Broken Paths – Hong Kong’s cycling paths may need a make over, cyclists say
by Jacky Cheung
Cycling is a popular activity for many Hong Kong people, but not all the cycling paths in Hong Kong are well-constructed, according to the bicycle industry in Hong Kong.
The cycling paths at Tuen Mun are mostly not connected and are scattered in different areas. Unlike the completed path between Shatin and Taipo, the path at Tun Mun often breaks apart cyclists have to drop off and pass through the pedestrian road to continue their journey. Fung King Yan, a cyclist who lives in Tuen Mun, said the path is disturbing because it causes potential dangers.
“It breaks a lot and make me to stop often,” he said. However, Fung said he will not ride through the pedestrian area because it is inconvenient and also illegal.
In Hong Kong, cycling on the pedestrian area is illegal, and comes with a HK$500 fine or three months in jail.
The government had planned to construct a “Super Cycling Path” with HK$2.2 billion to connect the paths all over the New Territories. The project suggests merging all scattered paths in New Territories East and West, and creates a comprehensive cycling network with a total length of 112km.
The original construction plan for the path between Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan was to start in 2011 and be completed in 2015. However, the construction has not started yet. The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) said that the construction plan has not been scrapped, but needs to be further discussed. The construction is put on hold because there is not enough road space at the Castle Peak Road. It might require land reclamation in order to build cycling paths. The department agreed to delay the construction.
Fung said, “the delay of construction brings continues dangers to Tuen Mun cyclists because the planned routes could originally improves the scattered routes inside Tuen Mun.”
