Make Hong Kong’s traffic problems go away: ban the abusers

Mike Rowse believes, because the number of private cars on our roads exceeds 600,000, the government must now restrict their number, like Singapore (“Hong Kong can’t bypass its biggest traffic problem: too many cars”, January 28). However, Singapore already has more than 600,000 private cars, or 615,452 to be exact, according to Ng Kang-chung (“Where are we heading with electric cars in the city?”, January 31).

As regular drivers and the government know, abuse is a major cause of our congestion. The Traffic Advisory Council’s 2014 Report on Study of Road Traffic Congestion in Hong Kong noted that “some motorists opt for personal convenience and blatantly park illegally on busy roads, turning a blind eye to traffic obstruction caused”. I would prefer that those who blatantly ignore the rules of the road, especially illegal parking that blocks buses, to be banned from owning a car. The ban should cover both the driver and, importantly, the owner.

Taxi drivers, delivery vehicle drivers and chauffeurs are some of the very best examples of poor driving and illegal parking. We should try and reduce the number of these inconsiderate drivers who, through sheer selfishness, wilfully break the laws of the road. I call it the “abuser pays” principle.

The 2030 Plus Transport Infrastructure and Traffic Review reinforces the Travel Advisory Council’s 2014 report, also recommending that the authorities “adopt a stricter approach or impose heavier penalties to enforce congestion-related offences” — in other words, the “abuser pays” principle.