My Lamma Forums

[Lamma-Gung]

Here's the notice and the map, photographed from the notice board.

No mention of what the light bus will be used for (staff or tourists), how frequently and for how long...
They had internal electric vehicles before, but discontinued them, I think.

[Lamma-Gung]

OK, already got a reply from HK Electric's Public Affairs Dept.:

"I wish to clarify that we do not have any plans to run bus services to and from the wind turbine station. We conduct visits for various stakeholders to the wind turbine station and all visitors will be invited to reach the station on foot.

"Transportation will only be considered if absolutely necessary, for example for visitors who are physically challenged."

Sounds fine to me, but using an electric or alternative-fuel vehicle would be nice.

[nobby]

This application doesnt add up to ferrying tourists up the hill. Its just a request for vehicular access which i thought they had already - maybe it needs renewing now and again???

Any answers??

[Alan]

[Lamma-Gung]

This topic has caused a little firestorm of emails going around Lamma, just one day before the deadline of objection to the permission. I got almost ten emails from various people about this topic and many of them were sent and cc-ed to many other . I even got a concerned phone call (since I've posted my phone number at the top of the home page now for urgent Lamma-zine news).

All these people hadn't seen this forum and were worried about the same issues already discussed in this topic, not having seen HK Electric's reply above either which addressed the major fear of people about a regular or frequent bus service.

The latest news from HK Electric, via Dr. Andy Cornish, is that the application to the Lands Dept. is not for the actual minibus service but just for a small piece of govt. land that the minibus will use to park.

The Cable Routes are under HEC's control and they can drive on them whatever vehicle they like, probably without any additional permissions necessary. They've driven minibusses to the windturbine for quite some time already, but only for Power Station visitors, stakeholders, but also the occasional school outings to the Power Station.

The objection period ended yesterday and I assume quite a number of objections have been emailed to the Lands Dept. these last two days.

[Alan]

HKE created suspicion with such a vague document, and more by trying to sneak it past during a holiday.

If they were a bit more open about what they're up to they wouldn have to deal with all the objections they now have (I didn't put one in, despite the sneaky way they did it it doesn't seem unreasonable to me).

[Lamma-Gung]

Frazer's letter of objection made the headline of the SCMP's Letters to the Editor page today. Anybody got a digital copy of it? SCMP.COM is down from 5-9pm today...

In the meantime, here's the reply from HK Electric which they've sent to the SCMP and to me for publication (see Lamma-zine today). Read it first in the Lamma-zine and here:

[tjungarayi]

Well, perhaps they (Hong Kong electric) should consider my novel campaign to have the canines of this isle utilised to pull Hansom cabs up the hills and a zero fossil fuel gulping slide. That is if they are serious about their rhetoric.

[Lamma-Gung]

Remember the hot topic in Feb last years when HK Electric was occasionally running diesel-powered vehicles for some of their corporate visitors to Lamma Winds from their Power Station? I've just received the announcement below from them today, specifically written for Lammaites and for publication in the Lamma-zine.

HK Electric is applying for an "emission-free electric 4-person cart" for this occasional, on-demand-only route, after their last release (see above) mentioned that electric vehicles wouldn't be powerful enough for the steep Cable Route. Sounds great!

If this good example works out, can we start pushing the local VV drivers to switch over as well?

I'll be on the lookout for these electric vehicles while trying to bike up there myself frequently, using human power only. So far, for a third of the route uphill I'm pushing my bike uphill instead of riding it. But the fun downhill ride from Lamma Winds afterwards makes it all worthwhile. Maybe HK Electric could rent bikes to some of their corporate Lamma Winds visitors for free?

[defensive tulip]

How long before Starbucks arrives?

[jjy005]

This is a great news !

[Lamma-Gung]

A bit more info about the electric vehicle coming to Lamma, photographed from the noticeboard opposite HSBC, showing the vehicle outside the Visitor Centre inside the Power Station.

It'll probably be used from sometime next month - "some testing will still be needed" - as the period for the Lands Dept. application states May 1 - Oct 31, 2009.

First photo(s) of it driving on the Cable Route will be published.

[SeaView]

The road would make an excellent dry ski slope and a drag lift to the top (powered by the windmill) would be a greener alternative to the bus.

[marcus_schuetz]

... this would be such a funny headline. I was in touch with HKE about electric vehicles on Lamma (actually meaning the VVs). If there is one think we have on the Island than it is electric power and I guess we could make a very nice for HK to make better use of it. But do the tourists actually need a bus to get up the hill? Well, HKE must know better, but a diesel engine is on short ranges very inefficient and if it is a typical Hong Kong style bus, quite polluting also.

Greetings,
Marcus

[Lamma-Gung]

Just talked to HKE about this electric vehicle recently. The permission is still pending, but they'll (hopefully) let me know when they start using it.

It's purely electric-only, no Diesel, and not for tourists, just for the occasional visitors to the power station. HKE seems to have school children complaining after only 5 minutes walking up the Cable Route to Lamma Winds of being tired already; obviously there's not much Physical Education in the curriculum of many primary schools.
It's just an 11-minute walk from Power Station to the windturbine anyway. I timed myself the other day, just walking fast, but no running.

[Lamma-Gung]

[marcus_schuetz]

... well, electric sounds much better than diesel. Yes, it is not really a very strainous walk up there, but you know how "fit" Hong Kong is.

Getting some experience with electric vehicles on Lamma could be useful, perhaps also to get rid of the two stroke VVs, which are 1) far too many, 2) far to busy, 3) far too many of them tuned with larger exhausts and mufflers, 4) some driving much too fast and having open front wheels is a death trap for any child which gets hit.

Greetings,
Marcus