WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1978
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PLB DESTINATIONS AND FARES DISPLAY LAW TO BE ENFORCED FROM JULY
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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY, SAID TODAY THAT THE NEW LAW REQUIRING THE DISPLAY OF DESTINATIONS AND FARES BY PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES WOULD BE ENFORCED FROM JULY THIS YEAR.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. PETER C. WONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. HOBLEY SAID THAT NO PROSECUTIONS HAD BEEN INSTITUTED AGAINST PUBLIC LIGHT BUS DRIVERS FOR NON-COMPLIANCE OF THE LAW. THE NEW LAW CAME INTO EFFECT ON AUGUST 1 LAST YEAR.
EXPLAINING THE SITUATION, MR. HOBLEY SAID IT HAD BECOME CLEAR THAT THE NECESSARY STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS TO PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES WERE NOT GENERALLY BEING MADE BY JUNE 1977, SO THE COMPLIANCE AFTER AUGUST 1 WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW WAS UNLIKELY.
+ IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE POLICE FORCE WAS FACED WITH THE PROSPECT OF LARGE SCALE DEFIANCE OF THE LAW AND IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT PROSECUTION ON THE SCALE THAT MIGHT BECOME NECESSARY WAS NOT FEASIBLE, HE ADDED.
AS A RESULT, MR. HOBLEY SAID, AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH HAD TO BE ADOPTED. IT WAS DECIDED THAT PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES WOULD NOT BE RE-LICENSED THENCEFORTH UNLESS THE NECESSARY ALTERATIONS TO PROVIDE DESTINATION INDICATORS HAD BEEN MADE.
+THIS COURSE HAS PRODUCED THE DESIRED RESULT AND BY JULY THIS YEAR ALL PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES WILL HAVE BEEN ALTERED AS NECESSARY OR WILL NO LONGER BE LICENSED, MR. HOBLEY SAID.
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