WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1977
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HIRAMS HIGHWAY MANNED DURING PEAK HOURS
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DURING PEAK HOURS AND ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS THERE IS ALWAYS ONE, AND SOMETIMES TWO, POLICE PATROL CARS IN THE CLEARWATER BAY ROAD AND HIRAMS HIGHWAY AREA.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY WHEN REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. PETER C. WONG.
APART FROM DOING WHAT THEY COULD TO ASSIST TRAFFIC FLOW GENERALLY AND DEALING WITH VEHICLES WHICH BREAK DOWN, OFFICERS FROM THESE PATROLS WERE INSTRUCTED TO DIRECT THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT THE JUNCTION OF THESE TWO ROADS WHEN THE SITUATION WARRANTS IT, MR. JONES SAID,
+THERE ARE SOMETIMES HOLDUPS OF TRAFFIC TURNING RIGHT FROM HIRAMS HIGHWAY TOWARDS KOWLOON ALONG CLEARWATER BAY ROAD BUT, GIVEN OTHER PRIORITIES FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF POLICE MANPOWER, THEY ARE NOT YET CONSIDERED TO BE SUFFICIENTLY SERIOUS TO JUSTIFY THE STATIONING OF AN OFFICER PERMANENTLY AT THIS POINT TO CONTROL TRAFFIC.+
LAND FOR OFF-STREET DRIVER TRAINING
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY AGREED TO ALLOCATE LAND IN BUTTERFLY VALLEY TO THE AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION FOR A PILOT SCHEME OF OFF-STREET DRIVER TRAINING, THE HON. DEREK JONES, SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. ALEX WU ON GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO REDUCE INCONVENIENCE AND POLLUTION CAUSED BY LEARNER DRIVERS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, MR. JONES SAID THE IDEAL SOLUTION WOULD BE TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT OFF-STREET SITES WHERE LEARNER DRIVERS COULD AT LEAST UNDERTAKE THE IR BASIC TRAINING.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED, SUCH SITES WERE DIFFICULT TO FIND AND THERE WERE MANY COMPETING CLAIMS FOR THE IR USE.
HE NOTED THAT THE INDOOR DRIVING TRAINING CENTRE OPERATED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT COULD HELP SOLVE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
+ THIS TRAINING HELPS TO KEEP LEARNERS OFF THE ROAD UNTIL THEY HAVE ACQUIRED SOME COMPETENCE IN HANDLING A VEHICLE AND IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO PRODUCE DRIVERS OF ABOVE AVERAGE STANDARD, HE SAID.
MR. JONES ALSO POINTED OUT THAT SINCE THE CENTRE OPENED IN 1974, MORE THAN 11,000 TRAINEES HAD RECEIVED BASIC INSTRUCTION AND THE NUMBERS OF APPLICANTS WERE STEADILY INCREASING.
THE AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION WAS RUNNING A SIMILAR FACILITY AT MARSH ROAD IN WAN CHAI, HE ADDED.
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