The new regulation requiring passengers to wear seat belts on buses, which came into effect on Jan. 25, has sparked significant public debate in Hong Kong.
Speaking to the media at the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Jan. 30, Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, admitted that the legal text contains technical deficiencies that fail to fully reflect the legislative intent. To ensure clarity, the government will promptly delete the relevant provisions, meaning there will be no statutory requirement for bus passengers to wear seat belts at this stage.
Chan said that after consulting with the Department of Justice and reviewing the legal provisions, the government identified technical deficiencies in the law. These gaps have led to misunderstandings regarding the enforcement of the regulation, which was originally intended to mandate seat belt use for all passengers seated in buses equipped with seat belts.
She acknowledged that the law's implementation has caused confusion among the public and has not achieved the desired effect. As a next step, the government will draft amendments to the legislation. Once the relevant provisions are removed, the revisions will be gazetted and submitted to the LegCo for review.
As for the timeline for reintroducing the amended regulation, Chan assured that the government would proceed as quickly as possible. She emphasized that this issue is a top priority for her team and that the Transport and Logistics Bureau will work closely with the Department of Justice to expedite the process.
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