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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1979
* TEST RUN ON ROUTES TO ESTABLISH SPECIAL DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS
TO ENSURE SAFE DRIVING, AND
* GENERAL LIAISON WITH THE COMPANIES ON ALL MATTERS AFFECTING
DRIVERS.
FINALLY, MR. BARNES SAID, HE COULD OFFER NO IMMEDIATE INSURANCE AGAINST FURTHER ACCIDENTS, BUT ASSURED THE COUNCIL THE GOVERNMENT WOULD USE ALL ITS POWERS TO REDUCE THEIR INCIDENCE AND SEEK MORE POWERS, IF THESE WERE FOUND DEFICIENT.
ACTION AGAINST MOTORISTS FOR EXCESSIVE NOISE AND EXHAUST FUMES
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THE POLICE INSTITUTED 5,600 PROSECUTIONS IN 1978 AND ALMOST 3,000 IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR REGARDING EMISSION OF EXHAUST FUMES FROM VEHICLES, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TOLD TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE FIGURES WERE GIVEN IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE REV. THE HON, JOYCE M. BENNETT BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, THE HON, GRAHAM BARNES.
HE SAID THE POLICE EMPLOYING FIVE OF THE NINE INSTRUMENTS IN USE BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO MEASURE SMOKE EMISSION FROM VEHICLES RESULTED IN THE PROSECUTION OF MOTORISTS.
THE OTHERS ARE IN USE AT VARIOUS ROUTINE VEHICLE TESTING STATIONS OPERATED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.
HOWEVER, MR, BARNES SAID EMISSIONS OF SMOKE FROM VEHICLES REPRESENTED ONLY ONE COMPONENT OF EXHAUST FUMES.
+THEY ARE, OF COURSE, THE PART THAT IS MOST READILY OBSERVABLE, HE POINTED OUT.
+BUT THERE ARE OTHER EMISSIONS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY MORE HARMFUL TO HEALTH, SUCH AS LEAD, CARBON MONOXIDE AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN. THESE POLLUTANTS ARE INVISIBLE AND ODOURLESS AND NOT THEREFORE READILY OBSERVED OR DETECTED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
+1 AM, HOWEVER, IN THE PROCESS OF SEEKING THE NECESSARY RESOURCES, IN TERMS OF MANPOWER AND EQUIPMENT, NEEDED TO MEASURE THE CONCENTRATION OF THESE POLLUTANTS IN THE AIR ALONGSIDE BUSY ROADS IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
IN REPLY TO A SEPARATE QUESTION FROM THE HON. WONG LAM ON THE CONTROL OF NOISE POLLUTION GENERATED BY MOTORCYCLES, MR. BARNES SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING NOISE LIMITS FOR NEW VEHICLES.
+THERE ARE AS YET NO RULES WHICH PLACE LIMITS ON THE NOISE EMITTED BY NEW MOTOR VEHICLES ALTHOUGH SUCH LIMITS ARE IN FORCE IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES, HE SAID.