Exclusive: Top official gives thumbs-up to slash speed limit
And stellar subway growth from across the border
Welcome to the Transit Jam weekly newsletter, all the good stuff which didn’t fit on the website plus scroll down for the headlines, road safety stats and Dashcam of the Week! Please share with your colleagues and friends, and consider a paid subscription to support Transit Jam’s independent journalism, thanks, James.
30 kph speed limit could be the new urban norm
Due to the dysfunctional, dishonest and obstructionist way the Hong Kong government press teams deal with the media, I am now communicating with senior transport officials via hand signals.
As I arrived at the Road Safety Council's 49th Anniversary Carnival at the Hong Kong Science Park on Sunday, I was told "no interviews" or meetings with the press, despite being previously promised access by the govt's PR team1.
Refusing to leave empty handed, I waited until the dignitaries assembled on the stage for the obligatory photo call and yelled out a road safety question. "What do you think about the idea of a 30kph speed limit for Hong Kong?"
I wasn't expecting any answer: but amongst the stony stares, Transport Department's Deputy Commissioner Tony Yau gave me a smile and then a thumbs-up.
We caught up after the photocall - Tony said he wasn't prepared for an on-record interview (the press team won't allow it anyway) but he did illuminate some of the government’s thinking on the 30kph limit and I did come away with the impression that this policy was closer to becoming a city-wide proposal, not just a school-zone trial, than anyone had previously believed.
Of course Tony and his department have to convince drivers it won't actually slow them down (it won't) and figure out some way (through design and enforcement) to encourage and inspire drivers to keep to the proposed law. But if properly implemented, widespread 30kph limits will save many many lives, reduce congestion and encourage more walking / biking. And all at no cost to journey times! It’s a no-brainer for a modern low-carbon ‘World City”.
Shenzhen Metro expanding faster than the universe
From our friend Jasper (who you should follow!), as Line 12 readies for opening across the border, turns out Shenzhen is building an Elizabeth Line every six months…
Meanwhile Hong Kong is no slouch: a question in LegCo yesterday revealed 16 projects, from the new Kwu Tong Station just announced to the Northern Link and TKO Line Southern Extension. Although getting the money out of LegCo might be a challenge if trains doors keep falling off…
Transit Jam headlines
EXPERT SLAMS MTR FOR PASSENGERS’ PITCH-BLACK TUNNEL TREK AFTER DERAILMENT SMASH
FERRY SKIPPER SPURNS LAMMA’S NEW WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE PIER
31 MINIBUS PASSENGERS FACE JAIL AND FINES FOR NOT WEARING SEAT BELTS
Hong Kong road safety
Weekly crash stats: Monday 7 Nov to Sunday 13 Nov, 2022
Traffic crashes: 752
Traffic crashes with injury: 196
Weekly average crashes with injury: 274 (2022 to end Sep)
Dashcam of the Week
Forgive me using my own cam this week…. a case of very bad parking by a ferry captain. This was the maiden docking for the new Pak Kok pier, freshly opened by Development Secretary Bernadette Linn. There’s been grumbling about the height problems caused by the accessible design. Although being there… the ramps are very welcome and the captain could have probably been a bit more patient, especially with many honoured guests aboard waiting to be the first to use the new pier!
OH OK THEN have a “proper” dashcam to yell at—- Lambo with “1 LUV U” plate blocks yellow box, turns illegally left into a one-way street and rides over a pedestrian crossing on green man. Looking forward to this driver getting a “ONE LUVS U 2” prison tattoo… only kidding, he’ll probably not even get a fine.
Oh and please enjoy this pic of an Alphard stuck at The Peak. Getting more common. Would be funny if it didn’t block the whole pedestrian path for hours.
When I say “dishonest”, I mean the casual lying to the press which points to a habit. Reasons given for cancelling the interviews: 1. The weather was bad so we had to delay setting up (the weather, in fact, was the finest outdoor-event weather in the history of outdoor events); 2. There were many elderly so we had to delay setting up (not gonna dignify that BS); 3. There were never any interviews promised (showed them the email promising interviews); 4. You didn't register for interviews (showed them registration for interviews); 5. We didn't receive your registration (showed them their reply AND the Google Form response receipt); 6. Your daughter is uncomfortable standing here in the sun, perhaps you should go and have some breakfast and come back later.
Then police arrived to try to move me from the stage area where I was loudly complaining about the treatment of media, so I gave up, hence the yelled question at the photocall.
And at the risk of the footnote being longer than the post: media freedom is not all about NSL and censorship, it’s also about access and respect. So when John Lee says media freedom is “in our pocket”, I just shrug and say, yeah, it’s in the pocket of an old pair of pants lost by the dry-cleaners sometime in 1997…