THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1980
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TRANSPORT CHAIRMAN SEES TRAFFIC CONGESTION
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THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MR T.S. LO, AND THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR ALAN ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT, MADE AN AERIAL SURVEY OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION BLACKSPOTS DURING THE EARLY MORNING RUSH HOUR TODAY (THURSDAY).
IN A ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE HELICOPTER THEY FLEW FROM HMS TAMAR ALONG THE EASTERN ISLAND CORRIDOR, THEN TO TSIM SHA TSUI AND ALONG THE CASTLE PEAK ROAD TO TUEN MUN WHERE THEY LANDED TO INSPECT KOWLOON MOTOR BUS'S (KMB) BUS ASSEMBLY PLANT.
THE PLANT PRODUCES 30 NEW BUSES A MONTH.
DURING JULY AND AUGUST, 60 BUSES WILL BE ASSEMBLED AT KMB ENGINEERING COMPANY LTD., A KMB WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY WHICH OPENED IN APRIL LAST YEAR. FROM SEPTEMBER, THE DEPOT EXPECTS TO INCREASE ITS OUTPUT TO 36 BUSES A MONTH.
THE ADDITIONAL BUSES WILL BE USED TO BRING ABOUT WIDESPREAD IMPROVEMENTS TO BUS SERVICES IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND TO REPLACE THE OLDER BUSES IN THE KMB FLEET.
THE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN PLANNED AS PART OF AN ANNUALLY UPDATED ROUTE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME PREPARED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, AND NEGOTIATED WITH KMB,
THE PROGRAMME PLANS TWO YEARS AHEAD AND TAKES ACCOUNT OF FUTURE CHANGES IN DEMAND, POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, AND AREAS WHERE SERVICES ARE INADEQUATE.
MOST OF THE EXTRA BUSES WILL BE ALLOCATED TO THE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE IR NEW POPULATION.
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WILL ALSO BE MADE IN THE OLDER URBAN AREAS WHERE, DESPITE THE OPENING OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, CONTINUING INCREASES IN DEMAND FOR BUS SERVICES ARE PREDICTED.
BY DECEMBER 1981, THE COMPANY WILL HAVE 688 NEW BUSES TO ADD TO ITS PRESENT FLEET OF 1875.
IT TAKES JUST FIVE WEEKS FROM DELIVERY OF THE BUS PARTS TO THE DEPOT UNTIL THE COMPLETED VEHICLE IS ON THE ROAD.
THE DEPOT, WHICH EMPLOYS 200 PEOPLE, OPERATES A PRODUCTION FLOW-LINE WHICH ENABLES 24 BUSES TO BE ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE AT ONE TIME. THIS SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS AND IT USUALLY TAKES ONLY 25 TO 30 DAYS TO ASSEMBLE EACH BUS.
A COMPLETED BUS HAS TO PASS A GOVERNMENT INSPECTION BEFORE IT CAN BE LICENSED AND PUT INTO SERVICE.
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