Step forward in real-time traffic information dissemination
The Transport Department is introducing new services to enable road users to make informed choices of travelling routes and transport modes.
The services are part of the department's continuous commitment to provide traffic information to the public through various channels to reduce delay and alleviate traffic congestion.
Introducing the new services at a press conference today (January 18), Assistant Commissioner for Transport (Technical Services) Mr Tsang King-man said that in view of the technology advancement and popularity of 3G mobile service, the department had promoted collaboration efforts with the private sector in providing better traffic information services to the community.
"These new services include a PDA version of Closed Circuit Television snapshots (CCTV), CCTV images on 3G mobile phones and a Speed Map for the main roads in Kowloon and New Territories South on the department's homepage," Mr Tsang said.
With PDA version of CCTV snapshots, PDA users may browse the CCTV snapshots of real-time traffic conditions in a convenient way.
With the assistance of the Hong Kong Wireless Development Centre (HKWDC), the Government had agreed with Hutchison Telephone Company Limited and PCCW/HKT Telephone Limited for the Transport Department to provide them with free CCTV images for dissemination to their mobile phone users for a trial period not longer than six months. No additional fee on top of the basic 3G service plan would be charged. The arrangement would be reviewed towards the end of the trial period.
Speed Map for the main roads in Kowloon and New Territories South has been uploaded onto the department's homepage. It was developed from the Real-time Traveller Information System of Autotoll Limited and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The traffic flow speeds were deduced directly from real-time traffic data from Autotoll and indirectly by integrating Autotoll's data with Hong Kong Annual Traffic Census data of the department. It aimed to help drivers to make route choice decisions based on a combination of the traffic speed information and their own driving experience.
In addition to the new services, the department had been providing information on traffic conditions by the following means.
(a) CCTV images via the department's homepage and through the mass media;
(b) Journey Time Indication System (JTIS) on Hong Kong Island to disseminate journey time information through on site digital journey time indicators and the department's homepage;
(c) Speed map of approach roads to the road-harbour crossings on Hong Kong Island on the department's homepage; and
(d) Special traffic news on the department's homepage. Similar information is also disseminated through electronic mails to 130 organisations with more than 500 employees.
"This information on traffic conditions has been useful to the road users in planning their trips or changing their routes. This can be reflected by the hit rate of the CCTV images, which is well above 200,000 per day. In addition, the result of a survey conducted in mid-2006 also showed that two-thirds of the respondents considered the JTIS could assist them in choosing a cross-harbour route," Mr Tsang said.
He said that on January 12, the Finance Committee of Legislative Council had approved funding for the implementation of the JTIS in Kowloon. Six sets of journey time indicators were planned to be installed in advance of the critical traffic divergent points at approach roads on Kowloon to the three road-harbour crossings. With the provision of these indicators, motorists would be able to make informed route choices based on latest traffic information. The project was scheduled to commence at the end of this year and for completion in mid-2009.
"We will continue to disseminate timely traffic information to road users effectively and widely through different channels. People are welcome to provide feedback and suggestions through 1823 Citizen's Easy Link," Mr Tsang said.
Ends/Thursday, January 18, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:55