WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1980
31
TRAFFIC LIGHT ARRANGEMENT PROVIDES ADEQUATE CONTROL
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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON JACK STEAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT A SIGNAL CONTROLLED ROAD JUNCTION SHOULD PROVIDE ADEQUATE CONTROL OF TRAFFIC.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON WONG LAM, HE SAID, +NORMALLY THREE SETS OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE PROVIDED, TWO SETS AT THE NEARSIDE OF THE JUNCTION ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ONE SET AT THE FAR SIDE, FOR EACH APPROACH TO THE JUNCTION.
+ALTHOUGH AN INDIVIDUAL SET MAY BE OBSTRUCTED BY A TALL VEHICLE, THIS ARRANGEMENT, BY PROVIDING ALTERNATIVES, SHOULD ENSURE THAT DRIVERS ARE ABLE TO OBSERVE AT LEAST ONE SET AND THUS PROVIDE ADEQUATE CONTROL OF TRAFFIC.+
MR STEAN SAID THAT THE SUGGESTION OF REPOSITIONING TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO OVERHEAD LOCATIONS HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BUT BEEN FOUND TO BE UNSUITABLE FOR HONG KONG.
+THE REASONS, HE STATED, ARE THAT THE PROLIFERATION OF NEON SIGN ADVERTISEMENTS WOULD MAKE OVERHEAD TRAFFIC LIGHTS LESS EASILY DISTINGUISHABLE THAN ROADSIDE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF TYPHOON DAMAGE, OVERHEAD LIGHTS SHOULD BE MOUNTED ON RIGID GANTRIES AND THESE WOULD INVOLVE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES OF SITING THE SUPPORTS AND WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO CONSTRUCT.
MR STEAN ADDED, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE WHICH WOULD INDICATE THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM CAUSES ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF OBSTRUCTION OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS BY TALL VEHICLES BUT IF, IN ANY PARTICULAR CASE IT IS THOUGHT THAT THEY ARE CAUSING DIFFICULTIES, THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERS IN PWD WOULD BE PLEASED TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER AND SEE WHETHER ANY IMPROVEMENT CAN BE MADE.+
LEISURE FACILITIES FOR NT TOWNS IN THE FOREFRONT
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE NEED FOR CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTING FACILITIES IN NEW TERRITORIES TOWNS WAS KEPT IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S MIND.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHARLES YEUNG,
MR AKERS-JONES ADDED THAT EVERY EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO MAINTAIN THE CONCEPT OF BALANCED DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE LIMITS OF RESOURCES,
HE SAID A CONSIDERABLE RANGE OF PROJECTS INVOLVING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WAS BEING CONSTRUCTED EITHER WITH PUBLIC FUNDS OR WITH THE HELP OF A SUBVENTION FROM PUBLIC FUNDS TOWARDS PRIVATELY DONATED PROJECTS.
/+HOWEVER,