Hong Kong development chief vows to review policy after tree crashes onto school bus
- Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn says nine relevant authorities will inspect 10,000 flame trees by end of this month
- But experts say incident suggests need for overhaul of Hong Kong’s tree management system
Hong Kong’s development chief has pledged to review the city’s tree management policy a day after a 15-metre trunk crashed onto a school bus, saying a task force will be set up to make recommendations.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho on Saturday also said the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which was managing the flame tree involved in the incident, would launch an investigation and produce a report next month.
“I expect the task force to look into three areas – whether our guidelines are enough on current methods of tree examination, follow-up work on trees that need intervention, as well as the adequacy and timeliness [of the inspections],” Linn said.
The task force will be led by Ricky Lau Chun-kit, the Development Bureau’s permanent secretary for works. It will propose policy recommendations by the end of the year.
Linn said the government had ordered nine relevant authorities to inspect 10,000 flame trees of a similar size on roadsides by the end of this month. The review was prompted by the collapse of a 15-metre tall flame tree onto a school bus in Ho Man Tin on Friday, smashing the windscreen and also hitting three cars.
The 62-year-old driver of the bus and the only passenger, a nanny, sustained minor injuries.
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Tree crashes onto school bus in Hong Kong, passengers narrowly escape serious injury
Linn said the Leisure and Cultural Services Department would inspect other trees on the same street.