WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1977
BUSES INSPECTED BEFORE SERVICE
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ALL PUBLIC BUSES ARE INSPECTED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT BEFORE THEY ENTER SERVICE AND AT REGULAR INTERVALS THEREAFTER, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE SAID THAT BUS COMPANIES WERE ALSO REQUIRED TO SATISFY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT THAT THEIR MAINTENANCE FACILITIES WERE ADEQUATE AND HE WAS SO SATISFIED AT THE PRESENT TIME.
+FURTHERMORE, THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO DRIVERS ON METHODS OF OPERATION IN THE INTERESTS OF SAFETY ARE ALSO KNOWN TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND ARE DISCUSSED BETWEEN THE COMPANIES AND THE DEPARTMENT, MR. JONES SAID.
HE WAS REPLYING TO THE HON. LYDIA DUNN WHO HAD ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERED IT NECESSARY TO REVIEW THE OVERALL SAFETY STANDARDS OF OPERATION OF ALL PUBLIC BUS COMPANIES IN VIEW OF THE SEK KONG BUS CRASH WHICH KILLED SIX PEOPLE LATE LAST MONTH.
MR. JONES SAID HE DID NOT THINK THAT THIS ONE ACCIDENT, SERIOUS AS IT WAS, REQUIRED AS DRASTIC A PROCEDURE AS A COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE OVERALL SAFETY STANDARDS OF OPERATION OF ALL PUBLIC OMNIBUS COMPANIES.
HE REVEALED THAT THE BUS CONCERNED WAS A NEW ONE, SPECIALLY PURCHASED FOR ROUTE 51, THE ROUTE CROSSING ROUTE TWSK.
+ IT WAS FIRST LICENSED ON JUNE 18, 1976 AND WENT INTO REGULAR SERVICE ON THAT ROUTE ON AUGUST 1, 1976. SINCE THEN AND UNTIL THE ACCIDENT IT HAD HAD A REGULAR THREE WEEKLY INSPECTION AND SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDED TESTING AND ADJUSTING THE BRAKES IF REQUIRED,+ HE SAID.
THE LAST SUCH TEST WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY 6 THE ACCIDENT.
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19 DAYS BEFORE
THE POLICE ENQUIRY INTO THE CAUSES OF THE ACCIDENT, MR. JONES SAID, WAS AS YET NOT COMPLETED AS THE FINAL OPINIONS OF ONE OR TWO TECHNICAL EXPERTS WERE STILL AWAITED.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED, HE HAD ASKED THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TO REVIEW THE DEPLOYMENT OF BUSES AND INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO DRIVERS, ON KMB ROUTE 51 IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO ON ALL OTHER HILLY ROUTES IN HONG KONG.
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