N
H
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT SPEAKS ABOUT PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES
The Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Wilson, today described as "pure
invention" reports that licences for public light buses, or any other vehicle
licences, would be doubled in the near future.
He made it clear that the matter had neither been hinted nor stated
officially. "The public light bus is one of a number of forms of public
transport and obviously its future must be determined in relation to an
overall transport policy, not just by itself,"
Mr. Wilson said a proposed transport policy was likely to be debated
by the Legislative Council later this year.
"Recent press statements by representatives of some public light
bus associations give an unfortunate impression that the Transport Department
is about to declare war on this form of transport. This," he said, "is
absolutely ridiculous".
The Commissioner for Transport also explained that the number of
roads where PLBs were not allowed to stop was being increased simply to relieve
traffic congestion, "and it's proving highly successful as a means of keeping
traffic moving".
In every case, suitable alternative stopping places are provided and
it was "nonsense" for anyone to claim that these bens were putting the PLES
out of business.
"Indications are that they are carrying the same number of passengers
as before, although stopping in slightly different places when bans are imposed.
"Passengers