BackOn 21 November 2024, the Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, announced the completion of a direct investigation operation into the handling of obstructions to passageways by bicycles owned by operators of bicycle rental services of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (“LCSD”), and made eight recommendations to the Department.
A total of 14 recreational venues managed by the LCSD have bicycle rental services provided by operators engaged by the Department for members of the public to rent bicycles for leisure or short-distance travel.
Contract terms of the relevant business permit (“permit”) issued by the LCSD explicitly forbid placing bicycles and articles relating to bicycle rental services outside the permit area. However, Ombudsman investigations have revealed that it is common for operators to place their bicycles outside the permit area in violation of contract terms. The Ombudsman also found that the existing enforcement mechanism of the LCSD against operators is not consistent.
Mr Chan said, “The LCSD, as the venue manager and permits issuer, is duty-bound to monitor the operators of bicycle rental services. Operators placing their bicycles outside the permit area in violation of regulations not only causes an obstruction to passageways and affects members of the public to access and use recreational facilities, but may also pose safety hazards. Our multiple site inspections found that it seems to be a common practice for operators to leave bicycles lying around in contravention of the regulations, and this has invited doubts as to whether the LCSD had reminded the operators of the irregularities or has taken enforcement action against them in the past.”
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Source: The Office of the Ombudsman Hong Kong, China
