檔案館:香港集體運輸研究/第一章

←

目錄

《香港集體運輸研究》第一章 引論

第二章－現存公共運輸

→

香港地圖

引論

1. 香港島在1941年1月26日正式由一支英國海軍部隊佔領，並在幾日後，查理·義律上校宣佈香港島為不列顛殖民地，並命名為域多利城（Victoria，後譯維多利亞城）。在1860年的《北京條約》中，九龍半島再割讓予大不列顛並成為香港殖民地的一部分。在1898年的《北京條約》（《第二北京條約》，即《展拓香港界址專條》）中，新界地區包括235個島嶼租予不列顛99年。
2. 1845年6月的第一份人口報告顯示香港人口為23,817人。至第二次世界大戰爆發之時，香港人口已達160萬。日佔期間很多人離開香港，1945年8月之時，香港人口估計僅餘60萬。至1947年末，人口暴升兩倍，並至此繼續快速增長。1961年人口普查顯示香港人口為3,133,100人，並預料1966年人口達3,696,400人，五年間增長百分之18。
3. 香港和九龍的土地主要是山地構成。在許多地方，山丘直接從海中升起，幾乎沒有適合居住的平坦土地。然而，殖民地周圍的大部分水都足夠淺並易於填海。自1851年一條小溪被填滿形成現在的文咸街以來，填海工程一直在穩步進行。因此，香港的獨特之處在於它的人口和土地面積在相同的地理範圍內每年地增長。
4. 香港最初是作為貿易站和英國貿易和行政的總部之一而建立的。由於其優越的港口和位於珠江口的地理位置，僅距廣州76英里，因而成為實現此類目的的理想地點。
5. 雖然香港未能有足夠食物和水資源支撐其巨大人口，仍吸引了不少從中國內地而來的人。一個優越的港口加上巨大又具有活力的人口令香港發展為現今的工業城鎮，其勞動人口的四成由生產各樣商業產品的工廠聘用，亦因而入口大量的原材料，經過各樣生產程序後再將產品批發至全球。

研究背景及範疇

6. 1963年，倫敦公共運輸管理局及道路研究實驗室獲邀為香港政府（譯註：港英政府，下同）。同年後期，兩個機構的代表訪問了香港並建議設立一支永久的交通研究團隊。
7. 1964年，工務局在英國道路研究所人員的技術指導下成立交通狀況調查組（Passenger Transport Survey Unit，PTSU），其職權範圍包括進行調查以獲取有關當前乘客流動的事實信息，以作確定未來發展對這些人員流動模式的可能影響。1967年，該單位成為一個永久性組織，[易]名為交通運輸調查組（Traffic and Transport Survey Unit，TTSU），負責長期複檢交通和運輸的需求、翻新調查數據及預測未來的交通和運輸趨勢。
8. 1965年初，香港政府意識到有必要對公共運輸進行更詳細的研究，因而決定這項工作應該在獲得交通狀況調查組研究的基礎數據的同時開始。為此，香港政府於1965年7月與費爾文霍士顧問工程公司（Freeman, Fox, Wilbur Smith and Associates）達成協議，進行大眾運輸可行性研究。
9. 協議內容包括：
   1. 研究現存各項公共運輸系統並評估其在香港的狀況下的相對潛力；
   2. 為可能更具吸引力的系統設計替代路線，並根據資本成本、運轉成本、服務質量和容量等因素對這些系統進行更詳細的評估；
   3. 確定現今、短期和長期（1986年）的潛在的出行需求，以便能夠比較替代交通系統的成本、收益和與總體規劃政策的適用性；及
   4. 制訂一個可行的建議公共運輸運輸發展方案以供按階段實踐並附上建議的模式和預測資本開支及年度收支。

研究範圍

10. 本研究範圍涉及香港整個殖民地。亦會有詳細的集體運輸研究，專門為現有市區以及已規劃之將來發展而設。在本研究進行時，我們亦已經制定了協議，為規劃中的新界新市鎮之集體運輸需要提供一般建議。

關注議題

11. 滿足市民能迅速便捷前往工作、購物、娛樂，以及各地之間來往之需，是城市存在的重要目的之一。要讓工商業有效運作，讓僱員及客人出門便利是必不可少。事實上，市中心內的每項活動均依賴交通。而一個城市的經濟效率高低亦取決於其運輸系統的強弱。
12. 造成市內出行增長有以下三個最重要因素：
    1. growth in population;
    2. expansion of the physical size of the urban area; and,
    3. a rising standard of living.
    Although Hong Kong has had a large and rapidly growing population for many years, it has been mainly concentrated in a relatively small urban area, with residential, commercial and industrial land uses intermingled. The density and distribution of population and business activity has kept transport demands within manageable proportions. However, rapid increases in all these factors, combined with the fact that there is only limited room to expand present transport facilities, has created the need to investigate more efficient means for transporting large masses of people.
13. In Hong Kong there is great dependence on public transport and in some parts of the community, almost all personal travel is by this means. Surveys indicate that as an overall average, public transport accounts for approximately 75 per cent of personal trips. High population density, limited average family income, limited road mileage and shortage of space for parking, all contribute to this dependence. These factors are generally very slow to change so it is likely that this state of affairs will prevail for many years.

Figure 1 — Population Trend

14. A study of past trends gives an indication of the problems which will have to be faced in the future. Figure I shows the population trend between 1900 and the present day. Except for a drop during World War II, this graph shows that the population is growing at a very rapid rate. Since the area of the Colony has changed only negligibly the population density has increased at approximately the same rate as the population. The overall density of population for the entire Colony is now 9,300 persons per square mile. However, this does not reflect the effective population density from the standpoint of transport requirements. Approximately 81 per cent of the population is concentrated in 29 of the Colony's 398 square miles. Population densities range over 100,000 persons per square mile; most of the Colony's business and commercial activity is concentrated into this small, densely urbanised area, and over 90 per cent of public transport journeys are made within it.
15. As the Colony and its inhabitants become more prosperous, more people will travel and trip lengths will increase. Similarly, as the overall standard of living increases, people who previously made few journeys, many of which were on foot, will begin to use public transport. The upper income groups will increase and swell the demand for private cars and the road space to use them. Figure 2 shows that these factors are already in operation. Both use of public transport and vehicle registration are increasing at a faster rate than population. This is an unusual condition, but one that is likely to continue, as better job opportunities for the low income groups become more readily available in new industrial and urban developments.

Figure 2 — Growth of Population, Public Transport Riding and Vehicle Registration

16. The trend in motor vehicle registrations in Hong Kong since 1954 is shown in Figure 3. Private cars constitute the largest category of vehicles, followed by goods vehicles and motor-cycles. The smallest category—less than 2 per cent of the total—are public buses. This becomes quite significant when the percentage of bus travel is considered.
17. In 1948 there was one motor vehicle for every 174 people in the Colony. By the end of 1966 this figure had changed to one vehicle for every 40 people. Although vehicle registrations increased at a lesser rate in the past two years, the trend continues consistently upward. While the present ratio of vehicles to population in Hong Kong does not approach the 2 to 8 people per vehicle already reached in the United States and many European countries, the limited land and road area creates problems in the movement and storage of even the motor vehicles now in use. Table 1, which was developed by comparing the number of vehicles with miles of roadway in other countries, shows that there are only two countries with more vehicles per mile of road than Hong Kong. The combination of a large number of vehicles per mile of road with rapidly increasing vehicle registration, very high urban densities and a shortage of developable land, must lead to extremely congested traffic conditions in the future unless action is taken.

每英里已改善道路的車輛數

表一

地域	已改善道路英里數	車輛數	每英里車輛數
摩納哥	23	9,343	406.2
直布羅陀	18	6,465	359.2
香港	564	77,230	136.9
運河區（巴拿馬）	141	15,425	109.4
波多黎各	3,839	306,000	79.9
巴哈馬	189	14,464	76.5
荷屬安地列斯	358	26,800	74.9
百慕達	131	9,327	71.2
奧地利	13,642	852,944	62.5
印度尼西亞	3,272	300,000	56.9
義大利	118,061	5,684,121	48.2
大不列顛	199,743	9,566,000	47.9
來源：世界公路初步統計－1965，國際道路聯合會。

18. Apart from the ferry services, the Kowloon-Canton railway, and the Peak tramway, all public transport movement is by bus or tram on the surface road system. This means that road congestion will have the same adverse effect on public as on private transport. The competition for road space, between all the various vehicles, will adversely affect not only the efficient running of public transport, but also the free flow of people and goods. This could seriously damage Hong Kong's economy.

Figure 3 — Vehicle Registration by Type

GENERAL PLAN OF STUDY

19. Extensive research has been undertaken to obtain the information necessary to form a series of recommendations for an objective public transport plan. This research has used procedures already proved valuable and tested by considerable past experience in similar studies.
20. Most of the basic travel surveys were conducted by the Passenger Transport Survey Unit (PTSU) during the summer of 1965. These consisted of a home-interview type origin-destination survey, multiple screen line origin-destination surveys, travel time surveys, traffic volume surveys and various special surveys to obtain information about particular travel characteristics. Most of these surveys were limited to the urban area of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon. Supplementary surveys were later made in the New Territories by the PTSU and as part of this study. A complete description of the surveys conducted by the PTSU is contained in a report entitled "Hong Kong Passenger Transport Survey 1964-1966" prepared by that unit. It also contains extensive descriptions of existing public transport characteristics. These have not been repeated here, except when necessary for clarity.
21. The data obtained in the origin and destination surveys were analysed and summarised to relate present travel to such

    planning parameters as population, vehicle ownership, employment, household type and family income. By predicting the values and distribution of the planning parameters for 1986, it was possible to forecast 1986 travel. The patterns were converted to passenger

    movements and assigned to several alternative public transport systems, thus leading to the system recommended in this report.
22. Other investigations were conducted concurrently with the analysis of origin and destination information. Studies of tram and bus loading characteristics were made at high load points in several main transit corridors. Surveys of walking and waiting times were made at ferry landings and at other public transport transfer points. A New Territories taxi travel time survey was also made.
23. A complete study of the physical and financial characteristic of the seven public transport companies was made early in this investigation. This included an evaluation of routes, terminals, fares, vehicles, passenger loading, income, costs and administration. All of the companies co-operated by supplying the information required. Certain financial information was supplied with the agreement that it would not be published in a form that would make it possible to identify the finances of individual companies.
24. A complete evaluation was made, of principal public transport systems throughout the world, whether at present in operation or planned for the immediate future. Particular attention was paid to systems that have been recently completed, or are presently under construction. All available information about these systems was gathered and all new techniques were considered for use in the development of a system for Hong Kong. The relative advantages of underground, overhead and surface systems were considered in view of the special conditions found in this Colony. Various cities around the world were visited to gather first hand information about their transport systems. Many technical and semi-technical reports were obtained and thoroughly analysed. This investigation led to the formation of three alternative transport systems to be tested for use in Hong Kong.
25. All physical features affecting location and construction were carefully observed, including topography, utilities, drainage and land use. Every effort was made to take into account current plans for public housing, urban redevelopment, open space, reclamation and various private development schemes. The general land use pattern and its density of development were given careful consideration. Plans already underway, or projected, for major road facilities were studied and related to the findings of this investigation. In brief, the basic aim of the route location studies was to relate the proposed facilities to every aspect of overall planning.
26. Approximately two-thirds of the way through the project, the best general public transport system for 1986 was identified and the remainder of the effort was on the design of this system. Estimates of capital and running costs were made, revenues were estimated from the projected traffic volumes, and a stage construction plan was developed. Every effort was made to evaluate right-of-way costs in terms of present market values. The estimates of cost were computed after considering alternative construction methods in the light of conditions likely to be encountered in Hong Kong. Alternative alignments were studied and in each case the total cost was weighed against the level of service. By these means an objective approach has been made to the problem of judging the economic feasibility of the system.

BI-MONTHLY REPORTS

27. Reports were submitted to Government every two months throughout the study. In addition to showing progress, these reports contained pertinent information from the various work phases. Each report was followed by discussions with the Transport Advisory Committee and the heads of the various divisions of the Public Works Department. The guidance obtained from these meetings contributed greatly to the general plan of the study.