Lawmaker Ron Lam has proposed that the government improve planning and construction of infrastructure for pedestrians, particularly auxiliary facilities for the paths.
Lam recently submitted a written enquiry on the topic to the government. He feels the city is not sufficiently ready for pedestrian-friendly development, which the government had mentioned repeatedly in previous years.
As an example, Lam pointed to the footbridge in Taipa that connects the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) station at Macau Stadium with Edifício Pou Long Garden. The lawmaker noted that the entry and exit of the footbridge do not connect directly with the covered passage, so, on rainy days, pedestrians are not able to easily move between the covered passage and the footbridge.
In light of this, he questioned why the government did not take the situation into account when the project was planned and built. He also asked whether the government has plans to require entry and exit points for all similar future infrastructure to be seamlessly connected to covered passages.
Lam also noted that the uphill passage from near the Tap Seac Square to near Yuet Wah College has stairs only. Referring to 2021 government data, the lawmaker highlighted that 17.1% of the population residing in the vicinity of Avenida de Ferreira do Amaral, which is near the staircase, are aged 65 years or higher.
Additionally, Lam also drew attention to the uphill escalator system on the Guia Hill. The system was built for the convenience of patients, elderly residents and other people visiting the public hospital.
According to the lawmaker, the current system is only half of the original plan, which would have seen a downhill system built where the current uphill system is, while an uphill system would have been built on the adjacent street.
With an uphill system only, pedestrians travelling downhill need to take either the staircase on the next street or walk down the slope beside the escalators, which in the lawmaker’s opinion is both dangerous and inconvenient.
Lam therefore questioned whether the government has planned pedestrian passageways and automated people mover systems at the new Central Library which will sit right between the Tap Seac Square and Yuet Wah College. He also asked if plans will be made to improve the escalator system at the Guia Hill.
The Hong Kong Central Library has an indoor pedestrian passage which is not part of the library’s reading area, so that pedestrians can avoid detours.
