Government planning for transport infrastructure projects is based on sustainable development principles. It strives to ensure the best possible integration of land use, transport and environmental planning. It is also the Government's policy to accord priority to railways as the backbone of the passenger transport system. Five new railway lines or extensions of existing lines were opened between late 2003 and 2005, with another to be opened in 2007.

Less reliance on road-based transport will alleviate the pressure on transport systems and, in turn, lessen the impact on the environment. At the same time, the rationalisation of bus routes and stops and the introduction of pedestrian schemes will continue. These will help reduce the impact of vehicle emissions and noise pollution on pedestrians.

Since late 1998, about 4 200 daily bus trips have been eliminated from the busy corridors on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island through service cancellation, frequency reduction, route truncation and amalgamation. In Nathan Road in Kowloon, about 1 100 daily bus trips have been eliminated since August 2002, enhancing the efficiency of bus operations. Bus stops have also been rationalised to reduce the number of stops on busy corridors.

The environmental impact of new transport projects, during both the construction and operation phases, is also carefully examined. Environmental mitigation measures are implemented where necessary to minimise the environmental impact of transport projects. These include landscaping, artificial contouring of surrounding hillsides, depressed roads, laying of noise-reducing road surfacing and the installation of noise barriers or other forms of noise insulation.

Promoting a better pedestrian environment is one way to enhance the quality of life. Feedback from the public on pedestrian schemes is encouraging. To date, pedestrian schemes have been introduced in a number of streets in Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, North Point, the Peak, Stanley, Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan, Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po, Yuen Long and Sheung Shui. On a wider scale, the Transport Department and the Planning Department have commissioned a comprehensive study on Tsim Sha Tsui to beautify the area and improve the pedestrian environment. Several improvement schemes in the Tsim Sha Tsui district are under detailed planning.

Franchised bus companies have been purchasing buses with environmentally friendly engines that meet the European emission standards (known as 'Euro engines') since 1993. About 87 per cent of the franchised buses are equipped with Euro engines while the remaining buses are all retrofitted with catalytic converters. To improve the environment, the franchised bus companies have been deploying only Euro II or Euro III engine buses to operate routes along Yee Wo Street in Causeway Bay, the busiest shopping area on Hong Kong Island. The Government is working with the companies to deploy cleaner vehicles along other specified busy corridors.

The franchised bus companies and the Government have also been working to improve the overall quality of public transport interchanges to make them more user-friendly for passengers. Electronic route information panels and customer service centres have been installed at some interchanges. The Government has also implemented a number of improvement works, including upgrading the physical appearance of some interchanges and improving their ventilation systems.

Since August 2001, all newly registered taxis must run on LPG to meet tighter emission standards to minimise air pollution. Incentive schemes to encourage the early replacement of diesel light buses by LPG or electricity-driven vehicles were introduced in August 2002. Almost 100 per cent of taxis and 55 per cent of PLBs have converted to LPG.