Opinion | Lack of political will holding back push for green transport
- If the Hong Kong government genuinely cares about public health, the health and environment ministers should submit a joint proposal to turn the public bus network electric
The minibus is a common form of public transport in Hong Kong. As of the end of February, there were over 4,300 minibuses on our roads with more than 3,400 of them powered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The government launched the LPG minibus scheme in 2002, offering HK$60,000 if operators replaced diesel-powered vehicles with LPG ones as part of measures to improve roadside air quality. However the sole distributor of LPG minibuses in Hong Kong, Crown Motor, has told the government it will stop importing them by 2021. This makes it essential that the government swiftly propose a practical and environmentally friendly solution to the minibus industry to prevent it from switching back to diesel vehicles.
But our government seems unconcerned about the likely increase of roadside air pollutants if diesel minibuses return.
It is well aware that the annual concentrations of harmful PM10 and PM2.5 particulates at Hong Kong’s roadsides last year were 38.7 micrograms per cubic metre and 25 micrograms per cubic metre respectively, well above the 2005 World Health Organisation air quality guidelines of 20 and 10 micrograms per cubic metre.
The government set up the Pilot Green Transport Fund in early 2011 with HK$300 million to subsidise trials of green transport technologies. But as of this March, only three electric light buses, 11 hybrid light buses, 21 single-deck electric buses and two single-deck hybrid buses were undergoing trials, out of a total of 149 vehicle trials.
It seems that the fund has not succeeded in persuading the public bus sector to choose electric or hybrid models for daily operations.
To reduce the main vehicular emissions including nitrogen dioxide and particulates, experts recommend turning public and private vehicles electric.