WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1982
14
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MAINTENANCE WORKS DONE DURING OFF-PEAK HOURS
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HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE WORKS HAD LARGELY BEEN RE-SCHEDULED J OFF-PEAK HOURS TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH TRAFFIC, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON DAVID MCDONALD, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ANDREW SO, MR MCDONALD SAID THAT NIGHT WORKING WAS ALSO UNDERTAKEN ON SOMĚ TRUNK ROADS WHERE TRAFFIC CONGESTION WAS PREVALENT THROUGHOUT NORMAL WORKING HOURS AND WHERE NO RESIDENTIAL AREAS WOULD BE DISTURBED BY THE NOISE OF THE OPERATIONS.
IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW PLANT SUCH AS ROAD PLANERS AND ASPHALT PAVERS HAD ALLOWED A HIGHER DEGREE OF MECHANISATION AND HAD SPEEDED UP THE PROCESS OF RE-SURFACING AND OTHER PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE.
*REQUESTS FOR ROAD OPENINGS FOR THE LAYING AND SERVICING OF UNDERGROUND CABLES AND PIPES ARE PROCESSED AT MONTHLY MEETINGS HELD IN THE THREE HIGHWAYS OFFICE DISTRICTS OF HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES,+ MR MCDONALD SAID.
+WHENEVER POSSIBLE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE VARIOUS UTILITY ORGANISATIONS ARE CO-ORDINATED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OPENINGS TO A MINIMUM AND TO DETERMINE THE CONDITIONS FOR TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS AND THE WORKING PROGRAMMES FOR TRENCH WORKS.+
REPLYING TO ANOTHER QUESTION FROM THE HON K.C. CHAN ABOUT THE RULES GOVERNING THE USE OF PUBLIC PAVEMENTS BY BUILDING AND PUBLIC UTILITY CONTRACTORS, MR MCDONALD SAID THAT REQUESTS FOR PERMISSION TO ERECT HOARDINGS AND COVERED WALKWAYS ON PUBLIC PAVEMENTS WERE SUBMITTED TOGETHER WITH PLANS TO THE BUILDINGS AUTHORITY,
HE SAID, IF THE BUILDING AUTHORITY IS SATISFIED THAT THE PROPOSALS ARE ADEQUATE TO ENSURE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE A PERMIT IS ISSUED.
+REGISTERED CONTRACTORS ARE REQUIRED TO ERECT SUCH HOARDINGS IN STRICT ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED PLANS AND TO MAINTAIN THEM IN GOOD REPAIR.
+SPOT CHECKS ARE MADE BY BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE STAFF TO ENSURE THAT THE HOARDINGS ARE PROPERLY MAINTAINED.+
MR MCDONALD POINTED OUT THAT FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY REQUIREMENT WOULD RESULT IN THE BUILDING AUTHORITY CARRYING OUT THE NECESSARY WORK AND RECOVERING THE COST FROM THE DEFAULTER.
AS TO THE REQUESTS BY PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES FOR PERMISSION TO LAY SERVICE CABLES AND PIPES IN TRENCHES EXCAVATED IN PUBLIC PAVEMENTS AND FOOTPATHS, HE SAID, THESE REQUESTS WERE SUBMITTED TO THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE GIVING DETAILS OF THE NATURE AND LIKELY DURATION OF THE WORKS.
/+EACH PERMIT