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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1981
NEW PLAN TO EASE MID-LEVELS TRAFFIC CONGESTION
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO IMPLEMENT SEVERAL MAJOR
RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW ON THE MID-LEVELS ARISING FROM A SURVEY JOINTLY COMMISSIONED BY THE MID-LEVELS (CENTRAL) AREA COMMITTEE AND THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICE FOR CENTRAL AND WESTERN, ACCORDING TO MR VINCENT KO, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, AND INITIATOR OF THE SURVEY.
MR KO SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES AND IT IS HOPED THAT THEY WOULD BE PUT INTO EFFECT VERY SOON. HOWEVER, THE EXACT IMPLEMENTATION DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD RESULT IN
* THE REOPENING OF THE STRETCH OF BUS-ONLY-LANE IN PARK ROAD
AND ROBINSON ROAD BETWEEN BREEZY PATH AND CASTLE ROAD TO OTHER VEHICLES IN ORDER TO EASE THE EXISTING TRAFFIC CONGESTION DOWN CAINE ROAD DURING THE MORNING RUSH HOUR-
*
THE RELAXING OF THE CURRENT BUS-ONLY-LANE ALONG CAINE ROAD FROM 7 AM - 9 PM TO 7 AM 8 PM TO RELIEVE THE HOME-BOUND TRAFFIC CONGESTION ALONG PARK ROAD DURING THE EVENING-
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* THE CANCELLATION OF SEVERAL CAR PARKS ALONG OLD BAILEY
STREET NEAR CAINE ROAD-
*
THE PROHIBITION OF LOADING AND UNLOADING FROM VEHICLES ON OLD BAILEY STREET BETWEEN ITS JUNCTIONS WITH CAINE ROAD AND CHANCERY LANE.
THE LATTER TWO MEASURES ARE CONSIDERED NECESSARY IN VIEW OF THE PRESENT CHAOS CAUSED BY THE SETTING DOWN AND PICKING UP OF PASSENGERS BY TAXIS AND MAXICABS.
DATA COLLECTION FOR THIS SURVEY, UNDERTAKEN BY ABOUT 50 STUDENT-MEMBERS OF THE TRAFFIC STUDIES GROUP OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC WAS COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PRESENTED TO THE TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN DISTRICT IN MAY.
MR EDDY CHAN, THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER FOR CENTRAL AND WESTERN, SAID THIS WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC COULD JOIN HANDS IN LOOKING AT A DISTRICT PROBLEM AND RECOMMEND I NG WAYS AND MEANS TO SOLVE IT.
IT ALSO DEMONSTRATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME, WHICH WILL CARRIED TO THE MID-LEVELS WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DISTRICT BOARD IN MARCH NEXT YEAR TO GIVE LOCAL RESIDENTS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT DISTRICT NEEDS ARE IDENTIFIED AND DEALT WITH EFFECTIVELY.
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