To promote a more liveable city, the Chief Executive today announced a range of initiatives to ease traffic congestion in her Policy Address.

Mrs Lam said Hong Kong people’s aspiration for a liveable city has grown in step with social development.

The Government has proposed the actual tolls payable by private cars, taxis and motorcycles for using the Western Harbour Crossing be lowered, while the corresponding tolls of the Cross Harbour Tunnel and the Eastern Harbour Crossing be increased at the same time to achieve effective traffic re-distribution.

The non-means tested Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme proposed in the Policy Address last year will be launched in January 2019. This year’s Policy Address has further proposed waiving or paying for the toll charges on franchised buses for using government tunnels or the Western Harbour Crossing, so that the toll savings can be directly used to ease fare increase pressure.

The Government will provide at least 1,500 public car parking spaces in government facilities and public open space projects over the next five years.

Mrs Lam also said the Government would revive the Central-Hung Hom ferry route and launch a pilot “water taxi” service between Kai Tak, Hung Hom, Tsim Sha Tsui East, West Kowloon and Central.

To further reduce roadside pollution, the Government will introduce various new measures, including tightening the emission standards for newly registered motorcycles in 2020, phasing out Euro IV diesel commercial vehicles by the end of 2023 and considering ceasing the first registration of diesel private cars.

The Government will also legislate for the implementation of municipal solid waste charging and provide additional resources for the implementation of waste reduction and recycling, take the lead to avoid using disposable plastic tableware and study the feasibility of regulatory control on the use of such tableware.

To secure building safety, the Government will launch a $2.5 billion Lift Modernisation Subsidy Scheme to aid needy owners in modernising old lifts.

The Government has also completed the studies on site selection of the Tin Shui Wai and Tung Chung public markets. It is also identifying sites for public markets in Tseung Kwan O and Kwu Tung North New Development Area.

To protect animal welfare, the Government will amend the relevant legislation and implement the Police’s Animal Watchers Scheme.