Speech by Deputy Commissioner for Transport on ITS

The following is a speech (English only) titled Transport Department's Strategy to Enhance the Performance of the Hong Kong Transport System through the Deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems by the Deputy Commissioner for Transport, Mr George F. K. Lai at the Sixth Conference of the Hong Kong Society for Transport Studies today (December 1):

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) are not new to Hong Kong. We have been deploying advanced information and telecommunication technologies to enhance the safety, efficiency, reliability, user and environmental friendliness of our transport system for the past twenty years. Area traffic control, traffic control & surveillance, autotoll, Octopus Card, electronic parking meters, red light and speed enforcement cameras, are some of the ITS applications in Hong Kong that have been introduced to satisfy the travelling needs of the community. These are single-purpose systems and have been developed and implemented mostly in small scales and on a project-by-project basis.

Indeed, the development of ITS has become a world-wide trend in the past decade and various applications are now widely used in Europe, the U.S.A., Japan and many other countries. Rather than continuing with the development of stand-alone systems, the present day ITS emphasize on the integration of systems as well as the integration of functions, both transport and non-transport.

THE NEED FOR AN ITS STRATEGY

In the light of the present trend of ITS deployment, the development of an integrated ITS Strategy which meets the following objectives is required:

	Creating greater efficiency in traffic management
	Providing better and more informed choices to road users with access to real-time information
	Facilitating better interaction among people, roads and vehicles
	Enhancing better utilization of existing transport infrastructure

Accordingly, Transport Department initiated an in-house ITS Strategy Review Study in May 2000 to develop a strategy and a long-term development plan of ITS applications in Hong Kong. The Study examined the technical, administrative and financial requirements of implementing an ITS Strategy in Hong Kong to ensure that different systems developed under the Strategy are compatible and coordinated, and that seamless integrated services can be provided to all road users effectively and efficiently.

AN ITS FRAMEWORK

By making reference to overseas experience, we have drawn up an ITS Framework for Hong Kong that embodied the following Applications Areas which are considered suitable under our local environment:

	Transport Information
	Urban Traffic Management
	Strategic Road Network Management
	Public Transport
	Safety and Enforcement
	Payment, Toll and Parking
	Commercial/Emergency Vehicle Operation
	Pedestrian/Cyclist Facility
	Intelligent Vehicle
	Road Works, and
	Customer Services

The ITS Framework as shown in the chart below defines the relationships and interaction of various components in ITS systems and services to achieve optimum deployment of the selected ITS applications in Hong Kong. It is functional and service driven, instead of technology driven. As such, it is consistent with the socio-economic conditions and development of Hong Kong.

Within this framework, we have formulated an ITS Strategy for Hong Kong by identifying core projects to be implemented by Government and value-added services to be developed by the private sector.

THE ITS STRATEGY FOR 2001 TO 2010

The ITS Strategy for 2001 to 2010 includes two initiatives, viz., "A Smart Way to Travel" and "A Smart Way for Safety and Efficiency", to support the long term ITS objectives. Core projects are selected to form the Strategy for the coming 10 years.

A Smart Way to Travel

Under this initiative, a Transport Information System (TIS) as the centralized data warehouse will be set up in TD. Adopting spatial information and web-based technologies, TIS would support real-time updating and retrieval of transport and traffic information such as traffic conditions, progress of road works, traffic diversion measures and public transport services.

Traffic information will be made available to Government agencies for planning and management of their transport related operations. Transport operators such as bus companies, railway companies, tunnel operators and commercial vehicle fleet operators would also be able to gain access to TIS and hence adjust their operation readily to cope with changes in the traffic conditions. Based on TIS, the private sector, such as third party service providers, would be able to develop value-added applications such as fleet management, personal notification of traffic conditions via mobile telephones, and in-vehicle route display units for drivers.

Eventually, traffic and transport information would be provided to the public directly or through service providers via variable message signs on roads, Internet, media, and mobile phones. Henceforth, with TIS and value-added services in place:

	you can receive a message on your mobile phone in the morning telling you that one public transport service has been interrupted and advising you to take an alternative mode instead;
	you can find the cheapest or fastest trip by travelling on different modes of public transport; and
	you can find the shortest route by driving from point A to point B avoiding congested areas and obtain information on car parks near your destination.

A Smart Way for Safety and Efficiency

In Hong Kong, traffic is managed and monitored by computerized traffic signals operated through Area Traffic Control (ATC) systems, and traffic control & surveillance (TCS) facilities installed on highways, such as closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, variable message signs and lane control signals.

However, the present ATC systems only cover the urban areas and the New Towns of Tsuen Wan/Kwai Tsing and Shad Tin/Ma On Shan, and the TCS facilities are only installed on limited sections of expressways such as Tuen Mun Road, North Lantau Expressway and Western Kowloon Expressway. These systems are controlled by their respective control centres with limited linkage among them.

Therefore, under this initiative, the priority is to have comprehensive traffic control and surveillance coverage over the territory and to instigate territorial-wide coordination among control centres for traffic and incident management. Accordingly, the following projects will be put in place:

	Extension of the coverage of Area Traffic Control (ATC) Systems
	Installation of Traffic Control and Surveillance (TCS) facilities on all major expressways
	Establishment of Traffic Management and Information Centre (TMIC)
	Implementation of the Journey Time Indication System (JTIS)

The proposed TMIC will coordinate territory-wide traffic and incident management. Specifically, it will have direct control of TCS facilities on the Strategic Road Network and ATC systems, and will co-ordinate with tunnel/bridge control centers. TMIC will also serve as a major source of real-time traffic information for TIS.

In addition, JTIS will be implemented on Hong Kong Island as a pilot project to advise motorists the estimated journey time for travelling to the Kowloon exits of the three cross-harbour tunnels.

With comprehensive coverage of TCS and ATC, the establishment of TMIC and the implementation of JTIS, well-coordinated territory-wide traffic and incident management, safety and efficiency in travelling would be assured.

PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES

TIS and TMIC would form part of the transport infrastructure to be provided by the Government to make our transport system more efficient and user-friendly. In addition, they would provide the necessary information to facilitate commercial utilization such as development of car navigation systems for motorists and fleet management systems for public transport and freight operators. With the launching of the 3rd Generation Mobile Phone, it is expected that general information packages and personalized services for individual road users would also become more popular.

BENEFITS OF "ITS"

The implementation of ITS would bring about significant benefits to our society. With more effective and efficient transport management, road capacity would increase and travelling time could be saved. Provision of ITS to produce more road capacity would also be a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to the building of new roads.

With improved traffic control, automated enforcement and coordinated incident management, ITS could also reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents and lessen the probability of fatality arising from traffic accidents, making our transport system much safer for all road users.

The implementation of ITS would further enhance support to trade and commercial activities through better fleet management, thereby reducing operating costs and increasing productivity. The whole community would enjoy better services provided by a smarter transportation system. The implementation of ITS in Hong Kong could also help alleviate pressure for constructing new transport infrastructure and hence contributing to sustainability in the future development of Hong Kong.

ITS is now an established trend in developed countries like the U.S.A., U.K. and Japan. Development of ITS in other Asian countries, such as Singapore, South Korea and Mainland China, is also advancing rapidly. Hong Kong would need to press ahead with the implementation of ITS to maintain our competitiveness and to enhance the image of Hong Kong as a leading international city.

CONCLUSION

The ITS Strategy as formulated will form the blueprint for the development and implementation of ITS applications in Hong Kong for the coming years. Basically it includes a number of key projects that will be undertaken by Government. They would form the corner stones for the private sector to develop and provide value-added services to road users, public transport passengers and transport operators to meet their individual needs. With the joint effort by Government agencies, transport operators, academic institutions, industries, professional institutes and service providers, we shall have a Smart Way to Travel and a Smart Way for Safety and Efficiency in Hong Kong very soon.

Thank you.

End/Saturday, December 1, 2001