Transport boost in Kai Tak pushed

Stacy Shi

The administration should enhance transportation facilities in Kai Tak by increasing the frequency of buses, minibuses and ferries in the district to align with the development of the new "Youth Post" hostel project there, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said.

The pro-government party said improving transportation could boost the area's accessibility and maximize the use of surrounding facilities.

It comes as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu proposed to convert the Kai Tak Community Isolation Facility into the "Youth Post" hostel and space for cultural exchanges during his recent policy address. The facility is expected to open next year.

The DAB made the call following a survey conducted by its Kowloon City Branch of 615 residents between October 18 and 21, which found that over 62 percent felt there is room for improvement in the public transport network in the area.

Currently, only three bus routes from Kwun Tong, Kowloon Tong and Kowloon City pass through the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, along with one minibus route between Kowloon Bay and the terminal and ferries on the weekends.

"The frequencies of various modes of transport are insufficient, with services provided every 30 to 45 minutes, which is not effective in generating local flows and will slow down the commercial development in the area," said lawmaker Starry Lee Wai-king, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Lee said she was concerned that the operation of the youth hostel might be affected by a seriously inadequate transport network.

Additionally, the survey found that about one-third of respondents called for additional social spaces, while 55 percent wanted accommodation facilities and 48 percent preferred more activities.

Lee suggested reinforcing high-level coordination of the Kai Tak Office to promote synergy among the hostel, nearby Kai Tak Sports Park and the cruise terminal. "This would contribute to the development of a vibrant cultural and creative tourism area," she added.

As for the Kai Tak Sports Park, the first trial match will take place on Sunday, including a crowd-management exercise involving 1,000 spectators.

Kowloon City district councillor Kwan Ho-yeung suggested diverting participants to "second-tier MTR stations," for example, adding a minibus line from Sung Wong Toi and To Kwa Wan MTR stations to Kowloon City station, to enhance crowd dispersion.

Given the disparity in size between the 1,000-person drill and the actual 50,000-person capacity of the main stadium, Kwan said that while the drill can serve as an exercise, it is possible that an unforeseen incident may arise in an actual scenario.