WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1979
3 -
MR. TIEN'S SUGGESTIONS FOR THE BETTER UTILISATION OF THE SITES BY DEVELOPMENT OF COMPOSITE BUILDINGS, INCLUDING FACILITIES FOR MAINTENANCE AND WORKERS MEALS, WILL BE TAKEN INTO THIS STUDY, THE RESULTS OF WHICH WE HOPE TO DISCUSS WITH INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS.
AS REGARDS TRAFFIC PENALTIES, INCLUDING PARKING FINES, MR. TIEN WILL LIKE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE LEVEL OF THESE - WITH A VIEW TO INCREASING THEM, OF COURSE.
LEARNER DRIVERS
REGARDING INDOOR DRIVING TRAINING CENTRES, I AGREE WITH
MR. WONG THAT THESE ARE HIGHLY DESIRABLE.
HE WILL BE INTERESTED TO LEARN THAT IT IS PROPOSED BY OCTOBER OF NEXT YEAR TO REDEVELOP THE GOVERNMENT-RUN CENTRE IN PUI CHING ROAD, KOWLOON, INTO LARGER ACCOMMODATION IN THE SAME BUILDING.
THIS ADDITIONAL ACCOMMMODATION AND THE PROVISION OF MORE DRIVING SIMULATORS WIL ENABLE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THE CLASS TO BE INCREASED BY ONE-THIRD,
WE SHALL BE RENEWING OUR STOCK OF DRIVING SIMULATORS AT THAT TIME, SO STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE BENEFIT OF MODERN AND RELIABLE EQUIPMENT.
I AM PLEASED THAT THE HONG KONG AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION IS ALSO EXPANDING ITS FACILITIES FOR INDOOR DRIVING INSTRUCTION AND IS PLANNING TO OPEN A SECOND INDOOR CENTRE NEXT YEAR.
TRANSPORT FOR THE DISABLED
THE GOVERNMENT HAS LONG ARGUED THAT THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, PRECISELY BECAUSE IT IS A MASS TRANSIT CONCERNED WITH HUGELY CONCENTRATED CROWDS IS NO PLACE FOR WHEEL CHAIRS.
THIS IS THE THINKING OF MANY TRANSPORT SPECIALISTS OUTSIDE HONG KONG.
AS REGARDS THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM PROPOSED FOR HONG KONG ISLAND, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY OPENED DISCUSSIONS WITH FATHER COLLINS, CHAIRMAN OF THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE'S +ACCESS AND TRANSPORT SUB-COMMITTEE+ ON WHAT COULD BE DONE FOR THE DISABLED, IF WE WERE TO HAVE SUCH A SYSTEM.
ACCORDINGLY, I LOOK AT THE REHABUS, WHICH IS FLEXIBLE AND TAILORED TO INDIVIDUAL NEEDS FOR EXPANSION TO SERVE MOST OF THE NEEDS OF THE SERIOUSLY HANDICAPPED.
OUR VIEW IS THAT THE REHABUS IS THE MOST USEFUL FIELD FOR GOVERNMENT HELP TO THE HANDICAPPED TRAVELLERS, AND DESERVES GREATER PRIORITY THAN ANY ASSISTANCE IN THE PURCHASE OF PRIVATE CARS.
/HAVING SAID