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Forty percent of Hong Kong’s pedestrian crossings have been upgraded with the latest version of electronic audible traffic signals under a Transport Department scheme, with authorities on track to replace all 2,000 units across the city by the end of 2027.
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Commonly known as “yellow boxes” installed at traffic lights, the electronic audible traffic signal uses sound and vibrations to alert visually impaired pedestrians to changes in pedestrian crossing signals.
Transport Department Chief Engineer (Traffic Control) Gordon Kwok says ensuring road safety and improving pedestrian facilities are key pillars of the Government’s district governance initiatives. (Source: news.gov.hk)
Transport Department Chief Engineer (Traffic Control) Gordon Kwok Ka-chun said installation progress is proceeding smoothly, with priority given to districts with larger populations of visually impaired residents, such as Sham Shui Po and Kwun Tong.
A key feature of the upgraded devices is a flexible volume control system. To reduce noise disturbance for nearby residents at night, the new system automatically lowers ambient volume by up to five decibels. Visually impaired pedestrians can temporarily increase the volume when needed using a dedicated remote control or a mobile app to support safe crossing.
Visually-impaired resident Lee Kai-tak has worked closely with the department since 2017 to refine the system. (Source: news.gov.hk)
Kwok described the system as a “win-win” solution that balances community concerns with accessibility.
Lee Kai-tak, a visually impaired advocate who took part in the design process, said he has worked closely with the department since 2017 to refine the system. He added that the idea of remote volume activation came from feedback from visually impaired users who said they required additional assistance when crossing streets at night.
A remote control is designed to temporarily increases the volume of audible devices during night-time hours. (Source: news.gov.hk)
Following consultations, the department developed a dedicated physical remote control and a smartphone application. About 15,000 remote devices are being distributed through organisations serving people with visual impairments.
The devices are designed for simplicity. The “1” button boosts the signal’s volume once, while the “O” button increases the volume and keeps it raised for more than 20 minutes.
Lee praised the department for fully incorporating user input, saying the final product was a “ten out of ten” design.
