Ombudsman announces results of full investigation into mechanism regulating illegal bicycle parking caused by bicycle rental shops
The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (November 3) announced the completion of a full investigation into the mechanism regulating illegal bicycle parking caused by bicycle rental shops.
The Government addresses the problem of illegal bicycle parking by having member departments of the local Working Group on Tackling Illegal Bicycle Parking, which includes the District Office (DO) of the Home Affairs Department (HAD), the District Lands Office (DLO) of the Lands Department, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Transport Department (TD), exercise their respective powers under the law, depending on the location and condition of the bicycles, to conduct interdepartmental joint operations as necessary to remove bicycles illegally parked on government land in accordance with established procedures. Upon receiving complaints about illegal bicycle parking, the DLO, the FEHD, and the TD refer them to the DO for follow-up in accordance with the Working Group's guidelines on joint operations for clearing illegally parked bicycles (Operation Guidelines). Joint operations are carried out by the Working Group under the co-ordination of the relevant DO.
Mr Chan said, "The Office of The Ombudsman notes that some bicycle rental shops in Shatin persistently placed a large number of bicycles along the pedestrian walkways outside the shops (the Location), obstructing pedestrians and even posing safety concerns. The complainant notified HAD in May 2024, requesting that it take follow-up action in collaboration with other relevant departments, but the departments failed to properly address the illegal bicycle parking caused by the rental shops such that the problem persisted.
"The Office's investigation found that the Working Group had indeed established Operation Guidelines to address illegal bicycle parking, and its member departments had also exercised their powers under the law to conduct joint operations in accordance with these guidelines and established procedures. In response to the complaint, the Working Group carried out six joint operations between July 2024 and June 2025, during which nearly 1 000 statutory notices were posted and illegally parked bicycles were cleared. Following our inquiry, the Working Group specifically increased the frequency of joint operations at the Location from an average of once every two months to once a month, starting in June 2025. As a further step in addressing the problem, the Working Group identified and compiled a list of blackspots, and intensified joint operations at severely affected locations. Since August 2025, the DO has been installing signage at the blackspots within the District to remind shop operators and related parties to exercise self-discipline, raise law-abiding awareness, and comply with bicycle parking regulations.
"However, our investigation revealed that both before and after the joint operation, over 100 bicycles remained parked at the Location, indicating the persistent severity of illegal bicycle parking there. The improvement was short-lived during the enforcement period by the relevant departments, with the problem of illegal parking soon recurring," said Mr Chan.
"The Office considers the problem of illegal bicycle parking in Hong Kong has not been thoroughly resolved. The departments should further strengthen and implement the spirit of interdepartmental collaboration with the shared goal of addressing the issue seriously and genuinely. Regarding illegal bicycle parking, the Office has made 17 improvement recommendations for the Working Group. The Working Group has accepted all of them and will implement our recommendations."
The recommendations for improvement include:
• continue interdepartmental collaboration and closely monitor illegal bicycle parking;
• continue conducting large-scale joint operations at the Location at least once a month;
• consider increasing the frequency of reviews on the effectiveness of joint operations from a biannual to a quarterly or even monthly basis, and adjust enforcement strategies as needed;
• during routine patrols, promptly clear or at least prioritise the removal of illegally parked bicycles that severely obstruct pedestrian walkways or pose a danger to pedestrians;
• explore the introduction of innovative smart surveillance systems, including the pilot installation of AI-enabled cameras at the Location to identify illegally parked bicycles, with a view to enhancing enforcement effectiveness;
• consider increasing the number of bicycle parking places or expanding existing facilities near the Location to better accommodate the parking needs of the public and the rental shops;
• drawing on management practices for car parks, explore the feasibility of implementing double-deck parking racks at bicycle parking places; and
• enhance communication and consultations with shop operators at the Location, and also solicit their views and explore concrete and effective improvement measures to address illegal parking.
The full investigation report has been uploaded to the website of the Office of The Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.hk for public information.
Ombudsman announces results of full investigation into mechanism regulating illegal bicycle parking caused by bicycle rental shops Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Ombudsman announces results of full investigation into mechanism regulating illegal bicycle parking caused by bicycle rental shops Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (May 21) released the fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in May, covering 12 survey areas, as follows:
District |
Survey Area |
May 2026 |
First Phase Gravidtrap Index |
First Phase Density Index |
Eastern |
Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho |
9.1% |
1.4 |
Islands |
Tung Chung |
2.0% |
1.0 |
Kowloon City |
Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan |
6.7% |
1.5 |
Tai Po |
Tai Po East |
2.2% |
2.0 |
Tai Po West |
15.5% |
1.0 |
Tuen Mun |
Tuen Mun South |
9.1% |
1.4 |
District |
Survey Area |
May 2026 |
Area Gravidtrap Index |
Area Density Index |
Central and Western |
Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui |
16.8% |
1.3 |
Eastern |
Chai Wan |
15.4% |
1.0 |
North Point and Quarry Bay |
18.9% |
1.4 |
Southern |
Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau |
20.8% |
1.7 |
Sha Tin |
Sha Tin Town Centre and Fo Tan |
18.3% |
1.4 |
Tsuen Wan |
Tsuen Wan Town |
6.9% |
2.3 |
The fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May includes First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering six survey areas and Area Gravidtrap Indexes covering six survey areas. Among which, six survey areas recorded gravidtrap indexes above 10 per cent, while Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau in Southern District recorded a gravidtrap index above 20 per cent. Meanwhile, the gravidtrap indexes of six survey areas, namely Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui in Central and Western District; North Point and Quarry Bay in Eastern District; Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho in Eastern District; Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau in Southern District; Tai Po East in Tai Po District; and Tuen Mun South in Tuen Mun District, have recorded a decrease as compared to the indexes recorded in the last survey period, reflecting the progress of relevant mosquito control work.
With reference to the data from the past few years, the gravidtrap indexes start to rise from April or May every year. The actual timing and extent of the rise are affected by factors like weather conditions and rainfall. The average temperature and rainfall recorded in April this year were higher than those in the same period last year, creating favourable conditions for mosquito growth and breeding. As a result, the rise in gravidtrap indexes occurred earlier this year. With the increase in rainfall in May, the gravidtrap indexes are expected to rise further.
For survey areas which recorded indexes exceeding 10 per cent, in accordance with the mechanism implemented by the FEHD in response to the chikungunya fever (CF) situation (i.e. strengthening mosquito control work in areas with a gravidtrap index between 10 per cent and 20 per cent, instead of 20 per cent or above under the original mechanism), the FEHD is collaborating with relevant departments and stakeholders to identify locations with high mosquito infestations and carry out intensive and targeted mosquito control measures. The FEHD has initiated two prosecutions against the relevant construction site contractors following the discovery of mosquito breeding at construction sites in Tai Po District and Southern District. Moreover, following the discovery of stagnant water or stagnant water containers in a park, a construction site, a private housing estate, a clinic and a private premises in Tai Po District, Central and Western District, as well as Southern District, the FEHD has issued five statutory notices to the responsible persons-in-charge, requiring the clearance of such items within a specified timeframe. The FEHD, the relevant departments and stakeholders are following up on the mosquito control work, and will also organise exhibitions, distribute leaflets and posters, and notify residential estates that have subscribed to the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, advising property management agents and residents to stay vigilant and work together in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures. In addition, the FEHD will strengthen the monitoring of the gravidtrap index in the areas to review the effectiveness of the mosquito control work.
Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:
tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside the premises;
remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of CF transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
FEHD releases fourth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
