WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1979
IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE HAS NOT BEEN PASSIVE. IT HAS TAKEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO IMPRESS ON THE COMPANIES THE URGENCY OF THE NEED FOR EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT ON THE QUALITY OF SERVICE.
FULL REPORTS ON THEIR PERFORMANCE WERE PREPARED THIS YEAR BY THE COMMISSIONER IN CONNECTION WITH THE IMPENDING RENEWAL OF THE FRANCHISES.
THESE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND GOVERNMENT IN THE LIGHT OF THESE REPORTS WILL BE CONSIDERING VERY SHORTLY TO WHAT EXTENT NEW ROUTES SHOULD BE OFFERED TO THE EXISTING COMPANIES OR WHETHER ADDITIONAL CAPACITY SHOULD BE SOUGHT OUTSIDE THE EXISTING FRANCHISES.
ROAD SAFETY
GOVERNMENT IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ROAD SAFETY AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR MR. CHEONG-LEEN'S SUGGESTIONS.
BECAUSE OF THE MILLIONS OF PASSENGER MILES WHICH THEY PERFORM EVERY DAY. THE TWO FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES ARE STILL THE SAFEST MEANS OF TRANSPORT IN HONG KONG. THAT IS TO SAY A PASSENGER IS FAR LESS LIKELY TO BE HURT THAN HE IS ON ANY OTHER FORM OF TRANSPORT.
BUT I HAVE ASKED FOR THE FIGURES TO BE BROUGHT UP-TO-DATE AND PROPOSE TO PUBLISH THEM AS SOON AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
PARKING POLICY
I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT I CAN GO TO THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE BY THE END OF THE YEAR WITH A PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS FOR
ITS CONSIDERATION.
THE GOVERNMENT'S EVENTUAL DECISION ON PARKING POLICY WILL PROBABLY BE PUBLISHED SEPARATELY FIRST, AND WOULD BE ESSENTIAL MATERIAL FOR ANY REVISION OF THE WHITE PAPER.
MR. TIEN
1 LIKE MR. TIEN'S BASIC THINKING ABOUT MULTI-STOREY LORRY PARKS AND WILL PUT IT TO THE WORKING GROUP ON PARKING TO WHICH
| HAVE ALREADY REFERRED.
HOWEVER, PARKING AND GOODS LOADING BOTH IN LORRIES AND CONTAINERS IN INDUSTRIAL AREAS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES OF INDUSTRIAL LAYOUTS WHICH ARE ALREADY UNDER SERIOUS AND CRITICAL RE-EXAMINATION BY THE TOWN PLANNING OFFICE.
THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT TOWN PLANNER HAS BEEN DEVELOPING IDEAS, WHICH INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF MULTI-STOREY CAR PARKS AND CONTAINER LOADING BAYS, AND HAS DISCUSSED THESE WITH THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTS.
/MR. TIEN'S