Minutes of the 6th Meeting in 2017 of the Traffic and Transport Committee of Tai Po District Council Date: 10 November 2017 (Friday) Time: 2:36 p.m. – 6:53 p.m. Venue: Conference Room, Tai Po District Council (“TPDC”) Present Time of Arrival Time of Withdrawal Chairman Dr. LAU Chee-sing Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Vice-chairman Mr. WOO Kin-man, Clement Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Members Mr. AU Chun-wah Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. CHAN Cho-leung, MH Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. CHAN Siu-kuen, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. CHOW Yuen-wai Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. KWAN Wing-yip Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LAU Yung-wai Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LI Kwok-ying, BBS, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LI Wah-kwong, Rex Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. LI Yiu-ban, BBS, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting 5:57 p.m. Mr. LO Hiu-fung Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. TAM Wing-fun, Eric, MH 2:47 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Ms. WONG Pik-kiu, BBS, MH, JP Beginning of the meeting 6:49 p.m. Mr. YAM Kai-bong, Francis Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. YAM Man-chuen 2:44 p.m. End of the meeting Mr. YU Chi-wing, Ken Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Co-opted Members Mr. AU Chun-ho Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. CHAN Hoi-wing 2:52 p.m. 6:04 p.m. Mr. CHEUNG Kwok-wah Beginning of the meeting 5:06 p.m. Mr. LAU Chung-hon Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting - 2 - Mr. TSANG Hon-man Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Mr. MUI Siu-fung Beginning of the meeting 6:03 p.m. Mr. WAN Hing-choy Beginning of the meeting 5:51 p.m. Secretary Mr. LEUNG Chung-wa, Alvin Beginning of the meeting End of the meeting Executive Officer (District Council) 1 / Tai Po District Office (“TPDO”) / Home Affairs Department (“HAD”) In Attendance Ms. LEE Kai-ying, Iris Assistant District Officer (Tai Po) / TPDO / HAD Ms. MAK Pui-yan Engineer / 47 (New Territories East) / Civil Engineering and Development Department (“CEDD”) Mr. CHAN Yau-yau, Leo Senior Transport Officer (Tai Po) / Transport Department (“TD”) Mr. WONG Kin-nam, Kenny Engineer / Tai Po 1 / TD Mr. WONG Chi-hin, Andrew Engineer / Tai Po 3 / TD Mr. HUI Ka-kit District Engineer / Tai Po / Highways Department (“HyD”) Mr. CHAN Wing-yiu, Ronald Administrative Assistant / Lands (Acting) / District Lands Office, Tai Po (“TPDLO”) / Lands Department (“Lands D”) Mr. YEUNG Chiu-tim, Louis Assistant Housing Manager / Tai Po District Tenancy Management Office / Housing Department Mr. TSUI Yik-fuk Head, Traffic Wing (Tai Po Police District) / Hong Kong Police Force (“HKPF”) Mr. LEUNG Man-tik Assistant Public Relations Manager (External Affairs) / MTR Corporation Limited (“MTR”) Mr. WONG Tsz-kin Assistant Manager (Operations), Shatin Depot / Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (“KMB”) Ms. LEUNG Ka-yan Assistant Manager / Communications and Public Affairs Department / KMB Mr. LEE Shut-hang, Imgmar Senior Officer (Planning and Development) / KMB Mr. POON Chun-kong Assistant Manager (Bus Operations) / Long Win Bus Company Limited (“Long Win”) Mr. LEE Yu-sau, Terence Senior Executive Officer (District Council) / TPDO / HAD Ms. WONG Yu-hang, Anita Senior Liaison Officer (2) / TPDO / HAD - 3 - Applicant for absence Mr. TANG Ming-tai, Patrick Absent Mr. MO Ka-hung Opening Remarks The Chairman welcomed Members and departmental representatives to the meeting of the Traffic and Transport Committee (“TTC”) and announced the following: (i) Mr. CHENG Wai had been absent from three consecutive meetings without the TTC’s consent. Pursuant to Order 34(5) of the TPDC Standing Orders (“Standing Orders”), he had lost his Co-opted Membership by default. (ii) Mr. TANG Ming-tai, Patrick was unable to attend the meeting due to other commitments. He had submitted his notice of absence to the Secretariat. Pursuant to Order 51(1) of the Standing Orders, the TTC would only give consent to a Member’s application for absence from meeting filed on grounds of sickness (including sickness due to pregnancy), jury service, attendance at another meeting / activity on behalf of the District Council (“DC”), attendance at a Legislative Council (“LegCo”) / Executive Council meeting, confinement or paternity leave. Pursuant to the above requirements, he application was not approved. I. Confirmation of the minutes of the 5th meeting of the TTC in 2017 on 15 September 2017 (TPDC Paper No. TT 60/2017) 2. The Chairman said that as the Secretariat did not receive any proposed amendments and there were no amendments submitted by Members at the meeting, the above minutes had been confirmed and no amendments were necessary. II. Demand to increase minibus-Mass Transit Railway (“MTR”) interchange discount in Tai Po (TPDC Paper No. TT 61/2017) 3. The Chairman said that the Secretariat earlier received four letters jointly signed by Mr. - 4 - CHEUNG Hok-ming, Ms. WONG Pik-kiu, Mr. LI Kwok-ying, Mr. CHENG Chun-ping, Mr. TAM Wing-fun, Eric, Mr. WOO Kin-man, Clement, Mr. MUI Siu-fung, Mr. CHUNG Man-fai, Mr. CHAN Wai-hung, Mr. WONG Kwok-wai and Mr. WU Cheuk-him, which had been set out in TPDC Papers No. TT 61/2017 to TT 64/2017. The TTC would deal with these four issues separately in four agenda items. 4. Mr. MUI Siu-fung introduced TPDC Paper No. TT 61/2017. 5. Mr. CHAN Yau-yau, Leo said that the Government and MTR Corporation Limited (“MTR”) announced the results of the review on the MTR’s Fare Adjustment Mechanism in March 2017. Among which, the MTR said that it would provide an interchange discount for all green minibuses routes (including green minibus routes in Tai Po District). Interchange between green minibus and the MTR in either way would be offered an interchange discount of $0.3 per trip. For the routes that were offering an interchange discount of more than $0.3 per trip, the arrangement would remain unchanged. 6. Mr. MUI Siu-fung said that the KMB and green minibus operators on Hong Kong Island had offered an interchange discount of $1. He hoped that the TD and the MTR would consider raising the MTR-minibus interchange discount from $0.3 to $1 per trip so as to alleviate the transportation cost burden of members of the public. 7. Mr. Leo CHAN noted the views of Members. He added that the MTR was currently discussing the details with various green minibus operators which would be announced later. It was expected that a new interchange discount would be launched in the second quarter of 2018. III. Concerns about the unduly long working hours of bus drivers (TPDC Paper No. TT 62/2017) 8. Mr. Clement WOO, the Vice-chairman, introduced the captioned paper. 9. Mr. Leo CHAN said that the current version of the Guidelines on Bus Captain Working Hours, Rest Times and Meal Breaks (“Guidelines”) was implemented following a review by the TD, franchised bus companies and trade unions for bus drivers (“trade unions”) and upon consultation with the LegCo’s Panel on Transport. He said that the Government was currently reviewing the content of the Guidelines and had had several meetings with representatives of the trade unions and franchised bus companies to listen to their views and concerns. During the meetings with the trade unions, the department listened to their recommendations on ways to improve the Guidelines and other matters. Later, during the meetings with the bus companies, the bus companies agreed that there was room for improvement regarding the requirements on bus drivers’ working hours set out in the current guidelines, and that they were willing to further - 5 - discuss on the issue. 10. Ms. LEUNG Ka-yan said that the KMB was highly concerned with the driving safety and drivers’ rest time and had always complied with the requirements of the Guidelines. While the TD was currently reviewing the Guidelines, the KMB was closely communicating with the department and stakeholders to proactively co-operate with the department in its review work. Moreover, the KMB would also continue to optimise the rest facilities for drivers to ensure that their occupational safety and health was safeguarded. IV. Demand to carry out studies on new trunk roads to relieve the burden of Tolo Highway (TPDC Paper No. TT 63/2017) 11. Mr. Clement WOO, the Vice-chairman, introduced the captioned paper. He said that Tolo Highway was the trunk road to and from Kowloon for residents of Tai Po District and North District. Whenever there was traffic accident during peak hours, Tolo Highway would become heavily congested. In addition, quite a few public and private development projects would be completed in Tai Po District. Coupled with the North East New Territories Development, the Liantang Boundary Control Point and other projects, the population and traffic flow would definitely increase. However, the Government had no plans to optimise the existing facilities of Tolo Highway. Even though the widening of Tai Po Road (Sha Tin Section) would commence soon, it could not resolve the traffic congestion as the number of vehicles kept increasing. Therefore, he hoped that the Government would proactively consider building a new trunk road connecting Tai Po and Kowloon to relieve the burden of Tolo Highway.