THE Government's plans to 'tackle' traffic congestion show a lack of understanding of the needs of many of her citizens.
Mr Haider Barma, the Secretary for Transport, seems to think that private cars are luxury goods, rather than an item of daily necessity. He is very much mistaken. Let me demonstrate with the stories of three friends.
Mrs A is a senior teacher in a secondary school. She worked on the Hong Kong Island until last year, when her school was 'relocated' to Ma On Shan.Does that mean that she can move to live in Ma On Shan? Not at all. She has a family to think about - her husband works on Hong Kong and her children are happy in their school. Changing her job is also out of the question as that would mean losing her senior position. The only alternative is to drive to work, as she has to be there at 7.40 am and travelling on public transport takes almost two hours. Mrs A's is not an isolated case either - many schools and even some tertiary institutions are being moved to the New Territories.
Mr B is a middle-rank civil servant who lives in Kowloon. He worked in the area until recently, when he was transferred to an office in the New Territories, difficult to reach by public transport. Like Mrs A, he does not want to uproot his family. Again, this is not an isolated case - many Government departments do not consider travelling when they deploy or transfer their staff - and in forcing their staff to travel long distance actually create traffic congestion.
Mr and Mrs C work in Causeway Bay but live in a Home Purchase Scheme flat in Tuen Mun because they could not afford to buy anywhere else. Every morning they drive to work, dropping their baby daughter at a caretaker's place along the way.
I think I have clearly demonstrated that using a private car is essential to many people. Imposing punitive measures is both unfair and negative. The Government should think positively, for example, by encouraging all public institutions, including hospitals and educational establishments, to deploy staff to work in branches near their homes.