Narrow paths, illegal bicycle parking among factors affecting pavement access in some Hong Kong districts
A survey by the Post found areas like Yuen Long, Sheung Shui and Repulse Bay have flawed or outdated pedestrian designs
During his waits for the light rail, Yuen Long resident Richard Wood runs the risk of getting knocked off the platform and onto the tracks on Tai Tong Road, one of the busiest roads in the border district.
The train stop, which sits in the middle of a pedestrian crossing, is also sandwiched between two intersecting roads and a rail track.
With train passengers and pedestrians fighting for space, Wood had a valid reason to fear for his life. “People are just brushing past and banging you out of their way,” the 33-year-old English teacher said.
A Post survey found that Yuen Long is one of several districts, which include Sheung Shui and Repulse Bay, with flawed or outdated pedestrian designs.
In Yuen Long, roads built decades ago have not been upgraded or expanded in tandem with sharp population growth. Pavements are currently too narrow to accommodate the huge flow of people. The MTR light rail, which started operations in the late 1980s, has complicated the issue further.
Siu Long-ming, a Yuen Long district council member, said he was aware of how unsafe the pedestrian crossing at the Tai Tong Road stop was. But he said the problem was tricky because of the many stakeholders involved.