WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1979
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HE SAID MOST PEOPLE WOULD PREFER SPENDING 30-40 MINUTES ON A FERRY RATHER THAN QUEUING UP FOR A BUS OR TRAM AND SUFFERING THE FRUSTRATION OF A TRAFFIC JAM AND INHALING EXHAUST FUMES.
FROM THE FERRY OPERATOR'S POINT OF VIEW, FULL OPERATION IN ONE DIRECTION DURING PEAK HOURS MIGHT NOT BE PROFITABLE.
THIS PROBLEM COULD, HOWEVER, BE SOLVED BY A REALISTIC FARE STRUCTURE, OR BY THE GOVERNMENT OFFERING SOME FORM OF INDIRECT FINANCIAL OR OTHER INCENTIVE, SUCH AS ALLOWING THE COMPANIES TO DEVELOP FULL COMMERCIAL INVESTMENTS AT THE PIERS AS WAS ALLOWED THE MTR, MR. CHEN SAID.
LEARNER DRIVERS
THE HON. PETER C. WONG SAID THE TRAINING OF DRIVERS WAS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ANY TRANSPORT POLICY BECAUSE BETTER DRIVERS MEANT BETTER TRAFFIC FLOW AND LESS ACCIDENTS BUT THE WHITE PAPER DID NOT MENTION LEARNER DRIVERS.
HE ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO SET UP MORE IN-DOOR DRIVING TRAINING CENTRES, WHICH HAD BEEN SHOWN TO HELP LEARNERS IMPROVE THE IR PERFORMANCE, AND WHICH WOULD HELP REDUCE CONGESTION CAUSED BY OTHERWISE ON-ROAD DRIVING INSTRUCTION.
HE ALSO SUGGESTED THE SETTING UP OF OFF-STREET DRIVER TRAINING AREAS.
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
THE HON. WONG LAM WANTED THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW ITS PRESENT PRACTICE OF HANDLING TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS SO THAT THESE COULD BE DEALT WITH SPEEDILY TO AVOID CAUSING PROLONGED TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
HE ALSO SUGGESTED SETTING UP WARNING BOARDS AT TRAFFIC BLACK SPOTS OR CONSPICUOUS PLACES, SHOWING THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC CASUALTIES, TO ALERT BOTH MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.
ALTERNATIVES TO MTR
HE THOUGHT THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO CHOOSE DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORT AT DIFFERENT PRICES AND THAT EXISTING TRUNK ROUTE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE AFTER THE OPENING OF THE MTR.
TO ENCOURAGE PRIVATE MOTORISTS TO USE THE MTR, HE SUGGESTED THAT STATIONS SHOULD HAVE PARKING FACILITIES NEARBY,
/BUS ONLY