient spaces in bicycle parking hotspots. So it was suggested that the TD should study the feasibility of Yuen Long using a double-decker bicycle parking design like the Sheung Shui railway station to address the shortage of parking spaces. Yet, the written reply from the TD showed that this design would start from Tai Po District. The pilot project was therefore required to be launched in Yuen Long as soon as possible;

(2) Members suggested that the TD should refer to the successful case of Sheung Shui to press ahead with the pilot project in Yuen Long and Tai Po at the same time because illegal bicycle parking was more serious in Yuen Long which had a larger population than Sheung Shui; and

(3) Some Members reported that quite some bicycles parked illegally around walkways and railings near the Yuen Long West Rail station, causing troubles to local residents. The government should consider changing legal parking space into double-decker parking racks to solve the problem.

38． Mr FUNG Ching-cheung, Samuel said that the two double-decker bicycle parking systems near Fanling Station and Sheung Shui Station were experimental while the pilot project in the Tai Po District had been implemented earlier. In the case of Yuen Long, if Members thought the existing bicycle parking spaces were insufficient, they could contact the department after the meeting to study the possibility of adding parking spaces at individual locations and acknowledged that some

21 Members had already given comments on the pilot scheme. When available, extra spaces should be reported immediately.

39． The Chairman summarised that the District Management Committee had also mentioned the installation of double-decker parking racks and suggested the TD should communicate with Members and learn from the practices of other districts so as to carry out the plan in areas suitable for double-decker parking racks.

(2) Mr CHAM Ka-hung Daniel, BBS, MH, JP proposed to withdraw the priority for Light Rail trains to pass through the junction with a view to shortening the time for other vehicles and pedestrians to cross the road (T&TC Paper No. 67/2016) 40． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) It was pointed out that the waiting time for traffic lights was long at major junctions in Tin Shui Wai such as the crossroads near Tin Shui Wai Police Station and Tin Shui Estate/Chestwood Court. According to the TD, traffic lights would change due to its priority when an LRT train passed, which took effect since 1992 when housing estates in Tin Shui Wai were initially occupied. Yet, given an increase in traffic and pedestrian flow, the TD was asked to cancel the LRT priority;

(2) It was indicated that vehicles and pedestrians moved very smoothly on the Yuen Long main road without affecting the driving schedule of LRTs since the LRT priority to cross the junction was cancelled many years ago; and

(3) Some Members said that the adjustment of traffic light signals would not necessarily address the issue of a long waiting time for vehicles and pedestrians mainly as a result of the LRT priority, and the cancellation of this priority was not a new measure. It was suggested that the needs of pedestrians, vehicles and buses should be considered according to actual community situations.

41． Mr FUNG Ching-cheung, Samuel gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) He said that the department had inspected specific junctions. For the crossroad near Tin Shui Wai Police Station and Tin Yiu Stop, the department had already sent a Works Request Form (WRF) to the HyD, asking to widen the pedestrian refuge to provide more spaces for pedestrians waiting to cross the road. For the crossroad at

22 Tin Shui Road near Tin Shui Estate/Chestwood Court, the department would follow the situation closely and adjust the light signal timing when necessary; and

(2) In his view, as the main means of transportation in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai, LRT had been granted priority according to relevant policies, so currently the department did not have plans to change the LRT priority to junctions, but would consider re-timing signals.

42． The Chairman summarised that the LRT priority had come into effect for many years. But as things had changed, the TD should intensively consider cancelling it where appropriate.

(3) Mr TANG Yung-yiu, Ronnie requested to reduce the gradient of the slope at the entrance of Pat Heung Ha Che Tsuen and widen the bridge section (T&TC Paper No. 68/2016) 43． Members noted that they had communicated with quite a few government departments before submission, but no department took charge of this matter until the District Office responded. So they hoped to maintain proactive communication with the District Office and the TD to improve situations on the road section.

44． The Chairman urged the District Office to provide relevant support.

(6) Mr WONG Cheuk-kin, Mr WONG Wai-shun and Mr CHAN Sze-ching proposed to discuss the introduction of multi-seat private cars (T&TC Paper No. 71/2016) 45． Members noted that many foreign car manufacturers launched private cars with a carrying capacity of nine passengers or above, which could increase the capacity, reduce the number of cars on roads, improve air quality and environment, and ease road congestion. So they hoped that the TD would consider issuing licenses to private cars with nine seats or above.

46． Mr HO Ming-yin, Jim said, according to the existing legislation, a private car was only used to carry the driver and a maximum of seven passengers, so this proposal involved a revision to the legislation. He had enquired of the Policy Division of the department and found that no car carrying more than seven passengers had been registered as a private car and those cars with such needs should come under the minibus category. The department already understood Members’ proposal and encouraged the public to use public transport as an alternative.

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47． The Chairman summarised that as the item involved legislation, it should be reported by Legislative Council Members at Legislative meetings. Moreover, the proposal to introduce multi-seat private cars was acceptable as the reduction of vehicles on roads should be prioritised.

(7) Mr WONG Wai-shun, Mr WONG Cheuk-kin and Mr CHAN Sze-ching proposed to discuss the traffic problems caused by passenger pick-up/drop-off at YOHO Town bus stops opposite to Rural Committee (T&TC Paper No. 72/2016) 48． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) A Member favoured the removal of the bus stop because too many buses and minibuses picked up or dropped off passengers there, thus resulting in serious traffic congestion;

(2) A Member argued that it was not advisable to relocate or remove this bus stop as residents had already got familiar with the use of this stop. Problems arising from passenger pick-up and drop-off by minibuses and taxis had nothing to do with the bus stop and required stronger law enforcement by the police;

(3) Members enquired whether the bus stop was originally used as a temporary facility; and

(4) It was pointed out that vehicles following buses did not intend to park there, but had to queue after buses stopping there as these vehicles failed to surpass them, which explained the congestion at the place. It was hoped that the TD would study the road design to make traffic flow smoother.

49． Mr YEUNG Shiu-wing, Chris gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) He replied that the aforesaid bus stop towards the Yuen Long direction under the footbridge at the New Trend Plaza was permanent while the opposite one towards the other direction was temporary;

(2) The bus stop was set up for special purposes as it connected with Yuen Long Station through the footbridge, so the department did not consider cancelling this stop. However, the department once studied the possibility of relocating the bus stop, but

24 did not find a suitable site for relocation because of the height differences between pedestrian walkways and the areas close to Yoho Midtown behind the bus stop and towards the direction of Yau Tin Nullah in front of the bus stop;

(3) Considering traffic flows at this bus stop and at the vehicle entry of Yoho Midtown, the department would add “slow” road signs at right sites of the Road; and

(4) Regarding unauthorised parking at the bus stop, he said that the police would give a response.

50． Mr CHIU Chi-keung replied that the aforesaid bus stop was provided only for buses and authorised vehicles parking for passenger pick-up and drop-off, and the police would carry out harsh summons if it spotted any vehicle illegally parking at the bus stop during patrol.

51． The Chairman summarised that the TD should consider improving the design of this bus stop to alleviate Members’ concerns.

(8)Mr CHAM Ka-hung Daniel, BBS, MH, JP and Mr WONG Wai-shun proposed to enhance the safety and facilities of the pedestrian link connecting Pok Oi Hospital and Yuen Long West Rail Station (T&TC Paper No. 73/2016) 52． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) Members pointed out that no shelter was built over the pedestrian walkways between the Yuen Long West Rail Station or Light Rail Station and the Pok Oi Hospital, exposing visitors, patients and medical staff to the hospital to rain and sunshine. Moreover, the dim light and unclear signs caused inconvenience to pedestrians and threatened their safety, as evidenced by robberies once occurring at Pok Oi Roundabout. Since the hospital was essential to local communities, the departments concerned should consider improving the environment of pedestrian walkways, and it was advised to add shelters, street lights and signs, plant trees on both sides of pedestrian walkways, and the police was requested to strengthen law enforcement; and

(2) Members disagreed that the HyD considered whether to add street lights only based on normal brightness standards, but should tune the standards to the needs of

25 pedestrians who were mostly the elderly and the disabled.

53． Mr YEUNG Shiu-wing, Chris gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) After being informed about the lack of signs for pedestrians by Pok Oi Hospital earlier, the department already urged the developer concerned to follow up on this issue and include signs for pedestrians into related temporary projects and transportation measures;

(2) Regarding the construction of shelters over walkways, the road section leading to Pok Oi Hospital failed to conform to the rules of the department. However, Members may submit this proposal in the new “Provision of shelters at pedestrian links” Project; and

(3) The department would continue to follow up with the developers on the existing road signs, and to examine the possibility of increasing the number of permanent signs.

54． Mr CHIU Chi-yiu gave a consolidated reply as follows:

(1) In response to the project of Improvement to Pok Oi Interchange, the contractors of the department had installed more signs on the walkways near the coverage of the project to provide more convenience to pedestrians;

(2) The Lighting Division of the department had already measured the brightness of lights during nighttime. The latest survey results revealed that the brightness of lights on Siu Sheung Road and Long Wo Road was moderate and even higher than the standard required by the department. So the department did not plan to increase the brightness for this section for the moment; and

(3) The footpath between the pedestrian tunnel of Yuen Long Highway and Siu Sheung Road was within the rural coverage, so the application to install lights within rural areas should fall in the scope of coordination and consultation by the District Office. As a result, the department had referred Members’ proposal to the Yuen Long District Office for follow-up.

55． Mr CHIU Chi-keung responded to the concerns of Members about safety near Pok Oi Roundabout, saying that the police had already received Members’ report on dim lights on the road section and would step up patrols on this section to prevent criminal cases.

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56． The Chairman summarised that the HyD and the TD should work with other departments to explore measures to improve related facilities.

(9) Mr CHAM Ka-hung Daniel, BBS, MH, JP proposed to discuss the low frequency and speeding of GMB Route no. 77 (T&TC Paper No. 77/2016) 57． Members’ views on the agenda item were summarised as follows:

(1) Members had received many complaints from the public about the service of the aforesaid minibus route, including insufficient frequency, failure to follow the schedule and the route, and speeding. The complaints were also made to the TD, but to no avail. Members expected to enquire about the license renewal status and suggested implementing some policies to regulate minibuses, such as license suspension or point reduction. They requested the submission of this route to the T&TC for discussion before next license renewal;

(2) Members also received complaints that other related routes, 77 A and 77B, had similar problems in terms of frequency, which caused inconvenience to passengers who needed to interchange. Given the absence of the contractors at the meeting, Members hoped to send letters to investigate the case;

(3) Members said that many years ago the area committee had received a number of complaints about this minibus route, and also repeatedly invited the contractors to the meeting but failed. So Members wanted to know about the difficulty faced by the TD in handling such complaints, and called the police to strengthen law enforcement to achieve deterrent effect until the minibus route improved its services;

(4) Members hoped that the TD would investigate the driving situations along this route in Tin Shui Estate, especially during peak hours from 6:30 to 9:00 in the morning, by sending its staff there to observe minibuses failing to take the required routes;

(5) Members noted that recently the TD sent a letter to DC Members, suggesting reducing the frequency of Minibus No.77A to make it in line with the number of passengers and hoping that the TD would urge the operator to keep its service commitment and strictly implement route improvement measures proposed last year. Further reduction of the minibus frequency would stop the public from taking this route;

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(6) Members said that the Working Group on Mass Transit Services once invited the contractor to explain the issue at the meeting, but the contractor ignored Members’ comments, and complained about the old and broken buses, and drivers’ bad manners and failing to follow the required routes;

(7) Members were dissatisfied with the response of the TD, saying that they would conduct in-depth investigations, urging the TD to supervise the route service, and pointing out that the speed tester set by the TD on minibuses failed to display the actual driving speeds of minibuses; and

(8) The TD was asked to supervise improvements to the route service. Quite a few elected Members of District Councils had received complaints from the public about the route, indicating that the issue was not an isolated or individual case. It should be made clear that Members did not necessarily intend to submit the issue of license renewal for all minibuses in Yuen Long to the T&TC for discussion. It was suggested that the TD should respond to the complaints by conducting investigations and supervising the services of this route.

58． Mr HO Ming-yin, Jim gave a consolidated response as follows:

(1) He had reviewed the evaluation reports on this route, finding that the department did not receive any complaint about speeding on this route over the past six months. If there was such a complaint, the department would try to contact the person filing this complaint, record the registration mark and the driver’s information, and follow up on this case immediately;

(2) On license renewal, he said that there were 300 to 400 minibus routes across Hong Kong, with 26 routes both starting and ending in Yuen Long. Thus, if the issue of license renewal for each route was submitted to the T&TC for discussion, the job would be rather difficult. In contrast, in dealing with license renewal, the department would take into account a number of factors, including the number of complaints, the method of handling by the operator, and the status of the fleet, and then give scores accordingly. Members’ views would be referred to colleagues concerned for reference in assessment. Upon receiving such complaints, the department would conduct investigations and start to follow up once the complaints were established;

(3) Regarding the interchange for Route No.77, he would provide additional information

28 to Members after the meeting; and

(4) To respond to the problem of speed display, he said that the department would conduct surprise inspections on a regular basis. Vehicles in question would immediately be referred to the Vehicle Examination Division for inspection. Over the past year, no records showed such problems with minibuses operating on the route. However, records would be kept to ensure that the route would be supervised and the case of drivers’ failing to follow the route as required would also be investigated.

59． Mr CHIU Chi-keung replied that if the police detected speeding by any minibus, it would take appropriate enforcement actions and refer this case to the TD to notify minibus operators concerned to improve its service quality and to ensure road safety.

60． The Chairman summarised that complaints about the minibus route had been coming up all the time, so the TD should listen to the views of the District Council Members and replied to them after the meeting.

Item 8 Progress Report from the Transport Department (T&TC Paper No. 74/2016) 61． Members pointed out that the TD should report the latest progress of related projects rather than repeat previous arrangements in progress reports. It was hoped that the TD would make improvements in this regard and suggested the department should communicate with the respective DC Members in advance before any new bus routes go into service.

62． Mr HO Ming-yin, Jim said that the department would follow up accordingly.

Item 9 Progress Report from the Highways Department (T&TC Paper No. 75/2016) 63． Mr CHIU Chi-yiu added that regarding Item 2 in this paper, the Lands Department had approved the land plot and the department would kick off the project as soon as possible in accordance with established procedures.

29 Item 10: Statistics on Cycling Accidents and Related Enforcement Actions (T&TC Paper No. 76/2016) 64． Members noted the above paper.

Item 11: Any Other Business (1) Operations of the three working groups under the T&TC 65． The Chairman said that the three working groups under the T&TC operated quite smoothly during recent sessions, and extended thanks to Members for their support. All the operations of the working groups would be handed over to and dealt with by the convener of the groups. Members could communicate with the convener directly for any question. For any other questions about the decision-making process and agenda items, Members could seek help from the convener or contact the Chairman directly.

66． There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

Yuen Long District Council Secretariat August 2016

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