No need for ERP to be implemented

The Administration has concluded that there is no immediate justification for implementing Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) on transport and environment grounds but will continue to monitor closely development of ERP technologies overseas as well as the transport and environmental needs for additional traffic restraint measures in Hong Kong in future.

The decision, which was based on the findings of the Feasibility Study on ERP and a review by the Environment and Food Bureau, was announced at a press conference given by the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Robert Footman, and the Assistant Director of Environmental Protection, Mr C W Tse today (April 24).

The Study was commissioned by Transport Department in 1997 to evaluate the feasibility of implementing an ERP system in Hong Kong and to identify the preferred technology.

According to the Study, additional traffic restraint measures like ERP are not warranted in Hong Kong at this stage. Traffic conditions in Hong Kong should be closely monitored, as should the development of ERP technologies. This will provide a basis for any future re-examination of the need for additional restraint measures in Hong Kong.

A review conducted by Environment and Food Bureau on the feasibility of using ERP to achieve environmental objectives also concluded that the priority should be to fully implement already identified measures to reduce local vehicle emissions. If these measures are fully implemented, Hong Kong should be able to meet its current Air Quality Objectives provided there is no significant increase in vehicle mileage and other sources of air pollution.

Announcing the decision, Mr Footman said: "One of our key transport objectives is to ensure a smooth flow of traffic on our roads.

"Over the past five years, the average growth of the private vehicle fleet was around three per cent, while the average peak hour traffic speeds on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories were maintained at 20 km/h, 27 km/h and 41 km/h respectively, levels comparing favourably with the urban area travel speed of major cities in the world.

"In determining whether there is a need for ERP, the Study adopted an easily understood benchmark of peak hour traffic speed."

Based on the historical average speed for the main east-west corridor on Hong Kong Island, the Study adopted 20 km/h as the benchmark. Under such a scenario, vehicles could travel between Central and Causeway Bay in about 12 minutes.

The Study applied high and low car growth scenarios (of 6 per cent and 2 per cent) to forecast the traffic speeds between now and 2011. On this basis, the Study established projected traffic speeds during peak hour on Hong Kong Island of 17.8 to 19.7 km/h in 2006, increasing to 20.6 to 23.9 km/h in 2011.

"From the forecast, the Study concluded that no additional restraint measure, such as ERP, would be required before 2006 at the earliest. This is because the traffic speeds before then would be reasonably near the benchmark of 20 km/h, and these would increase above the benchmark after 2010 with the completion of the Central-Wanchai Bypass. The actual speeds before 2006 would depend on the actual private vehicle growth rate in the fleet. If growth remained around three per cent per annum, traffic speed should be comparable with our benchmark of 20 km/h," Mr Footman said.

Mr Footman added: "Although the projected speeds should prove tolerable, they are not ideal and we will continue to do all we can through other measures to promote efficient traffic flow.

"For example, we are planning a series of improvements to junctions in Central, such as the Queen's Road Central/Pedder Street junction, and a gyratory traffic scheme using Hennessy Road and Lockhart Road in Wan Chai. These will be completed between 2001 and 2006.

"We also plan to develop a Transport Information System by end 2003, to give the public more information about public transport services, traffic incidents and congestion, and to develop by 2006 a Transport Management and Information Centre (TMIC) to help us manage traffic incident, and traffic control on the Strategic Road Network and at local juctions.

"In addition, journey time indicators will be provided on approach roads to the cross-harbour tunnels in 2002/2003. The indicators will provide motorists on the move with real-time traffic conditions of different cross-harbour routes from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon so that they could make more informed choice well ahead of critical diversion points."

Commenting on the technology options, the Commissioner said, "The field trial results indicated that both the Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) System and the Vehicle Positioning system (VPS) can be adopted for a possible ERP scheme in Hong Kong."

DSRC is a more mature technology but VPS is still at an early stage of development and will take some time before the technology reaches a stage of reliability and maturity comparable to DSRC. The Administration will continue to closely monitor the development of ERP technologies.

Also speaking at the press conference, Mr Tse said ERP could be used to improve air quality by reducing vehicle emissions and, to a limited extent, noise pollution caused by motor vehicles. "However, the improvements might be quite limited, and improvements in one area might be at the expense of additional traffic in other areas, leading to a deterioration there," he said.

"An effective scheme would probably have to track vehicle utilization, at least in built up areas. Such a scheme had not been fully tested anywhere in the world."

Mr Tse added: "We are working on a number of measures to tackle the street-level air pollution problems. These include replacing diesel vehicles with cleaner alternatives where practicable; retrofitting older vehicles with particulate traps and catalysts; introducing Euro III emission standards; more stringent vehicle emission inspection programmes and ULSD fuel etc."

"We believe our first priority should be to implement the various measures I have outlined."

"If these measures are fully implemented, Hong Kong should be able to meet its current Air Quality Objectives, provided there is no significant increase in vehicle mileage and other sources of air pollution."

Mr Footman noted that the findings of the $75 million Study would form a firm base for future reference if there should be a need for re-visiting the issue in future.

End/Tuesday, April 24, 2001