Police summonsed 193 pedestrians in New Territories North last week and 84 on Hong Kong Island yesterday

The war on pedestrians has stepped up a notch in recent weeks, with “Operation Autobinder” summonsing a record 193 pedestrians in New Territories last week and 84 on Hong Kong Island yesterday.

Police of both districts said the “crackdown on pedestrians crossing the road indiscriminately” was to ensure pedestrian safety, and that those summonsed were mainly pedestrians who did not obey traffic signals when crossing the road.

“The police hereby remind the public, especially the elderly, not to cross the road indiscriminately,” said a statement from Hong Kong Island traffic police. “They should use legal crossing facilities to cross the road, obey the pedestrian crossing signals at all times and pay close attention to the road conditions.”

Cops warned they would continue to take “appropriate enforcement actions against various pedestrian or traffic violations on a regular basis”.

The last major Autobinder operation in the two districts netted cops 256 tickets, giving this latest operation an 8% increase in enforcement.

But walkability and safety campaigns promoting better walking routes and facilities for pedestrians have foundered this year, with cheerleaders at District Councils now silenced by resignation or disqualification.

Pedestrians and delivery workers jump railings rather than take a 100-metre detour to a crossing

Last year Transit Jam reported on a “surprise deployment” of railings at a Hennessy Road junction which stymied District Council action to improve the crossing facilities there.

Councillors Mak King-sing, Cathy Yau Man-shan, and Clarisse Yeung Suet-ying had supported the creation of a new crossing, which designers said could be commissioned without disrupting vehicle flow. Mak and Yau resigned on 8 July 2021 while Yeung was removed by the government on 14 September 2021.