Cyclists see open roads up ahead
Talks under way on allowing access to more streets, as bicycle group criticises Transport Department for lack of planning on the issue
Cyclists might be able to ride on more Hong Kong roads if discussions between the government and a bicycle group bear fruit.
The Hong Kong Cycling Alliance is talking to transport officials about removing bans at some locations including bridges, underpasses and flyovers. There are no specific laws banning bicycles from these places apart from signs erected by the Transport Department. But laws do prohibit bicycles using tunnels and highways.
Alliance chairman Martin Turner said representatives of his group met officials in January and were told to provide locations for discussion.
It sent the first batch of 20 in March and expects more suggestions to come from its members.
Places suggested include an underpass at Tamar near the Legislative Council, bridges on Marsh Road and Fleming Road in Wan Chai, and Salisbury Road and Canton Road in Kowloon.
Turner said he hoped the policy governing which roads were off limits to cyclists would be thoroughly reviewed. He described the bans as "bureaucratic inertia", under which officials just did what their predecessors did to avoid trouble.
"Their logic doesn't go very far," he said. "They think cycling is only for leisure, not transportation. That's utterly not true."
