Pedestrian safety requires a step change in government

Pedestrians are being put at risk by a lack of safe or convenient footpaths on Hong Kong's roads, a planning advocacy group says.

Some roads in hilly areas lack footpaths altogether, forcing walkers to compete with cars on winding, narrow thoroughfares, Designing Hong Kong says.

Group founder Paul Zimmerman said the problem stemmed from the government giving vehicles priority over pedestrians and regarding those on foot as an obstruction to traffic.

"All these situations in Hong Kong are because the number one is the car, not pedestrians," he said.

"But actually 80 per cent of people walk every day."

He cited the chronically congested area outside the Sogo department store in Causeway Bay, where thousands of pedestrians jammed the only crossing.