Untitled - Civic Exchange

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT IN HONG KONG: DIRECTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Public policy decisions determine the environmental impacts of transport as a result of their influence over
individual choices. For example, the decision to travel by bus versus private car or by bus versus rail is
greatly influenced by government's policy with regard to financial incentives for each mode and the impact
of these decisions on the relative costs of each mode for consumers. Further, travelers may feel that the
decision to ride a "clean bus" or use "clean fuel" is pointless when others remain free to choose "dirty"
options.
Figure 1.2 lays out a number of points with respect to planning- and technology-based options for more
sustainable transport. As the figure shows, planning and technical options are closely linked, particularly
in terms of the support given to new technologies. For example, the use of a cleaner fuel system (e.g.,
compressed natural gas [CNG] or Liquefied Petroleum Gas [LPG]) requires a network of fuel distribution
points. Yet, to the extent that some of the major benefits (e.g., a cleaner environment) do not provide a
direct financial benefit to the vehicle owner or fuel supplier, some form of government support or
assistance may be needed to ensure that vehicles owners use the cleaner fuel and that a distribution system
evolves quickly enough to have the desired effect on vehicle emissions and air quality. Similarly, the
effectiveness of some measures, such as the use of clean diesel, may be dependent on related initiatives,
such as the creation of a system for engine maintenance and periodic emissions testing. Enforcement of
regulatory systems is a matter of public, rather than private, decisions.
Figure 1.2 also highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach to policy-making. Unfortunately, while
in theory various departments in the Hong Kong government work in close cooperation, in practice they
often seem work in parallel tracks, each department focusing on its own particular objectives. Any attempt
to reconcile differences in vision and implementation occurs rather late in the process, a factor that has
significantly affected the development of Hong Kong's current transport system. See Chapter 7 for more
discussion on this point.
Figure 1.2 Evaluating planning- and technology-based options for sustainable transport
PLANNING-BASED OPTIONS
• Typically involve relatively long implementation lead times
• Tend to be horizontal in nature (inter-disciplinary, inter-departmental)
• Potentially pervasive but not always obvious (apparent to the public)
TECHNOLOGY- BASED OPTIONS
• Tend to have medium to long implementation lead times
• Availability of new technology is influenced by unpredictable exogenous factors and this adds risk
• There are often subtle but important planning aspects to adoption
• Where new technologies are practical, they may provide the fastest and least disruptive way
to address environmental (or mobility) concerns.
INTEGRATED STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT
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• Planning- and technology-based options are complementary and should be undertaken
concurrently
• In general, planning options should be investigated first because they tend to be more
pervasive and over the long-term are often more cost-effective
• It is risky to assume that implementation of a new technology will be the turnkey
- Planners must appreciate that local conditions necessitate special care to provide
needed support for implementation of new technology
- Technology-based solutions may be preferred by planners as being administratively
convenient, especially if they fail to fully appreciate the planning aspects of implementation