Hong Kong’s transport chief has pledged to fully review the ill-fated mandatory seat belt rule for bus passengers, including improving strap designs and examining possible exemptions, before relaunching the policy.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Sunday the government would adopt a four-pronged approach to address public concerns over the requirement, starting by working with franchised bus operators to improve the installation, design and maintenance of seat belts to ensure safety and convenience.
Authorities would also commission experts to analyse the risks associated with different seating layouts and route types, while stepping up publicity to strengthen passenger awareness and responsibility, she said.
The minister added that the government would re-examine policy details covering implementation, exemptions and penalties to ensure the revised requirements balanced law, reason and empathy.
“Regarding the requirement to wear seat belts on buses, we will conduct a fresh and comprehensive review and widely consult the community before drawing up an optimised proposal,” Chan said.
Last month, authorities repealed the seat belt requirement for bus passengers only days after it took effect, following the news that the rule only covered new vehicles registered from late January.
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