WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1982
+ IT IS ARGUABLE, IN ANY CASE. WHETHER ASPIRATIONS OF OWNERSHIP WOULD BE FRUSTRATED MORE BY LIMITATIONS ON NUMBERS THAN BY REALLY SEVERE FISCAL MEASURES AND, IF THE INCREASES PROPOSED IN FIRST REGISTRATION TAX, ANNUAL LICENCE FEES AND DUTY ON PETROL ARE NOT SEVERE ENOUGH TO BE EFFECTIVE, TIME WILL BE LOST, SPENDING PATTERNS WILL BE UNNECESSARILY DISTORTED AND THE ONLY BENEFICIARY WILL BE THE TREASURY.
+
EVEN A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE OF FISCAL MEASURES AND DIRECT LIMITATION, SHE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, WAS UNLIKELY TO REDUCE CONGESTION SIGNIFICANTLY UNLESS THE PROBLEMS OF TAXIS, LIGHT GOODS VEHICLES AND PARKING FACILITIES WERE ALSO TACKLÉD.
IN THIS RESPECT, SHE WONDERED WHY SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY COMPLETED IN 1976 HAD NOT BEEN ACTED UPON LONG BEFORE.
MISS DUNN BELIEVED THAT THE TIME HAD COME TO CONFER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE OPERATIONAL SERVICES AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY IN TERMS OF BOTH ADMINISTRATIVE ATTENTION AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
ONLY WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CONVINCES THE PUBLIC THAT TRANSPORT HAS SUCH A PRIORITY CAN WE EXPECT THE PUBLIC TO HAVE PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING, SHE ADDED.
+1 AM NOT UNAWARE OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TO IMPROVE OUR TRANSPORT SITUATION.
+THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MTR AND THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE KCR ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES OF MANY.
+BUT IN THIS DECADE, TRANSPORT SHOULD BE ACCORDED A HIGHER PRIORITY THAN HITHERTO, + MISS DUNN SAID.
DR THE HON HARRY FANG WELCOMED THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO RELIEVE ROAD CONGESTION BY DRASTIC MEASURES.
HOWEVER HE EXPRESSED RESERVATIONS ON THE MOTOR VEHICLES (FIRST REGISTRATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL BECAUSE OF ITS IMPACT ON PROSPECTIVE DISABLED DRIVER CAR OWNERS.
HE NOTED THAT THERE ARE AT PRESENT SOME 316 LICENSED DISABLED DRIVERS, OVER HALF OF WHOM OWNED CARS OR OTHER TYPES OF VEHICLES, AND MORE THAN 400 DISABLED PERSONS ARE HOLDING PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCES.
+ IT REQUIRES LITTLE IMAGINATION TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRAVELLING WITH FACILITIES SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO SUIT THE NEEDS OF THESE PERSONS, A CAR IS THE ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORT AND INDEED TO SOME OF OUR DISABLED WORKERS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY.
+THE IMPACT OF THE PRESENT BILL ON DISABLED DRIVERS THUS REQUIRED NO ELABORATION.