Transport Department Replies to initial written questions raised by Finance Committee Members in examining the Estimates of Expenditure 2012-13 Reply Serial No. Question Name of Member Head Programme Serial No. THB(T)113 2437 CHAN Mo-po, Paul 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)114 3314 CHAN Tanya 186 Planning and Development THB(T)115 3315 CHAN Tanya 186 Planning and Development THB(T)116 3316 CHAN Tanya 186 Planning and Development THB(T)117 3317 CHAN Tanya 186 Planning and Development THB(T)118 3503 CHAN Tanya 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)119 2015 CHENG Kar-foo, Andrew 186 Planning and Development THB(T)120 2017 CHENG Kar-foo, Andrew 186 Planning and Development THB(T)121 2018 CHENG Kar-foo, Andrew 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)122 2019 CHENG Kar-foo, Andrew 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)123 0408 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 Planning and Development THB(T)124 0409 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 Planning and Development THB(T)125 0410 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 Planning and Development THB(T)126 0411 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 Planning and Development THB(T)127 0412 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)128 0418 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)129 0419 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)130 0420 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 Management of Transport Services Reply Serial No. Question Name of Member Head Programme Serial No. THB(T)131 0541 CHEUNG Yu-yan, Tommy 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)132 0542 CHEUNG Yu-yan, Tommy 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)133 1894 KAM Nai-wai 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)134 1895 KAM Nai-wai 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)135 1896 KAM Nai-wai 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)136 1897 KAM Nai-wai 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)137 1898 KAM Nai-wai 186 Planning and Development THB(T)138 2056 KAM Nai-wai 186 Planning and Development THB(T)139 2057 KAM Nai-wai 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)140 2235 KAM Nai-wai 186 Planning and Development THB(T)141 2236 KAM Nai-wai 186 Planning and Development THB(T)142 2237 KAM Nai-wai 186 Planning and Development THB(T)143 2241 KAM Nai-wai 186 Planning and Development THB(T)144 1146 LAU Kin-yee, Miriam 186 Planning and Development THB(T)145 1147 LAU Kin-yee, Miriam 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)146 1148 LAU Kin-yee, Miriam 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)147 1149 LAU Kin-yee, Miriam 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)148 2283 LAU Kong-wah 186 Planning and Development District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)149 1011 LEUNG Kwok-hung 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)150 2072 LI Fung-ying 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)151 0394 SHEK Lai-him, Abraham 186 - Reply Serial No. Question Name of Member Head Programme Serial No. THB(T)152 2724 SHEK Lai-him, Abraham 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)153 1512 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 Planning and Development THB(T)154 1513 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 Planning and Development THB(T)155 1514 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)156 1515 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)157 1516 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)158 1517 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 District Traffic and Transport Services THB(T)159 1518 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 Management of Transport Services THB(T)160 1519 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 Management of Transport Services THB(T)161 0481 WONG Kwok-hing 186 - THB(T)162 0506 WONG Kwok-hing 186 - THB(T)163 2952 WONG Kwok-hing 186 - THB(T)164 1218 WONG Sing-chi 186 Planning and Development THB(T)165 1477 WONG Sing-chi 186 Planning and Development THB(T)166 1478 WONG Sing-chi 186 Planning and Development THB(T)167 1479 WONG Sing-chi 186 Planning and Development THB(T)168 1480 WONG Sing-chi 186 Planning and Development THB(T)169 1481 WONG Sing-chi 186 Planning and Development THB(T)170 2376 WONG Sing-chi 186 Planning and Development THB(T)171 2507 WONG Ting-kwong 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers THB(T)172 2508 WONG Ting-kwong 186 Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers Reply Serial No. Question Name of Member Head Programme Serial No. LWB(WW)566 0423 CHEUNG Hok-ming 186 Transport Services for Persons with Disabilities LWB(WW)567 3305 CHEUNG Kwok-che 186 Transport Services for Persons with Disabilities LWB(WW)568 3336 CHEUNG Kwok-che 186 Transport Services for Per sons with Disabilities LWB(WW)569 2234 KAM Nai-wai 186 Transport Services for Persons with Disabilities LWB(WW)570 1342 LEUNG Kwok-hung 186 Transport Services for Persons with Disabilities LWB(WW)571 3475 LEUNG Kwok-hung 186 Transport Services for Perso ns with Disabilities LWB(WW)572 0598 LEUNG Yiu-chung 186 Transport Services for Persons with Disabilities LWB(WW)573 1520 TONG Ka-wah, Ronny 186 Transport Services for Persons with Disabilities S-THB(T)05 S022 WONG Kwok-hing 186 Planning and Development The questions and replies are attached following the index page. Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2012-13 Reply Serial No. CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO THB(T)113 INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION Question Serial No. 2437 Head : 186 – Transport Department Subhead (No. & title) : Programme : (2) Licensing of Vehicles and Drivers Controlling Officer : Commissioner for Transport Director of Bureau : Secretary for Transport and Housing Question : Under Matters Requiring Special Attention in 2012-13 of Programme (2), the Transport Department will continue to support the implementation of Phase I of the ad hoc quota trial scheme for cross-boundary private cars at Shenzhen Bay Port and to make preparations for Guangdong vehicles to enter Hong Kong under Phase II of the scheme. Since Mainland drivers may not be familiar with the traffic regulations of Hong Kong, are there any measures to tackle that? If yes, what are the details of provision of funding, manpower establishment and expected performance target? Asked by : Hon. CHAN Mo-po, Paul Reply : The first phase of the ad hoc quota trial scheme for cross-boundary private cars (the Scheme) to be implemented at the Shenzhen Bay Port will be launched on 30 March 2012. Arrangements for Guangdong private cars to enter Hong Kong fall under the second phase of the Scheme, of which there is no concrete timetable. Experts of the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong will further study and discuss cautiously the specific arrangements for the second phase of the Scheme when there is experience in smooth operation after implementing the first phase for a period of time. In formulating the relevant arrangements, the Administration will take into consideration factors such as road safety, capacity of road networks, as well as environmental protection. Signature Name in block letters JOSEPH Y T LAI Post Title Commissioner for Transport Date 2 March 2012 Session 7 + THB(T) – page no. Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2012-13 Reply Serial No. CONTROLLING OFFICER'S REPLY TO THB(T)114 INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION Question Serial No. 3314 Head : 186 – Transport Department Subhead (No. & title) : 000 Operational Expenses Programme : (1) Planning and Development Controlling Officer : Commissioner for Transport Director of Bureau : Secretary for Transport and Housing Question : Does the Government have a plan to review the effectiveness in controlling the growth of the private car fleet by increasing First Registration Tax? If so, what is the plan and its estimated cost? Asked by : Hon. CHAN Tanya Reply : Since the increase in First Registration Tax (FRT) for private cars in February 2011, the number of newly registered private cars (deducting those de-registered newly registered private cars) from March to December 2011 has increased by 4.2% when compared with that during the same period in 2010. The rate of growth has significantly reduced, as compared with the average rate of growth during the same period over the past five years which was about 10%. The year-on-year growth rate of the number of licensed private cars has also reduced since the increase in FRT, from 5.8% in January 2011 to 4.3% in January 2012. Furthermore, as a result of the additional concession in FRT for newly registered environment-friendly petrol private cars, more car buyers have opted to buy these cars. The number of environment-friendly petrol private cars, as a proportion of the newly registered private cars, has increased from 17% during the period from March to December 2010 to about 30% during the same period in 2011. The monitoring of the growth of the car fleet is undertaken by the Transport Department’s existing resources. Signature Name in block letters JOSEPH Y T LAI Post Title Commissioner for Transport Date 29 February 2012 Session 7 + THB(T) – page no. Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2012-13 Reply Serial No. CONTROLLING OFFICER'S REPLY TO THB(T)115 INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION Question Serial No. 3315 Head : 186 – Transport Department Subhead (No. & title) : 000 - Operational Expenses Programme : (1) Planning and Development Controlling Officer : Commissioner for Transport Director of Bureau : Secretary for Transport and Housing Question : What is the Administration’s work plan in respect of the mid-term review of the six major outlying island ferry trunk routes? What is the estimated expenditure involved? Asked by : Hon.