Improvement works for Barrier Free Access (BFA) facilities are making steady progress at The Link REIT’s (“The Link”) properties. Eight major BFA facilities, including tactile guide paths and warning strips, low platform service counters, accessible toilets, Braille layout maps, visual fire alarms, accessible parking bays, ramps and lifts will be added wherever possible.

The decision on what facilities to upgrade was made with reference to the Formal Investigation Report: Accessibility in Publicly Accessible Premises issued by The Equal Opportunities Commission.

Since the announcement of The Link’s BFA plan in early 2011, improvement works have begun at 80 properties, following the Best Practicable Principle, standards of universal design, the Buildings Department’s Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 2008 and other associated requirements.

Among the 80 properties being upgraded, essential works at 65 properties have been completed; which those at the 15 other properties are still in progress. The Link plans to kick start improvement works at another 28 properties in 2013-2014, and completion date for all 182 properties is expected to be end of 2016. Up till now works have been started at 7 properties with the other 21 properties under planning.

The seventh batch of properties at which improvement works have begun in September comprises the following:

New Territories	Hong Kong
Ching Wang Court Carpark	Oi Tung Shopping Centre
Cheung Hong Shopping Centre	Hing Tung Shopping Centre
Cheung Wang Retail & Car Park
Shek Wai Kok Shopping Centre
Kwai Hong Carpark
Ning Fung Court Carpark

 
Due to ownership issues, physical constraints or statutory requirements, some of the major BFA improvement works currently underway cannot be completed within a short period of time. If five major BFA improvement works have been completed in any property, they will be included in the List of Properties with Basic BFA Facilities Completed for public information (Appendix 1). The progress of BFA improvement works being carried out at The Link’s properties up to end of August 2013 is shown in (Appendix 2).