BackPublic Light Buses (“PLBs”) are one of the most popular modes of public transport in Hong Kong. However, statistics show that the incidence of accidents involving PLBs over the past decade has been significantly higher than that of other classes of motor vehicle. In 2000, after several fatal accidents involving PLBs, the Transport Department (“TD”) undertook to examine and develop safety enhancement measures for PLBs. However, little progress was made in the following nine years, and actions were only accelerated after two major fatal accidents involving PLBs in June and July 2009.
Ombudsman Alan Lai, therefore, initiated a direct investigation in January 2010. “Road safety is about human lives. TD has the undeniable responsibility for proactively enhancing the safety standard of our public transport services,” said The Ombudsman.
The investigation found a lack of due diligence and sense of urgency on the part on TD, prior to June 2009, in effecting the installation of speed limiter and vehicle monitoring system (commonly know as “blackbox”) on PLBs and in implementing mandatory pre-service training for PLB drivers. TD was also found adopting too narrow a consultation spectrum and inert in obtaining related market information and overseas experiences.
Moreover, there was a lack of timely review particularly for the installation of passenger seat belts and high back seats on PLBs. PLBs registered on or after August 1, 2004 are mandated to install such safety equipment, while those registered prior to that date are allowed to retrofit voluntarily. At present, only 2,415 (55.5%) of the 4,350 PLBs running on road are retrofitted with such equipment. Among these 2,415 PLBs, only 341 are “pre-August 2004” PLBs. If relying solely on attrition of the “pre-August 2004” PLBs, it would take at least eight years for all PLBs to be equipped with such equipment. By any estimation, there would still be about 1,000 PLBs running on the road without such equipment by the end of 2015.
The Ombudsman recommends TD, among others:
(1) to extend the requirement of installing passenger seat belts to all “pre-August 2004” PLBs;
(2) to set out work plans to monitor progress of every safety measure under study;
(3) to seek assistance from academic and professional bodies in assessing feasibility of the measures and in reviewing their effectiveness after implementation; and
(4) to set up intelligence network to keep abreast of latest developments of technology, regulations, market information in and outside Hong Kong.
TD has accepted all the recommendations except for recommendation (1). It agrees only to discuss with the PLB trade and PLB suppliers on possible and viable ways to speed up the replacement progress as far as practicable.
Mr Lai strongly urges the Administration to reconsider recommendation (1). “The public cannot accept putting more lives of PLB passengers at risk for eight more years,” he said.
Source: Hong Kong Ombudsman
