Public/Private collaboration to provide transport information
Reliable and standardised transport data infrastructure with real time information is essential for the transport development in Hong Kong.
Addressing guests at the opening of a forum organised by the Transport Department on Transport Information System (TIS) today (June 2), the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Robert Footman, called for the collaboration between the public and private sectors to provide real time and accurate transport information with Intelligent Transport System (ITS) applications.
"The public demands reliable, accurate and timely transport information. The industry demands data infrastructure and real time transport information for ITS applications such as in-vehicle navigation and fleet management systems in which transport information and traffic conditions are made accessible within moving vehicles," said Mr Footman.
"To develop such data infrastructure becomes essential for Hong Kong and that is why we have organised this Forum to learn from overseas experience on the development of TIS and to identify opportunities on the collaboration between the public and private sectors in the provision of transport information," he said.
According to the findings of a feasibility study on TIS, an integrated electronic transport information system which will employ advanced Geographic Information System and internet technology should be established to serve as a platform for data sharing among the Government departments, the transport operators and the public.
The Transport Department is looking forward to setting up the System in 2002.
"We are about to start a preliminary project feasibility study on a state-of-the-art Traffic Management and Information Centre that would put traffic surveillance and management, incident management and the provision of traveller information under one umbrella," said Mr Footman.
"When it commences operation in 2006, the Centre will be able to make use of the infrastructure developed in the TIS for the collection, processing and dissemination of real-time information to motorists," he added.
An ITS strategy review to consolidate several survey findings, conduct technical evaluation and explore future development of ITS has recently been commenced and is expected to conclude by the end of the year.
About a hundred guests from local transport operators and from oversea countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore have attended the Forum, sharing their experience on the development of the TIS.
End/Friday, June 2, 2000
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