2
the extent and nature of the application of the Traffic Accident
Victims Assistance Scheme to village vehicles.
number.
already
or
The Bill gives the Commissioner for Transport wide powers, including powers to limit the number of permits that may be issued, either generally or in a particular area, and to limit the issuing of permits to certain persons or classes of persons.
It also gives the Commissioner the power to restrict the times of
day during which the vehicles may be used. These powers are
useful in that they will enable village vehicles in a
particularly congested area to be controlled
reduced in
The present state of congestion on Cheung Chau may
require attention of this kind; other areas are, I
believe, less congested. The nature of these powers makes it very important that there is full consultation on when, how, and where they should be exercised the views of districts boards, rural committees, area committees, and other appropriate local
bodies should
taken into account before the powers are used.
Care should also be taken
ensure that any restriction in the
number of permits issued should not lead to the creation of a black market in permits. I understand that the intention is to avoid this problem by making the permits valid for only one year and by making them non-transferable.
powers
to
Finally, the Commissioner for Transport will have
refuse the issue of
to a permit or cancel a permit. The permit system is a simple one and it is not to be expected that it will be encumbered with complicated statutory appeal
the procedures of
kind that are available to persons denied licences for other types of vehicles. Nevertheless, I hope that the Government will look carefully at the administration of permit system in its first year to see whether machinery to deal with appeals is necessary.
With these remarks, Sir, I support the Bill.
the
statutory