WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1982
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MOTOR VEHICLE RESTRAINTS
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THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT, TODAY UNVEILED A PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS AIMED AT STOPPING GROWING CONGESTION ON THE ROADS OF HONG KONG.
AS A FIRST STEP, IT IS PROPOSED TO RESTRAIN THE GROWTH RATE OF PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLES BY INCREASING FIRST REGISTRATION TAX, ANNUAL LICENCE FEES AND THE DUTY ON LIGHT OILS.
NO CHANGES ARE PROPOSED, IN RESPECT OF GOODS VEHICLES PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUSES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES (INCLUDING MAXICABS), AND TAXIS. HOWEVER, THE POSITION REGARDING THÈSE FORMS OF TRANSPORT WILL BE CAREFULLY MONITORED.
IN PRESENTING THE PROPOSALS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR SCOTT MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE MEASURES WERE BEING PUT FORWARD
IN THE INTERESTS OF THE VAST MAJORITY, HAVING REGARD TO THE PHYSICAL, GEOGRAPHIC AND RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, AND TO THE CLAIMS OF OTHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES.
OVER 80 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION DO NOT OWN PRIVATE VEHICLES, HE NOTED. THE MEASURES WERE DESIGNED TO FACILITATE AND IMPROVE THE OPERATION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON THE ROADS.
+NO GOVERNMENT LIKES TO ACT ADVERSELY TO AFFECT EVEN A SMALL MINORITY OF ITS CITIZENS, HE SAID, BUT IN THIS CASE IT BELIEVES THE CASE PROVEN THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE MAJORITY REQUIRE RESTRAINT ON GROWTH IN PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLES.+
THE FACT WAS THAT TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ON THE ROADS HAD CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, WITH CONGESTION OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY IN MORE LOCATIONS, DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO BUILD MORE ROADS, INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF EXISTING ONES BY WAY OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES, AND TO ERING INTO OPERATION OFF-ROAD PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS SUCH AS THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AND THE MODERNISED KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.
+WE FACE THE POSSIBILITY OF DETERIORATION TO THE POINT OF IMMOBILITY IN MANY LOCATIONS OVER CONSIDERABLE PARTS OF THE DAY,+ HE SAID.
+THIS COULD HAVE SERIOUS EFFECTS ON THE ECONOMY, ON LAW AND ORDER, AND ON LIFE AND PROPERTY.+
THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONSIDERED VARIOUS MEANS TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION, BUT HAD COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT SOME FORM OF RESTRAINT OF THE GROWTH RATE IN VEHICLES WAS THE ONLY SENSIBLE AND PRACTICABLE ALTERNATIVE.
FIRST REGISTRATION