New traffic measures in Tsim Sha Tsui have not led to gridlock

I refer to the letter from the manager of the Hyatt Regency Hotel Jurgen Wolter (South China Morning Post, December 12), complaining about traffic jams in the Tsim Sha Tsui area.

In order to improve the pedestrian environment in the area some traffic-calming measures were proposed. In the middle of last year, we carried out extensive public consultation with, among others, the Yau Tsim Mong Traffic and Transport Committee, affected shopkeepers and the Hong Kong Hotels Association. The footpaths at Haiphong, Hankow and Lock roads have been widened and upgraded with paving blocks and trees. Lock and Hankow roads have been reduced to one traffic lane. However, the sections of Haiphong Road between Hankow and Nathan roads are not affected.

The purpose of traffic calming is to slow down traffic so that pedestrians can enjoy a more leisurely walk. Effective traffic management measures such as provision of yellow-hatched markings at loading bays and adjustment of traffic-light signals at the Nathan and Peking road and Haiphong and Hankow road junctions are in place to ensure smooth vehicular access to the areas concerned. These schemes have been well received by the public.

In the past 12 months, we only received a few complaints about traffic problems in the area. They were mainly related to isolated cases such as traffic congestion caused by a breakdown of traffic lights. According to our surveys, the normal journey time from the Western Harbour Crossing to Salisbury Road via Canton Road is about 10 to 12 minutes. At evening peak hours on weekdays other than Fridays, the journey time is 16 minutes.

At the peak hours on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons, when the Tsim Sha Tsui area is particularly crowded, the time increases to 25 to 35 minutes. Even then, our surveys show no solid traffic queues between road junctions but simply a very heavy traffic volume from a number of directions. We have not found a deterioration in the traffic situation following implementation of the pedestrian scheme.

After reading Mr Wolter's complaints, we conducted a survey along Canton, Haiphong, Peking, Hankow and Lock roads during the midday and evening peak hours on weekdays and Saturdays. We found that on normal weekdays access to the Hyatt Hotel via Lock Road was clear for most of the day. However, on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons the traffic would be slower for the reasons already explained. However, there was no gridlock.