+
3
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1977.
CRACKDOWNS ON DEFECTIVE CARS STEPPED UP
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CRACKDOWNS ON DEFECTIVE MOTOR CARS WHICH THREATEN THE SAFETY OF OTHER ROAD USERS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIANS ARE BEING STEPPED UP FOLLOWING THE ARRIVAL OF FIVE NEW MOTOR VEHICLE EXAMINERS RECENTLY.
THE EXAMINERS, THREE BRITONS AND TWO NEW ZEALANDERS, RECRUITED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT LATE LAST YEAR.
WERE
ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR MOTOR VEHICLE EXAMINER, MR. KEN ANDREWS, THREE OF THE RECRUITS HAVE BEEN SECONDED TO THE POLICE TRAFFIC BRANCH AND THE OTHER TWO POSTED TO THE DEPARTMENT'S MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION CENTRE IN KOWLOON.
MR. ANDREWS POINTED OUT THAT THE NUMBER OF EXAMINERS SECONDED TO THE POLICE TRAFFIC BRANCH NOW STOOD AT SEVEN.
IN OTHER WORDS, HE EXPLAINED, THERE WERE NOW TWO EXAMINERS IN EACH OF THE THREE POLICE TRAFFIC DISTRICTS
• IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, KOWLOON AND ON HONG KONG. HE SAID THE SEVENTH EXAMINER, STATIONED AT THE TRAFFIC HEADQUARTERS, WAS IN OVERALL CHARGE OF THE SIX.
+PREVIOUSLY ONLY ONE EXAMINER WAS ATTACHED TO EACH OF THE THREE DISTRICTS AND THIS HAS PROVED TO BE INADEQUATE BECAUSE THEY HAD TO DO EVERYTHING THEMSELVES SUCH AS CARRYING OUT INSPECTIONS ON VEHICLES, FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTING OFFENDERS IN THE COURTS.+ MR. ANDREWS SAID.
+FROM NOW ON VEHCILES WILL BE CHECKED ON ROADS AS WELL.+
+VEHICLE EXAMINERS WILL CONCENTRATE ON BLATANT CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION AND USE) REGULATIONS AND DEFECTS WHICH EITHER CAUSED A NUISANCE TO THE PUBLIC OR AFFECTED THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLES, HE POINTED OUT.
MEANWHILE, TENDERS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A $4.5 MILLION SEMI-AUTOMATED VEHICLE INSPECTION CENTRE IN KOWLOON BAY WILL EE INVITED IN APRIL, THE CENTRE WHICH COVERS AN AREA OF ABOUT 100,000 SQUARE FEET WILL BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT 80,000 INSPECTIONS WHEN FULLY OPERATIONAL.
+ IT IS HOPED THAT WHEN THE NEW CENTRE IS COMPLETED IN ABOUT TWO YEARS TIME IT WILL BE ABLE TO EXTEND THE EXISTING ANNUAL INSPECTIONS TO COVER ALL GOODS VEHICLES AND PRIVATE CARS ABOVE A CERTAIN AGE,+ MR. ANDREWS SAID,
+HOWEVER, OUR ULTIMATE AIM IS TO INSPECT EVERY VEHICLE ONCE A YEAR, HE ADDED.