WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1979
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TRANSPORT WHITE PAPER TABLED
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THE GOVERNMENT'S CENTRAL OBJECTIVE IN ITS TRANSPORT POLICY IS TO MAINTAIN AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, IMPROVE THE MOBILITY OF PEOPLE
AND GOODS.
THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES SAID THIS AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN TABLING THE WHITE PAPER ON INTERNAL TRANSPORT POLICY.
*THE WHITE PAPER SETS OUT THREE BASIC WAYS OF KEEPING BOTH PEOPLE AND GOODS MOVING IN OUR TRANSPORT SYSTEM,+ MR. JONES SAID.
HE SAID THAT THESE WERE 1
* EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE ROAD NETWORK-
*
PROVISION OF MORE AND BETTER QUALITY PUBLIC TRANSPORT- AND
* MEASURES TO ENSURE THE MORE ECONOMIC USE OF THE ROADS.
TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES, MR. JONES SAID THAT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS UP TO $7,000 MILLION COULD BE SPENT ON ROAD PROJECTS ALREADY UNDERWAY, OR WOULD BE COMMITTED TO PROJECTS LIKELY TO START DURING THAT PERIOD,
+BY THE END OF THE BO'S WE SHOULD HAVE A GREATLY EXPANDED AND IMPROVED NETWORK OF ROADS, TUNNELS AND FLYOVERS, PLUS A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
+BETTER FACILITIES WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR PEDESTRIANS AND FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON THE ROADS,+ HE SAID.
ON UPGRADING AND EXPANSION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, MR. JONES SAID THIS WOULD BE THE KEY TO ALL OUR EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FOR THE GROWING NUMBER OF JOURNEYS THAT PEOPLE WOULD WISH TO MAKE.
OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, MR. JONES SAID THAT A QUANTUM JUMP IN BOTH THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT WAS EXPECTED.
HE GAVE FIVE EXAMPLES :
*
THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, WHICH WILL OPEN ITS FIRST SECTION FROM KWUN TONG TO SHEK KIP MEI IN OCTOBER
THIS YEAR, WILL BE CARRYING ALMOST TWO MILLION PASSENGERS A DAY WHEN THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION OPENS IN 1982.
* THE KCR SHOULD BE DOUBLE-TRACKED AND ELECTRIFIED TO THE
BORDER BY THE END OF 1982 AND THE INTERCHANGE STATION WITH THE MTR AT KOWLOON TONG WILL EFFECTIVELY INTEGRATE THE TWO RAILWAYS INTO ONE SYSTEM.
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