WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1979
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BUS ONLY LANES AND LIGHT BUSES
MR. WONG SUPPORTED MORE USE OF BUS ONLY LANES IN THE URBAN AREAS WHICH WOULD ONLY HAVE TO BE OPENED DURING PEAK HOURS.
HE BELIEVED THAT MAXICAB SERVICES WOULD BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IF THE LARGER PLB OPERATORS COULD BE INVITED JOINTLY TO OPERATE A FEW LINES, SO AS TO EVEN OUT PROFITS AND MAKE GOOD LOSSES.
THE SYSTEM OF PLB CONTROL IN CENTRAL DISTRICT, BY WHICH THEY WERE REQUIRED TO OFF-LOAD AND TAKE ON PASSENGERS IN SIDE STREETS, COULD BE PROMOTED.
HE ALSO FELT THAT THE USE OF NON-FRANCHISED BUSES, IN PARTICULAR SCHOOL BUSES, FOR EXAMPLE FOR GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS, SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED.
TAXIS AND PRIVATE CARS
MR. WONG THOUGHT THE EXISTING POLICY WAS CONTRADICTORY IN THAT IT REGARDED TAXIS AS THE LEAST EFFICIENT MEANS OF TRANSPORT AND YET LICENCES FOR THEM WERE STILL BEING ISSUED.
HE ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ON-STREET PARKING SPACES, ESPECIALLY THOSE NEAR MAIN ROADS, FOR PRIVATE CARS, TO REDUCE CONGESTION CAUSED INDIRECTLY BY THEM.
HE THOUGHT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROMOTE STAGGERED WORKING HOURS, WHICH SHOULD HELP TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.
20,000 REFUGEES TO LEAVE HK THIS YEAR
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ABOUT 20,000 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WILL BE RESETTLED OVERSEAS THIS YEAR, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. OSWALD CHEUNG, HE ALSO SAID IT WAS HOPED THE RATE OF DEPARTURE WILL INCREASE THEREAFTER.
HE SAID THAT SINCE THE GENEVA CONFERENCE ON VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEMS, THE NUMBER OF OVERSEAS RESETTLEMENT PLACES FOR THE REGION, OFFERED BY 26 COUNTRIES, HAD INCREASED TO UP TO 300,000.
+WE ARE NOW ENGAGED ON A SERIES OF BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES AND WITH THE UNHCR OVER RESETTLEMENT PLACES, HE SAID.
/ON THE