HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 18 May 1988
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DR. Ho: Sir, will the Government consider holding this kind of training courses to teach the residents how to use the equipment?
SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION: Sir, I shall be very happy to refer the matter to the Housing Department.
Exhaust emission from motor vehicles
8. MR. EDWARD Ho asked: Will Government inform this Council of the measures being taken to enforce the law against excessive exhaust emission from motor vehicles and whether Government is satisfied that such enforcement action is effective?
SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE: Sir, all motor vehicles imported into Hong Kong and those already registered here must comply with emission standards set out in the Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations. On 1 January this year, a Vehicle Emission Control Section was set up in the Environmental Protection Department. This section now exercises overall control of excessive exhaust emissions from motor vehicles. The control programme involves the reporting of smoky vehicles by appointed spotters and police officers, the notification of vehicle owners to repair defects and to report to a testing centre to verify that the smoke problem has been rectified. Since the scheme started on 1 January, about 1750 vehicles have been checked, of which 90 per cent subsequently passed the test, whilst the remainder were required to carry out further work prior to re-examination.
In addition, both the Transport Department and the police retain some responsibilities for the control of excessive smoke. The Transport Department examines vehicle emissions in the course of its annual inspections of certain classes of vehicle. The police continue to stop excessively smoky vehicles and to issue owners with fixed penalty tickets or examination orders as appropriate.
The initial results of the vehicle smoke control programme appear to be encouraging as indicated by the high pass rate obtained at the testing centre. The Environmental Protection Department will, however, review the present arrangements after they have been in force for six months. In addition, it is considered that there may be room for improvement in emission standards and we intend to undertake a thorough review of these standards and to introduce amendments to the legislation, if necessary.
MR. EDWARD Ho: Sir, will the Secretary inform this Council of the capacity for the testing centre to verify smoke problems and whether it is working to its
capacity, and if not, why not?