The Transport Department (TD) has introduced a bus-friendly traffic measure to encourage motorists to let buses exit more easily from bus bays to adjacent traffic lanes and thereby make bus services more smooth. The bus stop at Wang Pok Street outside Lucky Plaza in Sha Tin is the first trial site.
A TD spokesperson today (September 19) said that, under the current public transport-oriented policy, buses are accorded priority use of roads as far as practicable. The TD has all along been implementing various bus priority measures to ensure smooth bus services for commuters, and the provision of bus-only lanes is one of the most commonly used measures in Hong Kong.
The new bus-friendly traffic measure comprises the use of a newly designed "Give way to bus" traffic sign and "Slow" and "Give way to bus" road markings. Franchised bus operators including Kowloon Motor Bus, Long Win Bus, Citybus and New World First Bus will stick labels with the "Give way to bus" sign on the back of some buses deployed at the trial sites.
When motorists approach a bus bay that has the new measure implemented, they are encouraged to slow down or stop where necessary to give way to buses exiting from the bus bay to join the adjacent traffic lane.
Apart from the bus stop in Sha Tin, the TD will also implement the bus-friendly traffic measure at three other locations in Central, Kowloon City and Kwai Fong within this year. The trial will last for a year, after which the TD will review its effectiveness before considering its extension to other locations. The TD also recommended that motorists give way to buses at locations other than the trial sites.
In addition, the TD has produced a publicity pamphlet for distribution to bus captains through the franchised bus operators to explain the new measure. Motorists can get or download the pamphlet at the TD's Licensing Offices or the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/en/publication/gwtb_pamphlet_en.pdf).
The report submitted by the Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong's Franchised Bus Services on December 31 last year provided 45 recommendations, one of which was to enhance the safety of roads and infrastructure, including the introduction of more bus-friendly measures.
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