‘The government is putting our lives at risk’: Lantau residents' concerns over tourism road scheme
Government plans to let more cars to use island’s roads, alarming locals
Lantau residents are worried about their safety as a government scheme that has relaxed restrictions to outside vehicles is receiving an overwhelming response.
The Driving on Lantau Island Scheme, which launched in February this year in a bid to attract more visitors, has seen hundreds of extra visitors driving on the island’s formerly closed roads each month.
Up to 25 cars can now travel on designated roads every weekday between 8am and 7pm, if drivers apply for a HK$75 permit.
New government figures show that on average, drivers have used almost the maximum number of permits for each weekday since the scheme was introduced.
Authorities issued 528 permits in March; 489 in April ; 471 in May and 467 in June, which means that on average, between 21 and 23 permits were issued each weekday in those months.
But as the scheme enters its sixth month, road safety campaigners have raised concerns it is creating a dangerous level of traffic on the island.
They also feared congestion levels could spiral out of control when the number of cars allowed is eventually doubled to 50 in the scheme’s second phase.
Ho Loy, chair of the Lantau Bovine Association, which campaigns for the island’s cows’ protection, said she remained unconvinced by the scheme’s safety.
“The [scheme] brings in drivers who are not familiar with the road conditions, which could put lives at risk – not only animals, but humans too,” she said. “As long as drivers can respect the cows’ existence, which most Lantau South drivers do, the road safety is fine. It is the foreign and illegal drivers who threaten the animals’ lives.”
In May, residents brought traffic to a halt on Keung Shan Road as they protested against the new permits, which they claimed were introduced without proper public consultation.
Under another scheme for coaches, the number of private coaches allowed on the island’s roads each day also rose from 30 to 40 since December.
Government figures show an average of 296 permits have been issued to tourist coaches each month since January.That quota will eventually increase to 50.
The government hoped it will attract local tourists to areas such as Ngong Ping, Tai O, Cheung Sha and Mui Wo.
Mark Scholz, a South Lantau resident, said he was particularly concerned by the increase in buses on the island’s roads.
He said police were not patrolling the area frequently enough and rarely fined drivers travelling without permits.
“It is definitely getting more dangerous,” he said.
“The routes are too new and everyone drives too fast. And there is no parking.”
He urged the government to stop issuing permits.
Eddie Tse Sai-kit, from the Save Lantau Alliance, which campaigns on development in the area, said he was concerned the scheme would turn out to be just a “first step” in the commercialisation of the island and a threat to ecology.
“Our real concern is that this is a sign that the government will put up the number of cars allowed on the roads and they will develop more infrastructure.”
A government spokeswoman said it had recorded no traffic accidents involving vehicles using the scheme since its introduction.
Participating drivers have been offered road safety tips, she added, saying police have been cracking down on any illegal drivers.
From late February to April this year, police prosecuted 100 drivers who drove on the closed roads on Lantau without the Lantau Closed Road Permit (LCRP), according to the latest figures from police.
