Latest news with #GaryZhangXinyu
South China Morning Post
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong should put brakes on driverless technology push: industry veterans
Hong Kong needs to take a more cautious approach to implementing driverless technology , particularly on crowded roads, industry leaders have warned. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan last week discussed the city's efforts to step up trials on self-driving vehicles, with plans to officially introduce passenger services and commercial applications, such as ride-hailing, within one to two years. Such services have already existed in mainland China for at least six years. Chan told a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday that testing had reached level four of highly automated driving, aligned with national and global standards and indicating that the city matched the mainland and other parts of the world on the technology. The Society of Automotive Engineers has defined international standards for autonomous vehicles using a six-tier system, with zero meaning no automation and level five, full automation. The system has been widely adopted globally by the automotive industry and regulatory bodies. Lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu said Hong Kong could catch up with the mainland in terms of self-driving technology, pointing to the city's strong road infrastructure and progressive regulations as attractive to foreign companies in the field.
South China Morning Post
05-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Call for Hong Kong to fix border internet issues, protect rural areas
Boosting internet connectivity at border checkpoints and raising environmental awareness in rural areas are among the improvement measures suggested by observers based on lessons learned from this year's 'Labour Day' golden week holiday for Hong Kong authorities. Advertisement The recommendation comes after tourists struggled to generate QR code tickets for their trains due to an overloaded network, while littering issues were spotted in country parks packed with visitors during the five-day holiday. The MTR Corporation earlier stated that the mobile data and free Wi-fi at Lok Ma Chau station could not handle the high traffic on Friday, after social media posts showed tourists crowded in the station. Consequently, passengers faced significant delays in using their smartphones to generate QR codes from the various payment platforms. It said it had contacted its network provider to increase mobile data capacity and it had doubled its Wi-fi capacity. Advertisement Lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu, an engineer who previously served as a station services manager at the MTR Corp, said he was 'shocked' and 'embarrassed' by the situation, especially given the widespread use of digital payments.
South China Morning Post
23-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Boost Hong Kong's Airport Express ridership by improving connectivity: lawmakers
Lawmakers have proposed increasing the city's Airport Express ridership by connecting the service to the high-speed rail and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, and by maintaining cheaper fares to the AsiaWorld-Expo. Advertisement Lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu suggested on a radio programme on Wednesday that links with the two sites would help increase passenger flows by encouraging people from mainland China to fly from Hong Kong. The lawmaker's suggestion follows the MTR Corporation's proposal on Tuesday to raise Airport Express fares for the first time in eight years, with an average increase of 9.4 per cent. The company said the increase was to ensure 'a sustainable income' to meet increasing operational costs and investments required to renew railway assets, adding that there was a need to adjust fares to break even and maintain 'high-quality service'. 'We want to make it more convenient for passengers to transfer to the Airport Express from the West Kowloon high-speed rail station, so that we can achieve transfers between railway systems and aeroplanes,' Zhang said. Advertisement 'We hope to attract more friends from mainland provinces to come to Hong Kong using high-speed rail, then transfer to the Airport Express, where they could then fly internationally from Hong Kong.' 'We actually have the conditions to do this geographically,' he said, adding that authorities could consider using autonomous vehicles to link up the two stations.
South China Morning Post
23-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Boost Hong Kong's Airport Express ridership by improving connectivity: lawmakers
Lawmakers have proposed increasing the city's Airport Express ridership by connecting the service to the high-speed rail and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, and by maintaining cheaper fares to the AsiaWorld-Expo. Advertisement Lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu suggested on a radio programme on Wednesday that links with the two sites would help increase passenger flows by encouraging people from mainland China to fly from Hong Kong. The lawmaker's suggestion follows the MTR Corporation's proposal on Tuesday to raise Airport Express fares for the first time in eight years, with an average increase of 9.4 per cent. The company said the increase was to ensure 'a sustainable income' to meet increasing operational costs and investments required to renew railway assets, adding that there was a need to adjust fares to break even and maintain 'high-quality service'. 'We want to make it more convenient for passengers to transfer to the Airport Express from the West Kowloon high-speed rail station, so that we can achieve transfers between railway systems and aeroplanes,' Zhang said. Advertisement 'We hope to attract more friends from mainland provinces to come to Hong Kong using high-speed rail, then transfer to the airport express, where they could then fly internationally from Hong Kong.' 'We actually have the conditions to do this geographically,' he said, adding that authorities could consider using autonomous vehicles to link up the two stations.
South China Morning Post
12-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's MTR Corp, KMB explore pet-friendly policies
Two Hong Kong public transport operators – MTR Corporation and franchised bus firm KMB – are considering allowing passengers to bring small animals on board in a bid to cater to pet owners, the South China Morning Post has learned. Sources said the rail giant and bus firm were both mulling the move, with the MTR Corp to make a decision in the first half of this year. The companies were expected to limit the size of pets allowed, they added. An insider said the MTR Corp planned to conduct a trial run on weekends to gauge public sentiment, with the service then being extended to non-peak hours during weekdays. 'The MTR Corp needs to balance the extent of public acceptance and the travel needs of pet owners,' the insider said. 'The size of the pets allowed on board should be small and carried in a carriage or a bag so they can be kept at a safe distance from other passengers to avoid causing any nuisance.' A second source said the rail firm could also designate one compartment on each train for pets. Another insider said KMB was eager to introduce a pet-friendly policy on its regular bus routes. The firm rolled out the city's first regular animal-friendly public coach service in October last year. Hong Kong's first pet-friendly bus is a tail-wagging success The service allows cats and dogs of all breeds aboard select double-decker buses, and charges passengers with pets just HK$35 (US$4.50) per ride. 'KMB has considered rolling out the service during non-peak hours with the size of the pet no bigger than that of a permissible piece of luggage. But they must be put in a container,' he said. In response to the South China Morning Post's inquiries, the MTR Corp stopped short of saying if it was considering such a policy. The firm only said that it needed to 'consider and balance different factors' as it sought to provide safe, reliable and comfortable rail services. 'The company will continue to maintain communication with different stakeholders,' it said. KMB said it was committed to encouraging a more pet-friendly environment, adding that its non-franchised 'Pet Bus Tour' service had received tremendously positive responses. 'The company maintains an open attitude towards allowing pets on franchised buses and will consider various factors and balance the opinions of all stakeholders to foster a more inclusive society,' it said. Lawmakers Gary Zhang Xinyu and Michael Tien Puk-sun both expressed their support for the move. 'Hong Kong is an open and vibrant city that should cater to the different demands of customers. A lot of Hongkongers own pets, and they should be given convenience for travelling,' Zhang said. 'This policy should be introduced in stages to allow the public to gradually accept it.' Hong Kong's public transport operators are aiming to cater to pet owners while balancing public acceptance. Photo: Lo Hoi-ying Tien, who is also a former chairman of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, said: 'I support this initiative to allow pet owners to carry their 'fur child' on public transport.' 'We should be cautious at the start and take in small pets first at non-peak hours. For KMB, [animals] should be kept at the lower deck, but they cannot occupy a seat,' he added. 'If both the MTR Corp and KMB allow passengers to carry luggage, I cannot see why they cannot bring their pets on board.' Government statistics showed that about 242,000 households in Hong Kong in 2019 kept dogs and cats, accounting for 9.4 per cent of all households. Pets are currently barred from public transport such as trains, buses and trams, unless they are guide dogs. But local legislation allows the operators of franchised or licensed ferry services, public light buses and non-franchised buses to decide for themselves whether passengers can board with pets. The city is home to more than 1,600 parks, but only about 160 welcome pets, so long as they are on leashes. Canines, meanwhile, can only run freely in the 52 dog parks. Many owners looking to travel with their animals have to hire an Uber Pet service, which charges a HK$20 fee per animal, or take a taxi. Cabbies only charge HK$5 per pet, but drivers can refuse to carry them. In contrast, many locations in Europe allow pets on buses, ferries and trains. Britain, the United States and South Korea permit pets on public transport if they are kept in carriers or bags, while Japan and Taiwan allow animals in carriers on certain rail systems. In July of last year, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said authorities would balance factors such as compartment space, the behaviour of animals and the potential impact on other commuters before considering whether to relax restrictions. The government would also keep in mind all relevant suggestions while considering whether such a change was needed, he added.
