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單車泊在街上隨時會被政府充公

對很多想使用單車的巿民來說,現時其中一個最大的阻礙是沒有安全的泊車方案,因為單車泊在街上隨時會被政府充公。

即使單車泊在有「P」字的合法泊車位置,政府也會不時張貼通告,並且臨時取消合法泊車位,並在突然人為地變成被「違泊」的單車上貼出告示飭令「官地佔用人」於限期前停止佔用該土地,限期到了就會來強行破壞單車鎖並偷走單車;而被接管的單車則成為政府財產,將不會發還,會暫存於地政處的倉庫,再交予政府物流服務署進行拍賣。

錯誤應用的法例

現時地政署是引用法例第28章6(1)條《土地(雜項條文)條例》不合法佔用未批租土地來充公單車:

「(1) 除第(2A)款另有規定外,如有並非根據許可證、撥地契據或撥地備忘錄而佔用未批租土地的情況出現,則當局可安排張貼通知,飭令在通知內指明的日期前停止佔用該土地,通知可張貼在下列一處或多處地方─ (由1979年第56號第3條修訂)

(a) 該土地上或附近;或

(b) 該土地上的任何財產或構築物上。」

這法例其實是用來處理佔用官地的僭建物等的情況,不是處理車輛的交通條例,是錯誤應用法例。

泊單車其實有法例免責辯護

而處理違例停泊車輛根本是有專為此制訂的的法例:第374C章 -《道路交通(泊車)規例》:

而第374C章第4條(5)已指明泊單車有以下免責辯護:

「但在有關違反第(4)(a)款規定的檢控程序中,如能證明停泊該車輛並無導致危險及實際阻礙,或相當無可能導致危險及實際阻礙,即為免責辯護。」

即是說,單車如泊在行人路、行人道、中央分道帶、路旁、路肩或交通安全島上,如無導致危險及實際阻礙,法例已經表明是「免責」的。

濫法充公單車:不公平、不環保、不公義

可見政府有法不依,濫用不相關的不合法佔用未批租土地法例來充公單車。再者,地政署充公私人財產(合法泊好的單車),其實已違反基本法第一百零五條所規定須保障私有財產,知法犯法,實屬可恥!

汽車長時間違泊,汽車會被拖往汽車扣留中心,司機只要承擔拖車費用及罰款,總可取回汽車。可是單車被引用《土地(雜項條文)條例》而充公後,單車車主是完全沒有任何途徑取回單車,單車會當作廢鐵被送到單車墳場,等待於物流服務署拍賣會中以數十輛或百多輛一批當廢鐵出售,不單是對巿民不公平,更是把原本極有價值的東西變成垃圾,極不環保。

參考外國處理廢棄的單車的方法,可以針對明顯是已被遺棄的廢車(例如生鏽嚴重及車輪無氣等)來發出個別警告及處理,不用官僚地全部好車壞車用車閒車一律充公,做法擾民及不公平。

政府理應有責任創造單車友善環境,但卻往往反其道而行,巿區合法泊單車位是少得等於無,在巿區泊單車在路邊的巿民,在法理上雖有第374C章第4條(5) 路邊泊單車免責辯護,卻常受到地政署濫用法例充公單車的滋擾而投訴無門,公義何在!

被「違泊」的單車,被貼上了告示。

單車墳場,photo credit : Slow-Mo Classic 慢騎主義 

 

地政署告示

第374C章 -《道路交通(泊車)規例》

4條:
(1) 除第(6)款另有規定外,任何人不得在設有街道照明系統,而燈與燈之間相距不超過200米的街道上停泊車輛,惟停泊在泊車處則不在此限︰
但如在任何就違反本款而提出的法律程序中,經證明並獲法庭或裁判官信納該道路上設有街道照明系統,除非相反證明成立,否則該街道照明系統的街燈須推定為燈與燈之間相距不超過200米。
(2) 署長可按照附表1第6、7、8、9、10、11及12號圖形豎立或放置交通標誌或設置道路標記,以限制將任何道路作泊車之用。
(3) 除第(6)款另有規定外,任何人不得─
  (a) 在任何道路上停泊車輛而違反按照第(2)款規定所豎立或放置的交通標誌或道路標記;
  (b) 停泊車輛而造成阻礙。
(4) 除第(6)款另有規定外,任何人不得停泊車輛─
  (a) 在行人路、行人道、中央分道帶、路旁、路肩或交通安全島上;
  (b) 以致阻礙車輛出入毗連車路的處所;或
  (c) 以致阻礙從車路到消防龍頭的通道。
(5) 任何人違反第(1)、(3)或(4)款,即屬犯罪,可處罰款$2000︰
但在有關違反第(4)(a)款規定的檢控程序中,如能證明停泊該車輛並無導致危險及實際阻礙,或相當無可能導致危險及實際阻礙,即為免責辯護。
(6) 第(1)、(3)及(4)款不適用於汽車。

After three years, Transport Department has casually put up on its website the ‘Nine Towns Study’ that it has been promising for so long:
Traffic and Transport Consultancy Study on Cycling Networks, Parking Facilities in Existing New Towns in Hong Kong

I’ve not had time to read it all yet, but, like the interim reports, the result seems underwhelming.  It only ever tried to look at cycle tracks and a few specific facilities in new towns, not general cycling on roads and the cycling environment as a whole.  Or planning ahead for New Development Areas.  And I note that the original scope has been cut, with no sign of the promised “conceptual improvement layout plan for each new town”.

On parking, it notes that there is not enough designated parking (that took three years to work out?) but the discussion quickly drops into TD’s favourite issue of what style of parking facility to buy, rather than, say, how to measure and determine where parking is necessary, especially small-scale distributed parking, away from the obvious MTR locations.  (Cyclehoop, anybody?)

The issue of poor connectivity of tracks is identified, which is good, but this problem will never be successfully addressed until we aim to maximise throughflow of bike traffic — as in, prioritising cyclists wherever possible, and certainly wherever bikes are the major flow.  No mention of that here.

The proposals, within this narrow remit, seem mostly small-scale and unimaginative.  So we have a three-year, multi-million-dollar report suggesting things like:

  • put up plastic bollards in place of steel – to reduce injury severity (already TD’s plan, when they should be removed entirely to .. er .. eliminate the injuries altogether);
  • paint markings to guide cyclists away from obstacles (just a stopgap: where are the planning guidelines for obstacle-free cycleways?);
  • paint track surface colours to show trunk and local routes (irrelevant if tracks are still used by commuters, wobblers, sports riders, and kids, with no policy consideration of who and what the tracks are for. Or real training.)
  • lots of soft padding on things in the way, such as newly erected poles carrying mirrors.
  • installing railings designed to make parking your bike harder (when it’s not even an offence to park a bike on a footway, central reserve, verge, hard shoulder etc, if no danger or actual obstruction is caused).

Of course, the study makes a number of valid points and raises genuine issues.  In particular, it presses for tracks to be connected at various places where currently there are gaps (and recognises that this will involve rebalancing some priorities). It also calls for the implementation of shared footpaths; improved signage and surface markings; cyclist access to leisure facilities (ie. everywhere managed by LCSD); and having Highways Dept staff cycle the tracks at night to determine lighting needs. Many specific problem locations on tracks are enumerated.

If the government, starting with TD, intends to act positively, the study could point towards some modest improvements for cyclists in the new towns.

However, in essence, by looking only at cycle tracks, with no assessment of wider transport policy, patterns of cycle journeys made, and aspirations among cyclists and potential cyclists, it was never going to offer a strategy for more effectively incorporating cycling into our communities.  Then by proposing largely what TD is already thinking (or has done!) – minor capital expenditure that tinkers with existing infrastructure, and no solid planning basis for avoiding the same mistakes in future – it falls sadly flat.

More detailed comment will follow.

You can read the report here:
http://www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/en/publication/td_194_2009_es_eng.pdf

 

方便推單車上落樓梯的斜道(星加坡)

單車泊位(星加坡)

這個渡假村加設了單車泊位及方便推單車上落樓梯的斜道,是兩年前我到訪此地時未見有的。希望很快在香港也能見到類似單車專用斜道這樣的小設施,雖然星加坡也不算是對單車有完善支援的城巿,但小小一個設施已反映著和香港不一樣的態度。

 

東海岸公園的單車徑(星加坡)

這和馬路差不多一樣寬闊的路不是馬路,是位於東海岸公園的單車徑,攝於東海岸公園海鮮中心對出。希望香港的單車徑都有這個水準。

廣州地鐵站(越秀公園)外的公共單車租賃點

 

廣州的公共單車

單車租賃點同時提供收費單車停泊服務

廣州巿區的單車行車道(於中山路)

There has been a small but growing movement of people who are fed up with the lack of bicycle parking in their buildings and are doing something about it!

We have recently heard from the building management people at Legco, that the Tamar building will almost certainly get some bike parking spaces, which is fantastic news and it’s nice to be reminded that cycling in Hong Kong has support from important and influential people.

We have also heard news that the China Resources Building in Wanchai is in the process of installing up to 57 bike parking spaces and 28 bike shower facilities to enable the building to become LEED (sustainable building) accredited. As more and more governments, developers and businesses around the world understand the value of sustainable buildings, increasing numbers of new buildings will look for this type of accreditation. Installing bike parking can help attain the required number of points to attain that accreditation.

Link developments (owners of several shopping malls and car parks, mostly in the new territories) have announced that they want to install bike parking and showers in some of their properties, so that they can attract cycling customers. This is a new approach in Hong Kong, though it has been realised in other places around the world, once businesses understand that people on bikes are customers that are worth attracting.

The cycle.hopewell facebook page has been quiet for a few months, however I expect to be writing a letter again soon to keep the discussion going as we now have two options for the bike parking locations, both within the Hopewell Centre building and some possible locations within Wu Chung House next door.

We have also recently heard from one of the occupants in the ICC building about the difficulties of cycling to work there, and the absolute lack of bicycle parking, including the approach roads often not allowing bicycles.

 

If you are interested in helping out with or starting your own campaign for bike parking in your building, let us know. We can give support, materials, and publicity as necessary.