Student Seminar by Ms. Ting Lian on Aug 27, 2025, 3PM

Title: Walking (In)Convenience: An in-depth study of pedestrian detours to daily facilities

Speaker: Ms. Ting Lian (Department of Geography)

Date: Aug 27, 2025 (Wednesday)

Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Venue: Room 1010, CLL, Department of Geography, 10/F, The Jokey Club Tower, The University of Hong Kong

Registration Link: https://forms.office.com/r/391ZWvpDXw

Food and drinks will be provided for successfully registered participants.

About the talk: As active transport planning advances globally, this study highlights the importance of walkability, focusing on convenience as measured by the pedestrian detour ratio (PDR). Analyzing 3.85 million residential–facility pairs across Hong Kong, we found that walking convenience was highest in the CBD, but varied by district and facility type. Over a third of residential–facility pairs required improvement. Inconvenient walking routes were linked to vehicle-oriented street blocks, high-income areas, and challenging terrain, while features like pedestrian crossings and major roads improved directness. Our findings provide a basis for integrating PDR into street design and planning, with recommendations to calm traffic and enhance pedestrian crossings in less walkable areas.

About the speaker: Ting Lian is a PhD candidate in Transport Geography at The University of Hong Kong, supervised by Professor Becky P.Y. Loo. Ting's research focuses on sustainable urban transport systems, with expertise in spatial analysis and machine learning. She has published in leading journals such as Computers, Environment and Urban Systems and the Journal of the American Planning Association, and has contributed to projects on pedestrian accessibility, travel behaviour, and transport safety. Ting has also served as a part-time lecturer for the Master of Transport Policy and Planning (MTP&P) programme.