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Discovery Bay taxi proposal runs into a roadblock
A Peng Chau district councillor who proposed that taxis be allowed to travel within Discovery Bay has insisted that she received opinions from residents of Discovery Bay and Peng Chau about the need for more cabs.
But at least one Discovery Bay village owners' committee, which met last week, showed an overwhelming number opposed the proposal.
This follows an outcry from Discovery Bay residents largely opposed to the plan in social networks.
The Transport Department also told The Standard that the developer of Discovery Bay, Hong Kong Resort, should conduct a traffic impact assessment and consult its residents but that it has not received a formal proposal on taxi expansion.
Many Discovery Bay residents have said that they were surprised and shocked that this topic was discussed at the Islands district council without consultation.
A long-time resident said a passenger liaison group meeting was held last month before the Islands district council meeting on October 25.
Hong Kong Resort's mother company, HKR International, was invited to the district council meeting during which the district councillor for Peng Chau and Hei Ling Chau, Josephine Tsang Sau-ho, proposed establishing taxi pick-up and drop-off points at various estates in Discovery Bay and Nim Shue Wan on the south side of the area.
Tsang's proposal would mean allowing taxis to travel at will along the two-lane roads, with no traffic lights and which were not built for heavy vehicular traffic.
Tsang also does not represent Discovery Bay, which now has no district councillor after its elected member on the Islands district council, the Civic Party's Amy Yung Wing-sheung, resigned in July over the oath-swearing requirement.
Yung said yesterday that a Beach Village Owners Committee meeting was held last week.
"I asked our members to voice their views and 13 of them were present. One was undecided and 12 opposed," she said.
Other village committees might also hold meetings to canvas opinions.
Tsang, in an e-mail reply to The Standard, said her aim in raising the proposal "about having the taxi stands in Discovery Bay was because she received opinions from residents of Discovery Bay and Peng Chau."
The Transport Department said in an e-mail to The Standard that the roads within Discovery Bay are private roads and that HKRI is responsible for their maintenance and traffic management.
"Should HKRI wish to provide more taxi stands in Discovery Bay, they should submit to the government a proposal with a traffic impact assessment," the department said through its spokeswoman.
But as of last week, the department said it "has not received any proposals from the HKRI on this issue."
This follows an outcry from Discovery Bay residents largely opposed to the plan in social networks.
The Transport Department also told The Standard that the developer of Discovery Bay, Hong Kong Resort, should conduct a traffic impact assessment and consult its residents but that it has not received a formal proposal on taxi expansion.
Many Discovery Bay residents have said that they were surprised and shocked that this topic was discussed at the Islands district council without consultation.
A long-time resident said a passenger liaison group meeting was held last month before the Islands district council meeting on October 25.
Hong Kong Resort's mother company, HKR International, was invited to the district council meeting during which the district councillor for Peng Chau and Hei Ling Chau, Josephine Tsang Sau-ho, proposed establishing taxi pick-up and drop-off points at various estates in Discovery Bay and Nim Shue Wan on the south side of the area.
Tsang's proposal would mean allowing taxis to travel at will along the two-lane roads, with no traffic lights and which were not built for heavy vehicular traffic.
Tsang also does not represent Discovery Bay, which now has no district councillor after its elected member on the Islands district council, the Civic Party's Amy Yung Wing-sheung, resigned in July over the oath-swearing requirement.
Yung said yesterday that a Beach Village Owners Committee meeting was held last week.
"I asked our members to voice their views and 13 of them were present. One was undecided and 12 opposed," she said.
Other village committees might also hold meetings to canvas opinions.
Tsang, in an e-mail reply to The Standard, said her aim in raising the proposal "about having the taxi stands in Discovery Bay was because she received opinions from residents of Discovery Bay and Peng Chau."
The Transport Department said in an e-mail to The Standard that the roads within Discovery Bay are private roads and that HKRI is responsible for their maintenance and traffic management.
"Should HKRI wish to provide more taxi stands in Discovery Bay, they should submit to the government a proposal with a traffic impact assessment," the department said through its spokeswoman.
But as of last week, the department said it "has not received any proposals from the HKRI on this issue."
