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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1975
TSIM SHA TSUI PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT SCHEME
TO END AS SCHEDULED ******
THE SIX-MONTH EXPERIMENTAL PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT SCHEME IN HANOI ROAD AND CORNWALL AVENUE IN TSIM SHA TSUI, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO END ON DECEMBER 31, 1975, WILL NOT BE EXTENDED, IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY.
THE STREETS WILL BE OPEN TO ALL TRAFFIC AT ALL TIMES WITH EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT ON DECEMBER 31, 1975.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE SCHEME PROVED SUCCESSFUL IN IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE AREA FOR PEDESTRIANS AND RESIDENTS, THE DECLINE IN DUSINESS EXPERIENCED BY SHOPKEEPERS IN THE TWO STREETS AT THE OUTSET OF THE SCHEME WAS NOT REVERSED.
SOME RECOVERY BY MOST BUSINESSES WAS REPORTED FOLLOWING THE MODIFICATION OF THE SCHEME IN SEPTEMBER WHEN TAXIS AND BUSES INCLUDING TOURIST COACHES, WERE PERMITTED TO ENTER THE STREETS AT ALL TIMES.
THE EXPERIENCE IN OTHER COUNTRIES HAS BEEN THAT AFTER AN INITIAL DIP IN BUSINESS AFTER CONVERSION TO A PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT, BUSINESS HAS REVIVED AS PEOPLE HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE THE EASE OF MOVEMENT, AND HAS IN MANY CASES IMPROVED.
+THIS UNFORTUNATELY HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE IN HANOI ROAD AND CORNWALL AVENUE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE GREAT MAJORITY OF PEDESTRIANS INTERVIEWED IN THE PRECINCTS DURING THE EXPERIMENT DECLARED THEMSELVES TO BE GENERALLY IN FAVOUR OF PEDESTIRN PRECINCTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID: +ALTHOUGH THE SCHEME HAS NOT BEEN A COMPLETE SUCCESS IN THE TWO STREETS IN TSIM SHA TSUI AS FAR AS THE BUSINESSES ARE CONCERNED, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SHOPPING PRECINCTS IN OTHER CAREFULLY SELECTED AREAS WOULD NOT SUCCEED.
+A GREAT DEAL OF USEFUL INFORMATION HAS BEEN GATHERED FROM THE EXPERIMENT AND IT IS THE INTENTION TO ESTABLISH SUCH SHOPPING PRECINCTS IN OTHER AREAS OF HONG KONG AND KOWLOON WHERE THE DESIRED BENEFITS FOR BOTH PEDESTRIANS AND SHOPKEEPERS WILL BE REALISED.+
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