TD steers to enhance public transport services to support Tai Po fire residents admitted into transitional housing
The Transport Department (TD) today (December 4) said that it has been steering public transport operators to strengthen services by deploying additional vehicles and manpower to support residents affected by the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po who have been admitted into transitional housing. To date, the public transport arrangements of various transitional housing projects are set out below:
District
Location
Current public transport services
Additional/enhanced public transport services
Tai Po
Good House
- KMB 72C, 73P, 74E, 75K, 75P and 275R to Tai Po Market, Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong respectively
- Green Minibus (GMB) 20B, 20C, 20E, 20G, 20R and 20T to Tai Po Market Station
- Additional residents' service (RS) NR540 to and from Good House and Tai Po Market Station, providing service from morning to evening daily
Lok Sin Village
- GMB 20B, 20C and 20G services enhanced
- Enhanced service by three additional vehicles under KMB 75K
Trackside Villas
- RSNR50 to and from Trackside Villas and Tai Po Market Station
Yuen Long
CONCORDIA Sheung Yue River
- KMB 77K to Sheung Shui Station and Yuen Long Station
- Red minibus to Sheung Shui Station and Yuen Long
- Enhanced service by additional vehicle under KMB 77K
CONCORDIA Tsat Sing Kong
- KMB 54, 77K, 251B and 251M to Yuen Long, Sheung Shui and Tsuen Wan respectively
- GMB 608 and 608S to Yuen Long and Kam Sheung Road Station respectively
North
Pok Oi Sing Ping Village
- KMB 79K to Fanling and Sheung Shui Station
- GMB 52K to Fanling Station
- Service enhanced by additional vehicle under KMB 79K
For details of franchised bus and GMB services, please refer to the website of the TD and franchised bus operators. The TD will continue to maintain close liaison with operating organisations of transitional housing projects concerned and public transport operators to cater for residents' commuting needs.
The Transport Department, Photo by Bastille Post
Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses
Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
"In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so," a spokesman for the BD said.
Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.
The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:
(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.
(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.
"The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation," the spokesman added.
To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD's website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.
Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD's website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.
Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.
Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.
Source: AI-found images
