city speak xi - is transport the solution or the enemy? simon ng of hkust
DESCRIPTION
Development and transport are closely related, but how do we connect the dots and guarantee a livable city for future generations? Lifting the moratorium in Mid-levels, reducing the threshold for redevelopment and the constant pressure to increase density are all choking the older parts of Hong Kong with more traffic and roadside air pollution. How do we deal with the increased traffic on new roads to the Mainland? How many more roads are we planning to build on our waterfront? Is there too much public transport clogging up our roads? Is replacing pedestrian crossings with subways and footbridges a good thing? What plans are there for environmentally friendly transport and aesthetically more pleasing transport infrastructure in Hong Kong? Where are the hopes for making our city more pedestrian-friendly? Can new engine technology solve our problems? Could electronic road pricing help? Will the new rail lines be enough? Do we have a sustainable (transport) plan for our city? Planners, engineers, academics and officials will discuss whether transport is our solution or our enemy. Designing Hong Kong is a not-for-profit organisation focused on sustainable urban planning. See: www.designinghongkong.comTRANSCRIPT
Is Transport the Solution or the Enemy?
Designing Hong Kong City Speak XI24 April 2010, Hong Kong
Simon K W Ng
Institute for the Environment, HKUST
Transport in Hong Kong
• 11.5 million daily public transport journeys• ~90% of journeys made by public transport • 54.8 private cars per 1,000 population• ~4 million passengers each day on rail• ~5,800 buses and 600+ bus routes• 4,350 minibuses• ~18,000 taxis• Trams and ferries• A comprehensive network• Over 2,000 km of public road
External Costs of Transport
• Traffic congestion• Air and noise pollution• Land consumption
Source: HKSARG
Source: HKEPD
Roadside Stations
Nitrogen Dioxide
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.1
0.11
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Annual Mean Concentration
(mg/m 3)
Roadside
Average
Hong Kong Air Quality Objective
Roadside NO2 Concentrations
WHO Air Quality Guidelines
Sources: HKSARG, HKEPD & WHO
Respirable Suspended Particulate
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.1
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Annual Mean Concentration
(mg/m 3)
Roadside
Average
Hong Kong Air Quality Objective
WHO Air Quality Guidelines
Roadside PM10 Concentrations
Sources: HKSARG, HKEPD & WHO
• Making each vehicle cleaner and more energy efficient is good, but …
• It will do little to change our travelling habits, ie. it doesn’t necessarily make us drive or travel less
• Benefits we gain from reducing emission per vehicle will be offset by growing vehicle ownership and vehicle use
Technical Fix
Land Sterilization
Traffic Congestion
Roadside Emissions
How we want our city to be like?
Increase Use of Mechanised Transport
Higher Demand for Mobility
Economic Growth and Higher Income
Quality of Life Liveable City
Accessibility
Sustainable Transport
Source: Ng
Source: Jean-Paul Rodrigue
Compact versus Dispersed Spatial Form
A City for Cars?
Source: Alex MacLean
Source: Alex MacLean
Source: HKSARG
Tung Chung
A City for the Community?
Shatin
A City that Deprives People of Urban Space?
Source: Bill Barron
A City where People Take the Centre Stage?
Source: http://www.transitorienteddevelopment.org/
End of presentationThank you