15 -
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1980
NEW DRIVING EXAMINER POSTS CREATED
TO HELP REDUCE WAITING TIME FOR TESTS
*****
A RECRUITMENT EXERCISE IS NOW UNDER WAY TO FILL 11 NEWLY CREATED DRIVING EXAMINER POSTS WITH THE AIM TO HELP REDUCE THE WAITING TIME FOR DRIVING TESTS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ANDREW SO, MR JONES ALSO REVEALED THAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR OPENING NEW DRIVING TEST CENTRES IN CERTAIN EXPANDING AREAS OF POPULATION,
HE SAID THE STANDARD OF HONG KONG DRIVING TESTS WAS FULLY UP TO THE BEST LEVELS OVERSEAS AND THE TESTS WERE SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR LOCAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.
MR JONES ALSO POINTED OUT THAT ON DECEMBER 31, 1979 THERE WERE 143 000 HOLDERS OF PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCES FOR PRIVATE CARS AND 45 000 FOR OTHER VEHICLES CATEGORIES.
NT CIRCULAR ROUTE ****
WORK ON THE DUAL-CARRIAGEWAY BETWEEN YUEN LONG AND AU TAU, A SECTION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROUTE BETWEEN YUEN LONG AND FANLING, IS EXPECTED TO START EARLY NEXT YEAR AND BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 1982.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON DAVID MCDONALD, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHARLES YEUNG
IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MR MCDONALD ALSO SAID THAT PRIORITY WAS GIVEN TO THE CIRCULAR ROUTE SECTIONS BETWEEN FANLING AND SHA TIN WHICH WERE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 1984.
THE DUAL CARRIAGEWAY FROM AU TAU TO FANLING VIA MAI PO, HE ADDED, WOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN SECTIONS. PROGRAMMED FOR COMPLETION IN 1986, THIS WOULD BE THE LAST OF THE CIRCULAR ROUTE WORKS TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
MR YEUNG HAD ASKED FOR DETAILS AND THE LATEST POSITION OF THE CIRCULAR ROUTE IN VIEW OF THE IMPENDING INTENSIVE INDUSTRIAL AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER WITH CHINA.+
MR MCDONALD POINTED OUT THAT THE ITEMS COVERING THE SECTIONS OF THE NT CIRCULAR ROUTE WERE FIRST INCLUDED IN CATEGORY B OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME IN 1965 TO ENABLE PRELIMINARY PLANNING TO COMMENCE.
/HOWEVER,