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LettersWhy Hong Kong should take the Singapore route to tackling the rising number of private cars
- More private cars means more congestion and longer journey times, which might prompt public bus operators to allocate more vehicles to the same route
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I am writing in response to the article “Hong Kong urged to control rising car numbers and traffic congestion with cohesive transport policies” (November 17).
The number of private cars in Hong Kong has been increasing rapidly – between 2008 and 2017, it went up by 48 per cent, taking traffic congestion to unprecedented levels. The government should take action before the situation spirals out of control.
The car growth rate is unsustainable, as Hong Kong is a tiny place with a large population. We are short of land, with the growing number of private cars putting our roads under great pressure. This will affect public transport in the long term.
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Although Hong Kong regularly takes first place in global rankings of public transport services, it will be difficult to maintain that lead. The large number of private cars creates a vicious circle. More cars on the road means more congestion and therefore longer journey times. In turn, bus and minibus operators may have to devote more vehicles and drivers to the same route. Thus, the number of private cars on the roads affects other aspects of the transport system.
Time to hit the brakes on Hong Kong’s runaway car numbers
The government should provide more incentives to encourage people to use public transport. Besides adjusting the tunnel tolls, it should implement restrictions on car licences, and a road-pricing scheme.
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