TRANSPORT
To improve the efficiency of parking meter operations, a new contract for the supply of electronic parking meters which accept smart cards was awarded in late 1997. Installation of the new meters will start in April 1998.
The government owns 14 multi-storey carparks which provide a total of 8 250 parking spaces. They are operated and managed by two private operators.
Off-street public parking is provided by the Civil Aviation Department at the Hong Kong International Airport, the Housing Department in its housing estates and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation at its terminus in Hung Hom. Private sector multi-storey and open-air public carparks in commercial/residential buildings and open-air lots provide more than 156 000 parking spaces.
Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System
This covered system was opened in October 1993. Starting from two footbridges over Des Voeux Road, Central, it passes through Central Market and over the narrow streets in Central and ends at Conduit Road. Managed by a private operator under a management contract, the system was used by an average of 34 000 people daily in 1997.
Licensing
By the end of the year, Hong Kong had 492 539 licensed vehicles in all classes, representing an increase of 5.28 per cent over 1996.
New private car registrations rose 93.31 per cent, from 22 203 in 1996 to 43 054 in 1997. This brought the number of licensed private cars to 314 833, an increase of 7.31 per cent over the past year.
Registered goods vehicles numbered 134 861 by the end of the year, 0.33 per cent more than the 134 419 in 1996. Of these, 91 823 were light goods vehicles, a decrease of 1.16 per cent from 1996.
Vehicle examination is to upgrade vehicle safety through improved design requirements and correct maintenance. The private car inspection scheme is carried out at 23 designated car-testing centres. Compulsory annual inspection applies to all public services vehicles and goods vehicles. Examination of trailers is being implemented to cover all trailers by March 1, 1998.
There were 1 142 226 licensed drivers at the end of 1997, an increase of 4.25 per cent over 1996. The average number of new learner-drivers fell from 4 501 per month in 1996 to 4 369 per month in 1997. To improve services, since June 2, 1997, driving licences valid for 10 years have been issued, instead of the previous limit of one year or three years, to applicants aged 60 or below on the day of application. Those aged above 60 will be issued a driving licence valid for a shorter period.
Since the introduction of the Driving Offence Points System in August 1984, 52 541 disqualifications have been ordered by the courts and 430 473 notices have been served under the Road Traffic (Driving-offence Points) Ordinance. The figures for 1997 were 5 959 and 53 824 respectively. Over the past five years, 475 047 drivers have incurred penalty points for committing scheduled offences under the system.
A performance pledge scheme for licensing services was introduced in December 1992. The scheme was extended in December 1996 to cover vehicle examination and government tunnel services. An active customer liaison group, with 33 members,
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