Globally, outdoor air pollution has become the leading cause of public health risk. The health effects of air pollution are serious – one third of deaths from stroke, lung cancer and heart disease are due to air pollution. This is having an equivalent effect to that of smoking tobacco.
In Hong Kong, the public is exposed to dangerously high level of roadside air pollution, which is far from meeting World Health Organization’s recommended safe level. It represents a strong health risk in relations to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and especially to vulnerable groups, such as the children, elderly, chronic patients and the underprivileged.
Commercial vehicles, including our public road transport, contribute to over 90% of the roadside air pollution. One of the more successful solutions to address roadside air pollution, as demonstrated in other cities, is the transformation of bus fleet to Zero Exhaust Emission technology such as electric/hydrogen.
There were challenges, such as on technology adaptation to local landscape, the operation and financial model, etc, encountered by other cities during the process to adopt more clean buses. However, with adequate political will, these challenges should not be insurmountable.
In Hong Kong, there have been trials for electric buses for some years. The progress is disappointing – there are only less than 40 franchised buses powered by electric in comparison to the total 6,000 bus fleet.
The goal of the Getting Ahead campaign is to work with the community and experts to identify latest overseas bus technology, and the potential of deploying cleaner buses in Hong Kong. Together we will advocate the Government and key stakeholders to shoulder responsibility to clean up Hong Kong’s bus fleet.
Getting Ahead is a campaign that equips Hong Kong with the knowledge, on mobility, local opportunities and overseas experiences, to enable full transformation to Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) fleet tomorrow.
Together with the community and experts, Clean Air Network urge the Government to shoulder the responsibility to equip Hong Kong with policy and infrastructure to lead such transformation. Let’s get ahead to a better alternative future with better air quality, public health and living standard.
Transforming to cleaner bus will benefit not only individual health but also public healthcare system. The HKU’s Hedley Environmental Index estimated in 2019 one year alone, air pollution caused over 1,700 premature deaths, HK$20 billion direct economic loss, over 2.2 million doctor visits and over 127 thousand hospital bed days in Hong Kong. This is a preventable cost.
To safeguard public health, Hong Kong needs a cleaner and healthier mobility system. To start with, To start with, Hong Kong’s first EV Roadmap, as announced by the Government in Budget 2020/21 should articulate how our franchised bus fleet and other vehicles should be transformed to respond to growing environmental health concerns among the public. The Steering Committee on the Promotion of Electric Vehicles, under the leadership of Financial Secretary, should take full responsibility to formulate this roadmap. The Roadmap should outline Hong Kong’s plan to invest on infrastructure and subsidise the transition of vehicle, maintenance and support technology.
Getting Ahead is an initiative led by the Clean Air Network, a non-profit civic organisation focused on addressing air pollution issue in Hong Kong.
Established in 2009, Clean Air Network envisions to clean up Hong Kong’s air until it meets the World Health Organization’s recommended safe level. We work with the professionals and the community to advocate for policy change.
We deserve better and cleaner buses
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Hong Kong’s current policy and regulations are far behind our regional peers and similar global economies, in consciously leading mobility reform.
The lack of vision in this respect is why we seek your involvement
