Hong Kong Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works Sarah Liao said on July 5 that the city will develop contingency plans, adopt a joint steering mode and enhance communication to improve traffic conditions.

The moves come in the wake of suggestions made by the Task Force on Emergency Transport Coordination.

Liao said their report's 56 useful recommendations will be studied carefully. They include developing contingency plans for closure of or congestion occurring on traffic-sensitive routes, adopting a joint steering mode at the Emergency Transport Coordination Center when situations warrant, improving communication and coordination within and among departments and some other measures.

Liao admitted the abnormal traffic snarls in Kowloon on May 9 showed lax coordination and crisis management. She pledged more training on crisis management for staff and mechanism improvements.

She said departments have reviewed and improved their emergency-handling arrangements and boosted communication.

Source: Xinhua