Survey to commence on August 9

A large scale Travel Characteristics Survey 2002 (TCS 2002) will be conducted by Transport Department (TD) between August and December to collect and analyse up-to-date data and information on Hong Kong People's travel characteristics.

Announcing details of arrangements for TCS 2002 at a press briefing today (August 7), Chief Engineer of Transport Department, Mr To Kam-biu said:" Data collected in TCS 2002 will be used to improve the Third Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS-3) model and establish a database on travel pattern and behaviour for enabling better transport planning.

A market research company, MDR Technology Limited (MDR), has been commissioned to conduct household interview surveys from August 9 till December 20."

Three TCSs were previously conducted in 1973, 1981-83 and 1991-93. The information collected was used to develop transport models for producing traffic forecasts in the three CTSs conducted in 1974-76, 1986-89 and 1997-99 respectively.

Data of the last TCS were collected in 1992 and were adopted in various transport planning studies including the CTS-3 and the Second Railway Development Study completed respectively in 1999 and 2000.

Since the completion of the last TCS, the travel patterns of Hong Kong people have changed significantly as a result of many factors, such as, growth in the economy and population, relocation of the airport, development of new towns, increase in cross-boundary traffic movements, changes in commercial activities and their physical locations, and completion of new transport infrastructure projects.

Mr To said: "About 40 000 households in Hong Kong will be randomly selected for participation in the household interview surveys. They will have been notified of interview arrangements in writings prior to the visit by MDR.

There will also be publicity through broadcast on television and radio.

Mr To said: "The interviewers will all bear identity cards issued by TD when visiting the selected households."

Selected households may call MDR Technology Limited's hotline at 2413 5830 about the survey from 10 am to 10 pm daily or hotline at 2836 6076 about arrangements for interview appointment from 10 am to 6.30 pm, Monday to Friday except public holidays.

Further enquiries could be directed to TD at 2804 2600.

"Data collected in the household interview surveys will cover household particulars, socio-economic data and travel data of household members, factors affecting car ownership and usage, and changes in travel characteristics in relation to new technology, level of congestion, cycling and walking facilities and availability of information on transport services" he said.

He also said: "All the information provided by the respondents will be kept strictly confidential and used only for statistical analysis. The completed questionnaires will be destroyed upon the completion of the surveys and statistical analysis, and no information relating to individual households or persons will be kept."

The data and information collected in the household interview surveys will be analysed by a traffic consultant from December 2002 to May 2003, who will then provide study reports by October 2003.

The cost of the data collection work for the TCS 2002 is about $5.5 million.

End/Wednesday, 7 August 2002