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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1978
SPECIAL BUS LANE SCHEME SUCCESSFUL
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THE BUS-ONLY-LANE SCHEMES HAVE GENERALLY IMPROVED THE JOURNEY TIMES AND INCREASED THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE BUSES USING THEM.
THE BETTER SERVICE THUS PROVIDED HAD PERSUADED MORE PEOPLE TO TRAVEL ON THE BUSES, HE SAID IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. PETER C. WONG.
MR. JONES ADDED THAT RECENT SURVEYS IN THE MID-LEVELS SHOW THAT THE PROPORTION OF TRIPS MADE BY FRANCHISED BUSES DURING THE MORNING PEAK PERIOD HAS RISEN FROM 21 PER CENT BEFORE THE BUS PRIORITY SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED TO AS MUCH AS 40 PER CENT.
ANSWERING ANOTHER QUESTION FROM MR. WONG ON RELAXING THE SCHEME DURING SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, MR. JONES POINTED OUT THAT BEFORE ANY RELAXATION WAS INTRODUCED IT WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEARLY SHOWN THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORT WOULD NOT SUFFER.
+ THE OBJECT OF THE BUS ONLY LANES IS TO GIVE PRIORITY TO HIGH CAPACITY PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE ROAD CAPACITY DOES NOT PERMIT THE UNRESTRICTED USE OF PRIVATE CARS.
+ IN THE PARTICULAR CASE OF THE MID-LEVELS THE SITUATION IS AFFECTED BY THE MAJOR ROAD WORKS BEING UNDERTAKEN IN THAT AREA AND IT IS NOT YET KNOWN WHAT THE EFFECT WILL BE OF THE LIFTING OF THE BUILDING RESTRICTIONS IN THE AREA.
+ I HAVE, HOWEVER, ASKED THE DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED TO LOOK AGAIN AT THE POSITION ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS TO SEE IF ANY CHANGES CAN BE MADE AT THESE TIMES WHICH WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT BUS OPERATIONS. +
TOPLEY COMMENTS ON ACADEMIC APTITUDE TEST ******
THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY SOME PRIMARY SCHOOLS ARE COACHING THE IR PUPILS FOR THE ACADEMIC APTITUDE TEST.
+THIS WAS TO BE EXPECTED, HE SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. CHARLES YEUNG WHO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT POSITIVE ACTION THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE TO ENSURE THAT THE PURPOSE OF APTITUDE TEST WAS NOT DEFEATED BY SUCH PRACTICE.
MR. TOPLEY STATED THAT HE DID NOT INTEND TRYING FORCIBLY TO STOP PRIMARY SCHOOLS FROM COACHING THEIR PUPILS FOR THE ACADEMIC APTITUDE TEST.
+SOME PREPARATION FOR THE TEST IS DESIRABLE, BUT EXCESSIVE COACHING IS INEFFECTIVE, HE SAID.
+MANY SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY APPRECIATED THE TRUE ROLE AND NATURE OF THE TEST WHICH IS USED SOLELY TO SCALE THE INTERNAL ASSESS-
MENTS OF SCHOOLS AND WHICH IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY AS NOT TO EXERT UNDUE PRESSURE ON CHILDREN+ HE ADDED.
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