WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1979
HAVING SAID THAT, SOME CONCESSIONS ARE ALREADY GIVEN TO THE SEVERELY DISABLED WHO WISH TO DRIVE THEIR OWN CARS AND THE MATTER OF LOAN SCHEMES FOR VEHICLES FOR THE HANDICAPPED AND MEANS OF EXPEDITING THE HANDICAPPED'S TUITION IN DRIVING ARE ALSO BEING CONSIDERED BY FATHER COLLINS' SUB-COMMITTEE ON ACCESS AND TRANSPORT.
EVERY ASSISTANCE IS BEING GIVEN BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT WITH REGARD TO PRIORITY IN DRIVING TESTS- IN GIVING ADVICE REGARDING THE ADAPTATION OF DRIVING CONTROLS ON VEHICLES- AND IN ACCEPTING APPLICATION FOR DRIVING INSTRUCTION LICENCES FROM APPLICANTS WHO USE VEHICLES ADOPTED FOR THE USE OF DISABLED PERSONS,
UTILISATION OF KERBSIDE SPACE
GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE FREQUENCY OF STOPS IS ABOUT RIGHT, NOT INVOLVING TOO LONG AN UNLOADING TIME OR TOO LONG A WALK TO EACH PASSENGER'S DESTINATION AND THEREBY FURTHER CROWDING UP OUR ALREADY CONGESTED PAVEMENTS, BUT NOT ON THE OTHER HAND CAUSING MORE THAN NECESSARY DELAY TO TRAFFIC.
THE TRAM DOES NOT AFFECT THE KERBSIDE AS SUCH, AND THIS, OF COURSE, IS ONE OF ITS ATTRACTIONS, BUT I STILL BELIEVE THAT ITS STOPS COULD ONLY BE REDUCED WITH À LOSS OF PASSENGERS.
MINIBUSES STOP EVERYWHERE, EXCEPT IN PROHIBITED AREAS- IT IS ONLY WHEN THEY HANG ABOUT WAITING FOR PASSENGERS THAT THEY WASTE KERBSIDE SPACE.
AS REGARDS COASTAL FERRY SERVICES, THE DIFFICULTY IS THE DETOUR WHICH MOST PASSENGERS HAVE TO MAKE TO CATCH THEM.
BUT WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FERRIES, AND THE INCREASING HOLD-UPS IN NORTH POINT IN PARTICULAR AND THE PROXIMITY OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN QUARRY BAY, SHAUKE IWAN AND CHAI WAN TO THE ACTUAL WATERFRONT, MAY WELL PROVIDE A VIABLE ROUTE, IF NOT IMMEDIATELY AT LEAST IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
REGARDING FERRY PIERS, I AM HAPPY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN PROVIDED THAT THE FERRY COMPANIES, LIKE THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY PAY FULL MARKET VALUE OF DEVELOPMENTS OTHER THAN THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH SERVICES TO PASSENGERS AND THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS APPROPRIATE.
BUS ONLY LANES TEND TO BE APPLAUDED IN PRINCIPLE AND FROWNED UPON IN PRACTICE. WE ARE SO SERIOUSLY RESTRICTED BY ROAD SPACE. WE ARE PRESENTLY LOOKING AT A NEW BATCH OF NEW SUGGESTIONS AND I WILL KEEP MR. WONG POSTED.
AS REGARDS TAXIS WE HAVE TO DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM OF TAXI AVAILABILITY TO THOSE WHO MOST NEED THEM - A PROBLEM BEING DEALT WITH BY THE PRICE MECHANISM – AND THE PROBLEM OF HONG KONG'S LONG TERM NEED OF TAXIS AS THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY COMES INTO OPERATION AND THE BUSES ADOPT TO THE NEW SITUATION.
/THE WHOLE