WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1982
B
+ANY MORE SPECIFIC APPROACH COULD NOT BE EQUITABLE ENFORCED, HE SAID. THE ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY REQUIRED TERRITORY-WIDE COULD NOT BE MET. AND THIS WOULD INVITE WIDESPREAD DISREGARD OF THE SCHEME, AN UNACCEPTABLE POSSIBILITY IN TERMS OF RESPECT FOR THE LAW,
ADMINISTRATIVELY, HE ADDED, IT WOULD PLACE AN EXCESSIVE STRAIN ON THE FIXED PENALTY SYSTEM WHICH IS ALREADY OVER- EXTENDED, AND THE CAPACITY OF THE COURTS WOULD BE SEVERELY STRAINED BY DEFENDED CASES.
*THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVASION BY FORGING OR CORRUPTION ARE THE FINAL SIGNIFICANT OBJECTION, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE SUCH A SYSTEM EFFECTIVELY WOULD ITSELF AFFECT TRAFFIC FLOW, BY THE STOPPAGE OF VEHICLES FOR VER IF ICATION OF LICENCES.
+ IT WAS THEREFORE CONCLUDED THAT THE FIRST MEASURES TO RESTRAIN THE RATE OF GROWTH OF PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLES SHOULD BE TO INCREASE THE COST OF ACQUIRING, KEEPING AND USING THEM,
+THIS DOES NOT DENY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO HAVE A CAR OR MOTORCYCLE, BUT IT LEAVES HIM TO MAKE HIS PERSONAL BUDGETARY DECISION.+
PRIVATE CARS TARGET IS FOR 5 PER CENT GROWTH ONLY
****
THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO REDUCE THE GROWTH RATE OF PRIVATE CARS IN HONG KONG TO FIVE PER CENT PER ANNUM, IN A BID TO STEM GROWING CONGESTION IN THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
THIS RATE, THOUGH STILL SERIOUS, WOULD BE MANAGEABLE, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
+THE EFFICIENT FLOW OF PEOPLE AND GOODS IS SO VITAL TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL HEALTH OF HONG KONG THAT IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT GOVERNMENT MEANS BUSINESS AND INTENDS TO ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVE,+ HE STRESSED.
THE FIVE PER CENT TARGET GROWTH, HE ADDED, COULD BE USEFULLY REVIEWED WITHIN 12 MONTHS.
ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO APPLY AND PRESS FORWARD WITH THE ROAD BUILDING PROGRAMME AND VARIOUS MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL MEASURES, THEY CANNOT BY THEMSELVES PREVENT FURTHER DETERIORATION
IN CONDITIONS IF THE CURRENT RATE OF GROWTH OF VEHICLES CONTINUES,+ HE SAID.
ALREADY HONG KONG HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF REGISTERED VEHICLES PER KILOMETRE OF TRAFFICABLE ROAD SPACE IN THE WORLD 282 VEHICLES PER KILOMETRE AT THE END OF 1981.