Replies to LegCo questions

LQ7: Measures to improve pedestrian facilities along Nathan Road

Following is a question by the Hon Miriam Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (February 8):

Question:

I have noticed that the pavements along certain sections of Nathan Road are often obstructed, resulting in pedestrians having to walk on the road and competing with vehicles for road space. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the respective numbers of verbal warnings given and prosecutions instituted in the past three years in respect of illegal hawking, on-street promotional stands, unauthorized expansion of business areas by shops and the occupation of areas larger than permitted by newspaper stands on the pavements along Nathan Road;

(b) whether it will step up the above prosecution actions to keep the pavements along Nathan Road unobstructed; and

(c) of the details of the measures to be implemented by the authorities to address the problem of competition between pedestrians and vehicles for road space along Nathan Road?

Reply:

Madam President,

Keeping the pavements unobstructed is a street management problem that involves a number of Government departments. Generally, enforcement departments will give verbal warnings to the offenders. If the situation remains, enforcement departments will take prosecutions against the offenders.

(a) In 2003 to 2005, in respect of illegal hawking, on-street promotional stands, unauthorized expansion of business areas by shops and occupation of areas larger than permitted by newspaper stands on the pavements along Nathan Road, the numbers of verbal warnings given and prosecutions taken by the Police and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) are as follows -

	Verbal warnings(*)	Prosecutions
Illegal hawking	363	304
On-street promotional stands	55	0
Unauthorized expansion of business areas by shops	47	40
Occupation of areas larger than permitted by newspaper stands	264	234

(b) Relevant enforcement departments will keep in view the situation and take enforcement action as appropriate. For example, the Police will take enforcement action where the obstruction arising from the activities causes either public order or public safety concerns. FEHD will take enforcement action to maintain environmental hygiene and combat illegal hawking. Where necessary, relevant departments will take joint operations to keep the pavements along Nathan Road unobstructed.

(c) The Transport Department (TD) has been working on measures to improve pedestrian facilities along Nathan Road to minimise vehicle-pedestrian conflict. Such measures include widening of pedestrian crossings at Argyle Street and Dundas Street, as well as commissioning of traffic signals and a pedestrian crossing at Hamilton Street.

Apart from the measures at grade, there are also six pedestrian subways across Nathan Road at Fife Street, Argyle Street, Nelson Street, Soy Street, Pitt Street and Waterloo Road to separate pedestrians from vehicles between Mong Kok Road and Waterloo Road.

In addition, TD is also planning to improve the pedestrian footbridge system at Mong Kok Road. It is expected that works to extend the footbridge across Nathan Road will commence by the end of this year.

Separately, the Planning Department will commission a consultancy study entitled "Area Improvement Plan for the Shopping Areas of Mong Kok" in February 2006. The Study aims to formulate a comprehensive plan to improve the environment of the shopping areas of Mong Kok in terms of better land use, enhanced pedestrian circulation, better traffic management, a more comfortable pedestrian environment and enhanced streetscape. Reduction of vehicle-pedestrian conflict in Mong Kok is an issue that would be examined. The Study is expected to complete in two years.

Note (*) The statistics on verbal warnings are from FEHD only. The Police does not have statistics on verbal warnings given.