TD's new homepage to strengthen information
The Transport Department will tomorrow (August 11) launch a redesigned homepage.
Assistant Commissioner for Transport, Mr Anthony Loo Khim-chung, said today (August 10) when introducing the new design and functions of the new homepage that the old homepage had been mainly providing static information or text files. "In line with the Government's policy on digitalisation, it has gradually added more and more information of real-time nature. In connection with big changes in functions, there is a need for an overall renewal of the homepage. The new easy-to-remember URL is www.td.gov.hk and the present one www.info.gov.hk/td will be automatically redirected to the new one," Mr Loo said.
"The new homepage will reinforce channels in traffic and transport information dissemination and improve the user interface for easier searching. For example, real time traffic information, on-line services, application form by category, special information for different road users (e.g. pedestrian or drivers) will be re-organised for more direct and quicker access."
The department will make best use of the homepage as a platform to disseminate traffic and transport information. For example, it will provide to the public details of transport arrangements and services for the Disneyland upon opening of the theme park.
The new homepage will have new arrangement in emergency information dissemination. When there is a serious incident such as a traffic accident causing road closure or traffic diversion, a blinking "Special Traffic News" banner will be activated on the frontpage as an eye-catching alert for informing people of the latest development of the incident.
The new homepage will show real time traffic situation images from 117 CCTV cameras. The Journey Time Indication System (JTIS) can advise motorists of the journey time from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon for the different cross harbour routes so that they can make an informed choice before the diverging points.
"The department is introducing a pilot scheme. In addition to showing the length of traffic queues on major roads leading to the Hung Hom Cross Harbour Tunnels on Hong Kong Island, we will also show average traffic speed by different colours," Mr Loo said. "This information, updated every five minutes, will be added to the new homepage from tomorrow. The pilot scheme will firstly cover roads for harbour crossing on Island north."
The Transport Department's new homepage has adopted the "Common Look and Feel" guideline for Government website. The content page has adopted a simple and consistent layout for fast download and easy to search function.
In addition, a PDA version on special traffic news, transport services and tunnel traffic conditions, also launched from tomorrow, is created with URL at http://pda.td.gov.hk for wireless connection to the website for information browsing.
The department has planned to expand the present coverage of its some 540 CCTV cameras to include more major roads (including road sections in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long) to minimise blind spots. The present coverage of JTIS on roads on Hong Kong Island leading to cross-harbour tunnels is being planned for an expansion to include Island bound road in Kowloon. Adding information on traffic speed for major roads in Kowloon to the website is also being considered.
The department is also studying to provide real time special traffic news in text form (WAP format) to mobile phones. Other than the Transport Department website, discussion about traffic information dissemination via other such as radio websites is also in progress.
Ends/Wednesday, August 10, 2005