Lawmaker urges gov’t to improve pedestrian facilities

Lawmaker Zheng Anting wants the government to pay more attention to the pedestrian facilities in Macau, particularly pedestrian flyovers and lifts.

In a report published by the Chinese language media outlet Exmoo, the lawmaker said he has received a high number of complaints from citizens regarding the conditions of some pedestrian facilities.

According to Zheng, some of the escalators in pedestrian flyovers are old and worn out, requiring frequent maintenance that puts them temporarily out of service. This creates significant inconvenience for local residents and tourists, particularly those with mobility limitations.

He also urged the government to stop turning off escalators overnight. Currently some escalators are turned off after midnight and turned on again at 7 a.m., causing issues for those who need to use them during hours.

He said many people in Macau work in shifts and despite being used less during these hours, the equipment is still necessary. Instead of turning off the equipment, he suggested installing automatic sensors to save energy and reduce unnecessary wear and tear on the equipment.

As the Times reported in May, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) is reportedly evaluating the feasibility of removing some bollards from the street sidewalks, primarily in the central district and other busy areas of the city where narrow sidewalks make pedestrian traffic difficult.

The response from IAM came after an inquiry from the Times citing citizens’ difficulties walking in these areas, particularly during times of heavy tourist traffic.

Earlier this year, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works mentioned during a Legislative Assembly plenary session that the government was considering removing several street parking spaces, particularly in narrower streets, to enlarge the sidewalks and facilitate bus traffic.

However, no progress has been observed on these works so far.