結束旺角專區亂象 重建街頭表演文化

<轉載自2018年5月18日 明報 社評>

旺角行人專用區表演噪音擾民，問題長年未解，油尖旺區議會稍後開會，商討是否要求政府取消專用區。旺角行人專用區設立18年，政府長期放任自流，沒有認真規管，導致小毛病變成大膿瘡。專用區淪為商業賣唱者的地盤，有違初衷，亦遠離平等共用公共空間的理想，不僅滋擾居民，連路人也感厭惡寧願繞道而行。取消專用區也許並非最理想做法，甚至可能衍生一些後遺症，然而恐怕已是解決眼前亂象唯一出路。政府應好好汲取教訓，檢討公共空間管理，研究引入發牌制度，令街頭表演文化能夠長遠健康發展。

噪音逼人太甚 政府放任自流

旺角人潮如鰂肩摩轂擊，政府於2000年以試驗計劃形式，將旺角西洋菜南街部分路段及附近街道，劃為行人專用區，原意是方便行人，避免人車爭路，然而一路演變下來，專用區漸漸變成街頭表演者雲集之地。隨着商業賣唱活動插足，旺角街頭表演漸漸變成「鬥大聲」，部分表演者不知自律，賴理他人感受，噪音問題每况愈下，對附近居民構成嚴重滋擾。另外，龍蛇混雜的環境，一些不法之徒更大舉入侵「霸地盤」，要表演者交「陀地費」。專用區一帶成為罪惡淵藪，居民深以為憂。

過去8年，政府試圖中間落墨，在維持街頭表演空間與減少滋擾居民之間求取平衡。當局逐步減少旺角行人專用區的使用時段和日數，由一星期七天減至只在周六、周日及公眾假期開放，問題是區內街頭表演已經惡質化，就算縮短開放時間，也不過是讓居民有多一點喘息空間，一到周末和假日，居民又要面對極度惡劣的環境。最近兩三年，警方收到區內噪音投訴不斷增加，去年更錄得超過1200宗，是6年以來最高，反映情况瀕臨失控。部分居民為求安寧，周六周日被迫「避走他區」，有家歸不得，教人情何以堪。

2010年，法院就旺角街頭表演者被控阻街作出裁決，表示行人專用區不僅供人行走，還應該容納其他文化交流活動。裁決本意雖善，然而政府未盡規管之責，官員懶政不作為，對公共空間管理認知不足，從未深入思考街頭表演的文化意義，遑論作出適當規劃監管；不同部門又各自為政，各家自掃門前雪，更令問題雪上加霜。香港目前沒有法例規管街頭表演，當局難以用阻街擺賣一類條例檢控，《噪音管制條例》針對的是深夜11時以後發出的嘈音，無法規管黃昏至晚上一段時間的街頭表演噪音。旺角行人專用區設立至今已有18年，然而去年民政事務局回應立法會議員查詢，仍稱之為「試驗計劃」。一個計劃實施這麼多年，仍然處於「試驗」階段，突顯政府長期以來的態度，就是放任不理，並未想過好好總結經驗，興利除弊。

取消專用區迫不得已 研發牌制度規管表演

無可否認，目前在旺角行人專用區表演的，並非全是商業賣唱者，也有不少是熱中藝術文化的本地有心人；很多基層市民和中老年人特意前來享受廉價娛樂，聽聽懷舊老歌，即使口味未必人人喜歡，惟鹹魚青菜各有所愛，也不見得有什麼問題。對於這些表演者和觀眾來說，取消旺角行人專用區無疑甚為可惜，然而當事態已腐朽到難以挽救，這可能已是唯一選擇。

現在取消旺角行人專用區，難免會有後遺症。首先，當局又要重新處理人車爭路問題；其次，附近商戶可能擔心人流明顯減少，影響生意。另外，部分商業賣唱者失去旺角這個「地盤」後，或會轉戰其他陣地，有可能令噪音問題轉移到其他地區。凡此種種均是需要妥善處理的問題，可是說到底旺角人多擠迫，住宅林立，本來就不是理想的街頭表演聚腳點。政府立法規管街頭表演，雖說是治本之策，惟難望一蹴而就，隨時一拖數年，受影響居民早已忍無可忍，根本等不了這麼久，勉強延續現况，只會衍生更多紛爭對立，對居民和表演者都沒有好處。

街頭表演文化要在香港健康發展，需要政府和民間攜手。政府應成立跨部門小組，全面檢討街頭表演問題。當局應積極考慮引入發牌制度，規管噪音等問題，同時在全港各區物色合適地方供街頭表演。鑑於官僚思維往往只是從方便管理角度出發，容易忽略表演者實際需要，政府可以設立對話平台，多與民間文化藝界團體共商。街頭表演展現的主要是庶民文化，雅俗共賞不拘一格，當局規管方向，不是限制表演類型，又或以「品味高低」篩選表演者，而是確保不同表演者能夠平等共用公共空間，各自各精彩，不會再出現一味鬥大聲又或「靠惡霸地盤」等亂象。

End the confusion in the Mong Kok Pedestrian Precinct and rebuild a culture of street pe

THE NOISE POLLUTION and nuisance caused by performances at the Mong Kok Pedestrian Precinct (MKPP) are a long-standing problem. The Yau Tsim Mong District Council will discuss in an upcoming meeting whether they will request the government to shut it down. The MKPP was set up 18 years ago. However, the government has adopted a laissez-faire policy and has never regulated it seriously. As a result, a tiny wound has turned into a huge abscess. As the MKPP deteriorates into turfs of commercial street singers, its original purpose is defeated, and it also deviates from the ideal of equal access to public space. Shutting down the MKPP may not be the best solution and it may even have some repercussions. However, it is perhaps the only way to dispel the present confusion. The government should learn from this experience, review its public space management and consider introducing a licensing system so that the culture of street performances can develop in a healthy manner in the long run.

In 2000, as a pilot scheme, a section of Mong Kok Sai Yeung Choi Street South and streets nearby were closed off and designated for pedestrians only. The original purpose was to facilitate pedestrian flow and prevent pedestrian-vehicle conflicts. However, as time passes, things have changed. The MKPP has gradually turned into a place where street performers converge. With moneymaking singing activities stepping in, the problem of noise pollution has worsen and is causing serious nuisance to people living nearby.

In 2010, when a Mong Kok street performer was prosecuted for obstruction, the court ruled that pedestrian-only zones were not only for walking, but also for cultural exchange activities. Even though the ruling was well-meant, the government has not done its part in regulating pedestrian precincts. In fact, it does not have adequate knowledge of public space management and has never reflected on the cultural implications of street performances, not to speak of appropriate planning and regulation.

It is inevitable that shutting down the MKPP will have repercussions. Firstly, the concerned authority will have to address the problem of pedestrian-vehicle conflicts again. Secondly, the shops nearby may worry that their business will be affected since there will be fewer pedestrians. In addition, some moneymaking singers may move their activities to other locations causing noise pollution in other places. All these issues need to be handled properly. However, Mong Kok is, after all, an overcrowded region with many residential buildings and as such is not an ideal spot for street performances. Even though regulating street performances by way of legislation is the measure to tackle the root cause of the problem, it cannot be expected to be done overnight.

For the culture of street performances to develop in a healthy manner, the government and the civil society must cooperate. The government should establish an inter-departmental working group to review the problem of street performances comprehensively. The concerned authority should actively consider introducing a licensing system and regulate problems such as noise pollution, etc. It should also look for places in all the districts across Hong Kong which are suitable for street performances. Given the fact that officials with a bureaucratic mindset usually only look at an issue from the perspective of easy management, the practical needs of the performers are normally ignored. The government can set up platforms for dialogue and engage in more discussions with non-governmental organisations in the field of culture and arts. Regulation by the concerned authority should not be aimed at restricting the types of performance. The aim should be to ensure that all performers have equal access to the space to showcase their talents and put an end to the irregularities in which everyone fights to be the loudest or tries to win turf wars by bullying others.

結束旺角專區亂象 重建街頭表演文化

旺角行人專用區表演噪音擾民，問題長年未解，油尖旺區議會稍後開會，商討是否要求政府取消專用區。旺角行人專用區設立18年，政府長期放任自流，沒有認真規管，導致小毛病變成大膿瘡。專用區淪為商業賣唱者的地盤，有違初衷，亦遠離平等共用公共空間的理想。取消專用區也許並非最理想做法，甚至可能衍生一些後遺症，然而恐怕已是解決眼前亂象唯一出路。政府應好好汲取教訓，檢討公共空間管理，研究引入發牌制度，令街頭表演文化能夠長遠健康發展。

政府於2000年以試驗計劃形式，將旺角西洋菜南街部分路段及附近街道，劃為行人專用區，原意是方便行人，避免人車爭路，然而一路演變下來，專用區漸漸變成街頭表演者雲集之地。隨着商業賣唱活動插足，噪音問題每况愈下，對附近居民構成嚴重滋擾。

2010年，法院就旺角街頭表演者被控阻街作出裁決，表示行人專用區不僅供人行走，還應容納其他文化交流活動。裁決本意雖善，然而政府未盡規管之責，對公共空間管理認知不足，從未深入思考街頭表演的文化意義，遑論作出適當規劃監管。

現在取消旺角行人專用區，難免會有後遺症。首先，當局要重新處理人車爭路問題；其次，附近商戶可能擔心人流減少，影響生意。另外，部分商業賣唱者或會轉戰其他陣地，令噪音問題轉移到其他地區。凡此種種均是需要妥善處理的問題，可是說到底旺角人多擠迫，住宅林立，本來就不是理想的街頭表演聚腳點。政府立法規管街頭表演，雖說是治本之策，惟難望一蹴而就。

街頭表演文化要在香港健康發展，需要政府和民間攜手。政府應成立跨部門小組，全面檢討街頭表演問題。當局應積極考慮引入發牌制度，規管噪音等問題，同時在全港各區物色合適地方供街頭表演。鑑於官僚思維往往只是從方便管理角度出發，容易忽略表演者實際需要，政府可以設立對話平台，多與民間文化藝界團體共商。當局規管方向，不是限制表演類型，而是確保不同表演者能夠平等共用公共空間，各自各精彩，不會再出現一味鬥大聲又或「靠惡霸地盤」等亂象。