TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1979
BLITZ AGAINST ILLEGAL USE OF FACTORY CAR PARKS
IN TSUEN WAN IS A SUCCESS
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A BLITZ BY THE LEASE ENFORCEMENT SECTION OF TSUEN WAN DISTRICT OFFICE AGAINST UNAUTHORISED CONVERSIONS OF CAR PARKS AND LOADING AND UNLOADING BAYS IN FACTORY BUILDINGS IN THE AREA IS PROVING EFFECTIVE.
SINCE MAY THIS YEAR, WHEN ACTION STARTED FOLLOWING WARNING LETTERS, ABOUT 400 CAR PARKS AND BAYS USED MAINLY FOR STORAGE OR WORKSHOP PURPOSES IN BREACH OF LEASE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED.
OF THESE, MORE THAN HALF HAVE REVERTED TO THEIR PROPER USAGE AFTER THE OWNERS OR OPERATORS WERE WARNED. SHORT EXTENSIONS HAVE BEEN GRANTED TO A FURTHER 75 OPERATORS ON PAYMENT OF FEES ALTHOUGH ACTION WILL CONTINUE TO BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THEY USE THE CAR PARKS AND BAYS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LEASE CONDITIONS. THE REMAINDER OF THE CASES ARE AT AN INITIAL STAGE.
THE ACTION IS BEING TAKEN IN THE TAI LIN PA ROAD AND KWAI CHEONG ROAD AREA AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR WHEN ANOTHER AREA WILL BE SELECTED FOR ACTION.
A NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SPOKESMAN SAID SUCH UNAUTHORISED USAGE OFTEN RESULTED IN VEHICLES CARRYING OUT LOADING AND UNLOADING ACTIVITIES ON STREETS AND PAVEMENTS, AS WELL AS INDISCRIMINATE PARKING. +THIS CAUSES SERIOUS TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND DISRUPTION, HE SAID.
SOME CASES OF UNAUTHORISED USE OF CAR PARKS AND BAYS HAD BEEN REFERRED TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE BY THE LABOUR AND FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENTS. AND THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID. HE SAID PRIOR TO ENFORCEMENT ACTION BEING TAKEN A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF PUBLICITY HAD BEEN GIVEN AND ADVISORY LETTERS SENT TO THE OWNERS AND OCCUPIERS OF FACTORY BUILDINGS.
HE ESTIMATED IN THE WHOLE OF THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT ABOUT 1 500 CAR PARKS AND BAYS IN INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WERE BEING USED IN AN UNAUTHORISED MANNER. +IN DUE COURSE WE WILL VISIT THEM ALL AND WE WILL ALSO GO BACK TO THE FACTORIES PREVIOUSLY VISITED TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE NOT REVERTED TO THEIR FORMER PRACTICES,+ HE SAID. HE WAS CONFIDENT IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAFFIC FLOW COULD BE ACHIEVED IF ALL THE CAR PARKS AND BAYS WERE BEING PROPERLY USED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID AN EXTENSION PERIOD WAS ONLY GRANTED IN CASES WHERE A FACTORY OPERATOR HAD TAKEN POSITIVE STEPS TO COMPLY WITH THE LEASE CONDITIONS. HE SAID IN THE EVENTS OF SUCH STEPS NOT BEING TAKEN VESTING OR RE-ENTRY WOULD BE RECOMMENDED.
HE SAID THE MAJORITY OF OWNERS WHO HAD BEEN VISITED SO FAR HAD BEEN CO-OPERATIVE.
IN THE CURRENT BLITZ CASES OF STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS OR ADDITIONS TO CAR PARKS HAVE BEEN UNCOVERED AND OWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO BRING THEM BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL STATE.
HE SAID THERE WAS A GOOD SUPPLY OF FACTORY UNITS IN TSUEN WAN AND OCCUPIERS WHO HAD BEEN USING CAR PARKS AND BAYS FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES SHOULD HAVE LITTLE DIFFICULTY FINDING ALTERNATIVE SPACE.
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