Public Deputations on the Motor Vehicle Idling Bill, 1st Session

On Tuesday the 1st of June 2010, members of Clean Air Network attended the 3rd meeting concerning the Bill on Motor Vehicle Idling. Both opposing parties spoke with passion and clear conviction towards their cause. Whilst drivers’ health and well-being proved the primary concern for the transport organizations, environmental NGO’s firmly advocated the health of the community of Hong Kong as whole.

Summary of arguments:

Against

• Driver health
• Working conditions
• Passenger comfort/safety
• Increased pollution
• “we have done our part”

For

• HEALTH
• Gov. duty
• progress

Deputations AGAINST the ordinance

The issue that dominated the argument of most transport organizations was that of high temperature. When the ambient temperature is 35˚C, the inside of an immobile taxi can rise as high as the mid 40s thus creating a “sauna” where drivers feel “cooked under the sun” (Mr Dang- Sun Hing Taxi Radio Association).This has a direct effect on the drivers health leading to possible strokes, influenza, black outs and a general vulnerability to diseases. The health and safety of the driver was of primary concern by the majority of the parties present, with further apprehension on whose responsibility it was to compensate for these potential health problems. Furthermore it was noted that a driver behind the wheel of a moving vehicle is in fact a potential weapon and thus the wellbeing of drivers is additionally an issue of public safety.

The statement “the vehicle is the office” was one repeated throughout the meeting, emphasizing that all commercial drivers are entitled to a safe, comfortable working environment where aircon is a “common sense condition” (Motor Transport Workers general Union). From this arose allegations that the government was suppressing minority groups and victimizing those in the transport industry.

Further concern was voiced concerning the comfort and safety of the passengers. The argument was that if a passenger was to choose a taxi whose engine had been switched off due to restrictions of the bill, they would be entering a hot and stuffy vehicle. It takes approximately 5 minutes to cool a taxi and with 3/4 of trips averaging at 10 minutes, the conclusion was that the passenger would be in discomfort for half his or her time in that taxi. This would diminish the passengers comfort and reduce the standard of service provided (it is worth noting here that there was no mention of the obvious alternative of simply opening the window to quickly cool the taxi). This is both relevant to buses and taxis, especially those who had been waiting at a designated stop or queue.

With a combination of driver and passenger discomfort and fuelled by a obstinate mentality many organizations explained that to avoid such “nuisances” (transport Industry Committee) taxis would simply keep circulating thus producing more emissions and consequently further harming the environment. Similarly the supposed wear and tear resulting from the starting and stopping of engines would mean that batteries and the engines themselves would have to be replaced periodically, not only increasing maintenance cost but also pollution.

These arguments culminated in the declaration that ALL commercial vehicles should be exempted from the bill.

Throughout the meeting every transport related organization assured the council that they fully supported the drive towards a greener Hong Kong yet stolidly maintained that “we have done our part”. A vast majority of parties chose to employ the implementation of LPG taxis and buses as a shield to exempt them from any further environmental progression. Yet progression and change is indispensable if we are to attain the goal of safe, breathable air; an argument disregarded by those of the transport industry, obscured by fears of potential economic loss.

The practicality and feasibility of the bill additionally came into consideration with statements that the 3 minutes idling law was “unenforceable” and would only fuel disputes between law enforcers and drivers. The government was accused of “legislating for the sake of legislation” (HK vehicle association) and that realistic guidelines should be formulated.

The message of the transport industry was delivered with steadfast conviction and clarity. They would eagerly support the quest for blue skies in Hong Kong as long as they themselves remained unaffected by such progression. However, as primary contributors to Hong Kong’s abhorrent air quality modest sacrifices are inevitable. These sacrifices can in fact be made negligible through the constructive propositions of both Design Hk limited and Right Hand Drivers Motors Association (H.K) Ltd . Design Hk limited revealed that there are developed technologies that would allow the aircon to run for a further 15 minutes once the engine has been switched off. Furthermore, as suggested by Right Hand Drivers, the glass of vehicle windows can be substituted with glass with a lower light transmission rate to significantly reduce the temperature within the vehicle; a simple and effective solution that has already been successfully implemented in countries such as Japan. With further investigation of these technologies by commercial operators the negative effects of the bill would be trivial. Out of 71 organizations only 2 had the incentive to suggest solutions and feasible alternatives to pacify the conflict. This mentality should be applauded as it encourages cooperation and reveals that seemingly opposed parties can work harmoniously together towards a collective objective. This invaluable contribution is exemplary for any future discussions concerning Hong Kong’s environmental progression, offering answers rather than arguments.

Deputations FOR the ordinance

Although the environmental NGOs were sparingly scattered amongst the overwhelming number of transport organizations, the message and its deliverance was unrivalled. The most commendable speech came from a young girl from the Canadian International School of Hong Kong. A representation of the many ordinarily silent voices of Hong Kong’s youth, she spoke with lucidity and most importantly steadfast conviction, electrifying the hall. The emphasis was the health and wellbeing of the community especially the elderly, young children and pregnant women, those especially vulnerable to air pollution. Air pollution affects children’s development with damages to lungs and cardiovascular systems remaining permanent past the age of 18. The price for playing outdoors at class intervals is that of damaged health which will haunt the individual for a lifetime. A meager 20 minutes of exposure to air pollution and excessive vehicle emissions has a detrimental effect on a health, general well being and in a child’s case pulmonary and cardiovascular development.

“We are aware of the problem” declared another young student from The Chinese International School. She explained that students are taught about statistics and health problems related to Hong Kong’s air pollution but cannot understand why nothing is being done. SARs and Bird Flu were epidemics that incited fear and panic with the Government spending millions in prevention and adaptive measures. There have been more deaths related to air pollution then from SARs and Bird flu combined. It is not logical that so little has been done by the government to reduce health risks that arise from a clear and controllable source. It is a truly humbling experience when children present such an infallible argument and those who are supposedly wiser and vastly more knowledgeable can provide no answer. They expressed their optimism that Hong Kong could serve as a potential model of “hope and inspiration” and that a country with such global importance should set an example. Both students emphasized that although they could raise awareness, they could not enact laws. This is the duty of the government. The duty to protect and serve the community, an obligation which two schoolgirls had to remind them of.

The poignant presence of environmentalist Annelise O’Connell, who sported a gas mask throughout the meeting, was similarly felt. She compared the legislation protecting taxi driver to the law protecting the triads, both of which she fervently declared as “criminal”. Furthermore, if a driver chose to drive away when convicted of idling there would be no criminal consequences due to the limited power of traffic wardens.

The remaining environmental Organizations such as Clear the Air and Mini Spotter (and of course the Clean Air Network) maintained that the problem of air pollution was a “black and white issue” (Clear the Air) .They declared it appalling that when crossing a busy road the conventional ‘stop, look, listen then cross’ protocol is insufficient as only in Hong Kong one must “stop, look, listen, cover your mouth and nose then cross”. This Bill is a “small step in the right direction” and only the beginning in an ongoing cumulative process in tackling the city’s single biggest environmental issue; one which is rapidly becoming a primary deterrent for residency and overseas business expansion within Hong Kong (Swedish Chamber of commerce).

Furthermore, the transport organizations maintained to have fallen victim to brutish marginalization yet fail to appreciate that other minorities are exposed to huge risks from emissions deriving from their vehicles. Workers in the tram industry, construction workers, street maintenance workers and newspaper vendors are all incredibly vulnerable to significant health complications caused by air pollution.

It was concluded that excessive exemptions will render the law impotent and therefore ineffective. Hong Kong has been sluggishly crawling towards the goal of clean breathable air, now is the time to start running if we ever want to see blue skies.

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