SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 1980
UK CAN PROVIDE CUSTOM - BUILT BUSES FOR HK
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BRITISH MANUFACTURERS ARE PREPARED TO BUILD LARGER BUSES SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR HONG KONG, SAID MR JOHN SHEARMAN, CHIEF TRANSPORT OFFICER IN CHARGE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT PLANNING TODAY (SUNDAY).
MR SHEARMAN HAS RETURNED TO HONG KONG AFTER A MONTH-LONG TOUR OF BRITISH BUS MANUFACTURERS. DURING THE VISIT HE HAD A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH BODY AND CHASSIS BUILDERS TO GIVE THEM SOME IDEA OF HONG KONG'S LONG AND SHORT-TERM REQUIREMENTS. HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE UK INDUSTRY COULD SUPPLY UP TO 2 500 NEW DOUBLE DECKERS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
RECENTLY, THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY AND THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY ANNOUNCED MASSIVE MODERNISATION AND EXPANSION PROGRAMMES THAT WILL COST ABOUT $1500 MILLION.
THEIR PLANS INVOLVE THE PURCHASE OF DOUBLE DECKERS WITH ORDERS ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE REGION OF 400 TO 500 EACH YEAR DURING THE COURSE OF THE FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.
MR SHEARMAN SAID THAT SOME UK MANUFACTURERS WERE NOT ONLY WILLING TO GIVE HONG KONG'S REQUIREMENTS THEIR TOP PRIORITY, BUT ARE ACTUALLY SEEKING THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO IF ORDERS COME THE IR WAY.
HE SAID +UK MANUFACTURERS APPRECIATE THAT HONG KONG'S MARKET FOR BUSES IS SPECIALISED. THERE IS NOT A 'UNIVERSAL BUS FOR HONG KONG - RATHER ONE TYPE SUITABLE FOR HILLY ROUTES WITH NARROW ROADS AND ANOTHER TYPE FOR FLAT, TRUNK CORRIDOR ROUTES SUCH AS THE WATERFRONT ROAD AND CERTAIN MAJOR ROADS IN KOWLOON. THE UK CAN PROVIDE BOTH TYPES+.
MR SHEARMAN SAID THAT DURING HIS VISIT TO UK HE TOLD MANUFACTURERS THAT FORTHCOMING CHANGES TO THE REGULATIONS GOVERNING BUS COMPANIES IN HONG KONG WILL ENABLE THEM TO RUN 12-METRE LONG DOUBLE-DECKERS WITH A CAPACITY FOR AROUND 180 PASSENGERS ON CERTAIN SELECTED ROUTES. +THE MANUFACTURERS SEEMED TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS AND ARE NOW EMBARKING ON PRELIMINARY DESIGN WORK, HE SAID.
+HOWEVER, IN ORDER NOT TO EXCEED AXLE-LOADING LIMITATIONS IT WILL PROBABLY BE NECESSARY TO DESIGN DOUBLE-DECKERS WITH POWER ASSISTED TWIN-STEERING, WE WILL BE WAITING TO SEE WHAT PROPOSALS THEY COME UP WITH
MR SHEARMAN ALSO VISITED MANUFACTURERS IN WEST GERMANY. HE SAID THAT IT IS APPARENT THAT THEIR CURRENT DOUBLE-DECKER MODELS WOULD REQUIRE MODIFICATION FOR HONG KONG'S OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE CONDITIONS, AND WERE UNLIKELY TO BE PRICE COMPETITIVE.
+NEVERTHELESS, HE SAID, AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE WEST GERMANY MAY BE ABLE TO PRODUCE A DOUBLE-DECKER SUITABLE FOR HONG KONG. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO GOOD REASON TO GO ELSEWHERE AT THE MOMENT, WEST GERMANY DOES PROVIDE HONG KONG WITH AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF SUPPLY SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.+
/MR SHEARMAN