Background

Transport is important to the people and economy of Hong Kong. Many millions of dollars could have been saved if we spend less time on transport. There are over 6.9 million people in Hong Kong. If everyone in Hong Kong could save 10 minutes a day on transport through the use of intelligent transport system and better land use-transport planning and the saving is just 1 dollar per minute, we could have saved 69 million dollars a day and over 25,000 million dollars a year. This amount would have been even much higher if we include the time that could be saved in transporting goods. Transport also closely affects the air quality and sustainability of our environment. We could save much energy and have a cleaner environment if we use more public transport and mass transit system and cleaner fuel. Although compared with other cities in Asia, we already have a very good transport system in Hong Kong, there is still much research to be carried out to improve the efficiency, equity, safety, comfort, services, and environmental friendliness of our transport system for a better Hong Kong. For example, we will have a much better living environment and make Hong Kong more competitive if we can reduce the air pollution from our transport system.

The transport sector has played a role of fundamental importance in the development of Hong Kong and will continue to do so in the future. Hong Kong's status as a global city derives in large part from the role that it plays as a key hub in the international air transport and maritime shipping systems. The future development of Hong Kong will be closely linked to its continuing role as the leading port in southern China.

Mission & Objectives

The Institute of Transport Studies is a university centre. It seeks to identify research programmes as mission oriented activities and not by traditional academic disciplines alone. In doing so it would undertake to:

• Establish a database of al1 academic staff and research students in the University engaged in transport related research, their areas of special expertise, the titles of the projects in which they are engaged.
• Promote through its activities collaboration within the University on multi? and inter?disciplinary transport research and the application of research grants.
• Promote inter?institutional, regional and international cooperation in transport studies.
• Publicize locally and internationally the image of the University as an institution committed to transport studies in Hong Kong, the region and worldwide.
• Organize seminars, conferences, and workshops on transport studies.

Organization Structure

Director: Professor S.C. Wong, Department of Civil Engineering

Deputy Director: Professor Becky P.Y. Loo, Department of Geography

Chairman of Transport Policy Committee: Dr. Timothy Hau, School of Economics and Finance

Chairman of Transport Technology Committee: Dr. Nelson Yung, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Chairman of Transport & Environment Committee: Professor Dennis Leung, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Reports

Overview 2003-2007

Contact Information

Professor S.C. Wong
Department of Civil Engineering