WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1978
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HOUSING ESTATES PROVIDED WITH BALANCE CHOICE OF TRANSPORT *****
THERE IS NO GENERAL POLICY OF PROHIBITING PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES FROM ENTERING PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, THE HON. DEREK JONES, SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
THERE ARE FACILITIES FOR THEM IN THE MAJORITY OF ESTATES, MR. JONES SAID IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. MRS. KWAŃ KO SIU-WAH.
+AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, THEREFORE, THE POLICY IS TO PROVIDE A EALANCED CHOICE OF SERVICES,+ HE ADDED.
MR. JONES SAID THE PRESENT POLICY WAS TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES WITHIN ESTATES BY CONFINING THEM TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF PICK-UP POINTS, EITHER IN CENTRALLY LOCATED OFF-STREET TERMINI OR AT KERBSIDE STANDS OR LAY-BYS.
+THESE CONTROLS HAVE BEEN IMPOSED BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS UNRESTRICTED OPERATIONS OF THE PLBS WERE CAUSING CONGESTION AND FRUSTRATING THE MOVEMENT OF FRANCHISED BUSES. THIS, IN TURN, WAS DISCOURAGING THE BUS COMPANIES FROM IMPROVING THEIR SERVICES, + HE EXPLAINED.
HE ADDED THAT CIRCUMSTANCES VARIED FROM ESTATE TO ESTATE.
+ IN A VERY FEW CASES, WHERE THERE ARE SUFFICIENT BUSES, PLBS ARE BANNED COMPLETELY FROM THE ESTATE. +
BUT, WHERE THERE WAS A HEAVY DEMAND FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT, AND LIMITED ROAD CAPACITY AND SPACE FOR PICK-UP POINTS, MORE PEOPLE COULD BE MOVED BY GIVING PREFERENCE TO THE MOST EFFICIENT CARRIERS, THAT WAS LARGE BUSES, HE ADDED.
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