280 Transport
vehicle examinations during the year. In addition, 3 470 spot checks were conducted on franchised buses to ensure their safety, roadworthiness and service standards.
A chassis dynamometer has been installed in the Kowloon Bay Vehicle Examination Centre to perform random checks of smoke emissions from diesel vehicles under load. Another heavy duty chassis dynamometer will be in operation in the same vehicle examination centre in early 2005.
New vehicle models imported into Hong Kong are required to undergo type approval to ensure their compliance with the relevant statutory requirements. In 2004, 450 vehicle types were approved. To facilitate type approval application by authorised vehicle dealers, a 'one-stop-shop' approval service was introduced in July. 2003. The 'one-stop-shop' mechanism enables dealers to make a single submission to the Transport Department, greatly simplifying the application process.
Electronic payment is now possible at all vehicle examination centres, providing additional convenience for users. Vehicle Appointment Status Display Systems have been installed at the New Kowloon Bay Vehicle Examination Centre, Kowloon Bay Vehicle Examination Centre and To Kwa Wan Vehicle Examination Centre showing the available examination slots in the next five months and assisting the public in making appointments.
Application of Technology
The use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras continues to provide real- time traffic information to Government departments for monitoring traffic and allowing them to react quickly in case of a traffic disruption or emergency. There are 138 cameras installed in the urban areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan and another 59 cameras operating along Tuen Mun Road, West Kowloon Highway, North Lantau Highway, San Tin Highway, Tolo Highway, Fanling Highway and roads leading to boundary crossings.
Since 1999, images captured from the CCTV cameras at 43 strategic locations on the road network have been broadcast to the public via the Internet. The public have welcomed the service and the Transport Department has increased the number of such locations to 117.
Traffic control and surveillance facilities will be provided under the new major road projects including the HK-SWC and Route 8 between Sha Tin and Tsing Yi for efficient traffic and incident management.
The Transport Department completed the construction of a Traffic Control Centre (TCC) in early 2004. Equipped with the capability to access all CCTV cameras, the TCC is the main center for the coordination of actions and responses required to address any traffic incidents occurring in the territory.
A project to expand the Area Traffic Control (ATC) system and the CCTV system to Tai Po and North District continues. The project is scheduled for completion in mid- 2005 by which time 130 computer controlled signal junctions and 30 CCTV cameras will become operational to improve traffic conditions in these two districts. ATC and CCTV systems will be expanded to Tuen Mun and Yuen Long districts in 2005. The
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