(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Transport Department announced today that it will conduct the Travel Characteristics Survey 2022 from September to December with the aim of collecting up-to-date information on citizens' travel patterns and behaviour.

It explained that the survey, which will need about 35,000 randomly selected households to participate, will be used to update and enhance the strategic transport model and forecast future traffic conditions.

The traffic forecasts will provide essential references for the planning of transport infrastructure and the formulation of transport policies, such that the future transport system can better meet the public’s needs.

The department said in the past 10 years, with the rapid development of Hong Kong, the travel patterns of the public have changed significantly.

It pointed out that the changes include the city's transport network and travelling options, instantaneous traffic information, lifestyles and new norms under the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the increasing integration of Hong Kong with other cities in the Greater Bay Area.

In a press briefing this afternoon, Deputy Commissioner for Transport (Planning & Technical Services) Tony Yau noted that the survey can help development projects assess the traffic impact.

“The Travel Characteristics Survey is a basic set of information or fundamental information for conducting the TIA, the traffic impact assessment. And for every development project, no matter if the development is residential, industrial, office or even a government facility, they all have certain demands on traffic and transport.

“For example, the Northern Metropolis or the Lantau Tomorrow Vision, all those developments will need to conduct their own TIA, which is based on our latest travel characteristics data.

“In other words, that means that kind of data - this travel characteristics data - will have an impact on all the developments, including the new developments, including the Northern Metropolis as well as the Lantau Tomorrow Vision.”

The survey will collect trip information of individual household members, such as the time of trips, transport modes used, interchange locations and destinations. It will also collect information about the factors affecting their travel characteristics and their views on various transport facilities.

Selected households will receive notification letters inviting their participation from the department by batches. Households can complete the survey online or by making appointments for face-to-face or telephone interviews.

If a household has not made an appointment for an interview or completed the online questionnaire one week after the notification letter is issued, survey officers will visit the household and assist in completing the survey.

For ease of identification, in addition to carrying a blue satchel, survey officers will wear a blue uniform as well as a name tag with photos issued by the department. Each household member will take around 20 minutes to complete the questionnaire.

The respondents will only need to provide basic information such as age range, trip records and occupation.

All information provided by the respondents will be encrypted during transmission to a protected server and all the completed questionnaires will be destroyed upon completion of data analysis.

Click here or call 3900 1100 for details.