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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1974
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TRAINS, HE NOTED, WERE SCHEDULED TO STOP FOR 20 SECONDS ONLY AND THEIR DOORS WOULD OPEN AUTOMATICALLY AND SHUT QUICKLY. THERE WOULD BE SURGES OF PASSENGERS ON AND OFF THE TRAINS, WHILE INSIDE THE CARRIAGES THERE WOULD BE SEATS FOR ONLY 20 PER CENT OF THE PASSENGERS, THE REMAINDER HAVING TO STAND.
+IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS CONSIDERED UNLIKELY THAT TRULY DISABLED PERSONS WILL WANT TO USE THE RAILWAY.+ I SAY +TRULY. DISABLED+ BECAUSE I THINK THAT DR. FANG'S ESTIMATE OF (AND I QUOTE) +SOME 300,000 PEOPLE OF RESTRICTED MOBILITY+ (WHICH IS IN ITSELF SOME TEN TIMES THE GOVERNMENT ESTIMATE BASED ON THE 1971 CENSUS) INCLUDES A LARGE NUMBER WHO ARE CAPABLE OF WALKING, EVEN IF WITH THE AID OF A STICK. FOR THOSE DISABLED PERSONS WHO CAN WALK, THE STAIRCASES AND ESCALATORS WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED WILL BE ADEQUATE.
+FOR DISABLED PERSONS WHO CANNOT WALK, Į SUGGEST THE PROVISION OF SPECIAL FACILITIES ON THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY IS NOT THE ANSWER.+
MR. BELL ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE GOVERNMENT FULLY APPRECIATED THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING SURFACE TRANSPORT FACILITIES APPROPRIATE TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, +1 UNDERSTAND FROM MY COLLEAGUES, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIROMNENT AND THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THAT A WORKING GROUP, CHAIRED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, HAS BEEN SET UP TO INVESTIGATE WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS. +
TURNING TO THE NEW TOWNS, MR. BELL RECALLED THAT LAST YEAR A NEW ORGANISATION, THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WAS FORMED WITHIN THE P.W.D. TO UNDERTAKE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S TEN-YEAR HOUSING PROGRAMME, MUCH OF WHICH WOULD BE CONCENTRATED IN THE THREE NEW TOWNS AT TUEN MUN, TSUEN WAN AND SHA TIN.
+SINCE THAT TIME A LOT OF ESSENTIAL GROUND WORK HAS BEEN DONE IN THE WAY OF PREPARATION OF DETAILED PLANS AND IN DEVISING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES, INCLUDING THE CO-ORDINATION OF THE PROGRAMMES OF ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THESE VAST UNDERTAKINGS.+
ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WORK IN THE THREE NEW TOWNS HAD BEEN GOING AHEAD AT A STEADY PACE. +SITES ARE BEING FORMED FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTIONAL AND COMMUNITY USE AND FOR PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES. AT THE SAME TIME,. ESSENTIAL ENGINEERING INFRASTRUCTURES SUCH AS ROADS, DRAINS, SEWERS AND WATER SUPPLY ARE BEING BUILT.
/+SOME 1,340 ACRES
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