Sustainable transport in Hong Kong : reshuffling the transport hierarchy based on geographical and trip characteristics variations

Abstract

With the increased concern as to sustainable development in recent years, there is a need to develop a sustainable transport system as urban transportation plays an important role in cities. Transportation is an important part of daily life as it is related to mobility; and enhanced mobility will contribute to economic development and improve the quality of life. However, the most commonly used transport modes (i.e. motorised transportation) have contributed to heavy air and noise pollution, degrading our environment and affecting people’s quality of life. With this unsustainable urban transport system, there is an urgent need to apply the principles of sustainable development to the development of the transport system.

The aim of this study is to revisit the general transport hierarchy, examine how the hierarchy varies according to geographical and trip characteristics, and propose new sustainable transport hierarchies that take local contexts, availability of existing infrastructures, travel distance, and income level into consideration. In this study, Hong Kong is chosen as the focus of the study despite the fact that government has already identified the heavy rail system as the backbone of Hong Kong’s transport system, and 90% of all travel trips in Hong Kong are carried out on public transport, yet there is much room for improvements, for example the high roadside air pollution, the public transport are not fully utilised, non-motorised transport modes are not widely used, and the public transport fares are on the high side. The Travel Characteristics Survey 2001 will be used for examining trip characteristic variations in Hong Kong.

The findings suggest that the general transport hierarchies in Hong Kong do not match with the theoretically most sustainable transport hierarchy. Furthermore, the findings suggest that travel distance and income level have an effect on people’s choice of transport modes. The results give a better understanding of the overall sustainability of Hong Kong’s transport system and its local variations so that supportive policy can be formulated to further promote sustainable transportation based on the local characteristics, such as the availability of infrastructure, and the socio-economic and travel characteristics of residents in different districts.