(Translation) Minutes of the 3rd Meeting of Traffic and Transport Committee the 6th Term Kwun Tong District Council Date: 28 May 2020 (Thursday) Time: 9:40 a.m. - 12:48 p.m. Venue: Conference Room, Kwun Tong District Office, Unit 05-07, 20/F Millennium City 6, 392 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon Present Arrival Time Leaving Time Mr BUX Sheik Anthony (Chairman) 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr WANG Wai-lun (Vice-chairman) 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr CHAN Chris Ka-yin 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr CHAN Man-kin 9:50 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr CHAN Yiu-hung, Jimmy 10:11 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr CHENG Keng-ieong 10:04 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr CHEUNG Man-fung 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr CHEUNG Pui-kong 10:10 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Ms FU Pik-chun 9:40 a.m. 12:35 p.m. Mr FUNG Ka-lung 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr HSU Yau-wai 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr HUNG Chun-hin 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr IP Tsz-kit 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr KAN Ming-tung, MH 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr KUNG Chun-ki 10:21 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Ms LAI Po-kwai 10:41 a.m. 12:19 p.m. Mr LAM Wai 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr LEE Kwan-chak 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Ms LEUNG Jannelle Rosalynne 9:46 a.m. 12:46 p.m. Mr LEUNG Tang-fung 9:40 a.m. 12:31 p.m. Ms LEUNG Yik-ting Edith 9:49 a.m. 12:19 p.m. Mr LI Wai-lam William 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Ms LI Wing-shan 9:56 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr LUI Tung-hai, MH 9:44 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr MOK Kin-shing 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr NGAN Man-yu 11:31 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr PANG Chi-sang 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr SO Koon-chung Kevin 9:40 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Mr TAM Siu-cheuk 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr TANG Wai-man Raymond 9:45 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Ms TSE Suk-chun 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr WAN Ka-him 9:50 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr WONG Chi-ken 9:49 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Ms WONG Ka-ying 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Mr WONG Kai-ming 9:40 a.m. 12:48 p.m. Representatives of Government Departments Mr TSE Ling-chun, Steve, JP District Officer (Kwun Tong) Miss CHOI Gi-lam, Britney Assistant District Officer (Kwun Tong)1 Ms CHEUNG Suk-ling, Cindy Senior Transport Officer/Kwun Tong 1, Transport Department Miss SZE Suk-wai, Muriel Senior Transport Officer/Kai Tak and Projects, Transport Department Mr HO Ming-him, Donald Engineer/Kwun Tong 1, Transport Department Ms CHAN Ka-yan Engineer/Kwun Tong 3 Transport Department Mr LEONG Man-hin, Jason District Engineer/Kwun Tong, Highways Department Mr TAM Yu-hei District Operations Officer (Kwun Tong), Hong Kong Police Force Mr CHU Chi-wai, Boris Officer-in-charge, District Traffic Team (Kwun Tong), Hong Kong Police Force Ms Lilian PATKIN District Operations Officer (Sau Mau Ping), Hong Kong Police Force Mr HO Chi-kin Officer-in-charge, District Traffic Team (Sau Mau Ping), Hong Kong Police Force Mr KO Choar-que, Keith Acting Senior Executive Officer (District Council), Kwun Tong District Office 2 Miss FOK Woon-on, Winnie (Secretary) Executive Officer (District Council)(4), Kwun Tong District Office Absent Mr CHAN Yik-shun Eason Mr LI Ka-tat Mr CHOY Chak-hung Mr OR Chong-shing Wilson, MH Representatives Present to Assist Discussion of Agenda Items Agenda Item I Matters Arising: Pedestrian Environment Improvement Works in Kwun Tong Business Area - Ngau Tau Kok Portion (Greening Works) Mr WONG Joseph Senior Project Coordinator/Kowloon 4 Works Division, Highways Department Ms LEUNG Yuen-han Engineer/Kowloon4-1, Works Division, Highways Department Mr LI Kwok-hung Contract Senior Project Development Manager, Energizing Kowloon East Office, Development Bureau Mr CHAN Kam-chung Senior Engineer, Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited Agenda Item V Any Other Business Mr Terry LO Manager, Operations, Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited Mr Jeff TAM Manager, Public Affairs, Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited Opening Remarks The Chairman welcomed all the attendees to the meeting. 3 I. Matters Arising: Pedestrian Environment Improvement Works in Kwun Tong Business Area - Ngau Tau Kok Portion (Greening Works) 2. The Chairman welcomed representatives from the Highways Department (“HyD”), Energizing Kowloon East Office (“EKEO”) and Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd (“Consultancy”) to the meeting again for explaining the latest greening works under the pedestrian environment improvement works in Kwun Tong Business Area – Ngau Tau Kok portion (“Project”) after collecting Members’ views at the last meeting. 3. The representatives of HyD remarked that it had come up with the following suggestions after reviewing Members’ views on the greening works in detail: 3.1. Besides the greening works at Tai Yip Street, other roadside greening works proposed under the Project would be cancelled; 3.2. HyD would extend a road section outside Vocational Training Council Kowloon Bay Complex at Tai Yip Street from 3 metres to 4.5 metres through minor works. HyD suggested providing flower beds at that road section for planting shrubs, which would have a similar effect with the flower beds in Kai Tak Development area. The Consultancy had also further explored the feasibility of planting trees at roadsides. However, the Consultancy had failed to identify suitable locations; and 3.3. In response to Members’ views, greening works for the slopes at the junction of Kwun Tong Road and the public transport interchange at Ngau Tau Kok were cancelled. HyD suggested reserving the existing staircases in the western part of that location and providing two additional staircases in the eastern part so that pedestrians could commute to and from Kwun Tong Road and the public transport interchange easily. In regard to the works related to the beautification of slopes, HyD had to have further discussions with its maintenance section. 4. In regard to the greening works, EKEO supplemented as follows: 4.1. Upon the expansion of the footpath at Tai Yip Street, there would be a space of around 1 metre wide for the provision of flower beds. EKEO suggested planting different plants species alternatively so as to show rich colours and gradations. The major species was Golden Leaves and the species for 4 alternative planting included Dwarf Umbrella Trees and Garden Crotons. Those three types of shrubs were drought tolerant and had lower irrigation demand; and 4.2. The entire road section had abundant sunlight. Although part of the 17-metre-long flower bed near Tai Yip Lane was under a footbridge, the ceiling of that footbridge was high enough. The flower bed was affected by sunlight mainly during the afternoon. As Golden Leaves and Dwarf Umbrella Trees were shade tolerant species, their growth would not be affected. 5. In regard to this agenda item, Members and the Chairman raised views and enquiries as follows: 5.1. Mr Chris CHAN suggested planting species with relatively low growth rates so as to lower pruning frequency. Also, he enquired whether carrying out the widening of the footpath at the public transport interchange at Ngau Tau Kok near Ngau Tau Kok MTR Station in the form of minor works were feasible. He also enquired about the estimated construction timetable; 5.2. Mr WONG Kai-ming supported providing two additional staircases at Kwun Tong Road and the public transport interchange at Ngau Tau Kok. He hoped that it could be implemented as soon as possible; 5.3. Mr MOK Kin-shing thanked the departments for accepting Members’ views. In regard to the Project, He enquired: i) about the reason for reserving the greening works at Tai Yip Street; ii) about the purpose of widening the footpath at Tai Yip Street and reserving a space of 1 metre wide for the provision of flower beds at the same time; and iii) how the departments could ensure with executive departments that the greening works would not give rise to hygiene problems; 5.4. Mr CHEUNG Man-fung thanked the departments for accepting Members’ views. He enquired: i) about the reason for reserving the greening works at Tai Yip Street; and ii) whether abandoning the greening works was feasible. He suggested avoiding planting flowers so as to prevent hygiene problems brought by withered flowers. In addition, he hoped that the provision of two staircases at the public transport interchange at Ngau Tau Kok could be 5 implemented as soon as possible; and 5.5. Mr WONG Chi-ken pointed out that based on past experience of Kwun Tong District, upon the construction of flower beds, no department would be held responsible for handling and follow-up actions even if there were requests for restoration of the sites. He enquired: i) which department would be held responsible for future maintenance and management problems if the proposed greening works were to be implemented; and ii) whether the departments had the power to restore the sites in the future.