Steering role: Improvements at the Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre are among the suggestions drawn up by experts.

The Task Force on Emergency Transport Co-ordination has mapped out 56 measures to improve traffic conditions.

Its report, submitted to the Environment, Transport & Works Bureau today, suggested refining crisis management, enhancing department liaison, harnessing advanced technologies and timely release of traffic information.

The body reviewed action taken in the three incidents that sparked abnormally serious traffic jams in Kowloon on May 9, and drew up recommendations for immediate and future implementation.

Chairman Teresa Cheng said the incidents showed problems in the communication process and co-ordination work both among and within departments. There are also inadequacies in the current emergency transport co-ordination framework.

Ms Cheng said: "There is a need to refine and align the crisis management arrangements, enhance communication and co-ordination both within and between departments, harness advanced technologies for better traffic management, and take all possible steps to disseminate traffic information to the public in a timely manner."

Improvement measures

The task force suggests:

* enhancing the co-ordination capabilities of the Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre. In emergencies, Transport Department officers and Police should co-locate at the centre and operate under the joint-steering mode;

* making available a representative of the Environment, Transport & Works Bureau to enhance co-ordination with other bureaux and the senior Government echelon;

* making available senior officers of other supporting departments to be stationed at the centre to enhance the efficiency of communication and decision-making;

* developing more comprehensive contingency plans and conducting regular emergency drills;

* establishing a more efficient notification mechanism within each department for senior officers to deploy resources, monitoring the developments and giving timely directives;

* clearly defining the roles of different departments in handling traffic incidents and aligning their emergency handling procedures;

* using an incident map to enhance data collection;

* enhancing the judgement and assessment made by officers at the scene, and making them aware of the macro-picture when handling incidents;

* providing information and guidance to commuters and making prior arrangements with bus operators to aid traffic diversions;

* improving the content of traffic bulletins by offering clear indication of the degree of congestion, alternative routes and the estimated reopening time of closed lanes;

* using the most appropriate means to contact the media and relevant bodies when releasing traffic information and taking necessary follow-up action. Using multiple channels to disseminate information to the public in a timely manner; and,

* enhancing co-ordination between the Transport Department and Police when releasing emergency traffic information to avoid causing confusion.

Ms Cheng said departments have acknowledged that timely improvements are necessary.

"This has smoothened the review process and ensured the report is both fact-finding and forward-looking, with recommendations catering for both immediate and future implementations," she said.

Click here to read the full report.