WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1962
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THESE ARE ENORMOUS SUMS OF MONEY, REFLECTING GOVERNMENT TRANSPORT POLICY: THE PRIORITY BEING TO IMPROVE THE MOBILITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND GOODS VEHICLES BY IMPROVING ON-ROAD TRANSPORT, EXTENDING OFF-ROAD TRANSPORT, EXPANDING THE ROAD SYSTEMS, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PRIORITY OF USAGE GOES TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND GOODS VEHICLES, FOLLOWED BY PRIVATE VEHICLES, MR SCOTT SAID.
HE SAID THAT SINCE SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, THERE HAS BEEN A SEPARATE TRANSPORT BRANCH IN THE SECRETARIAT WITH ITS OWN SECRETARY AND SUPPORTING STAFF AND MOST IMPORTANT THE TRANSPORT PLANNING UNIT.
+THIS GIVES TRANSPORT POLICY AND STRATEGIC TRANSPORT PLANNING ITS OWN SEPARATE EXISTENCE FROM LAND MATTERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, HE SAID.
OPERATIONAL, AND IN PARTICULAR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, RESPONSIBILITIES ARE CENTRALISED IN THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TO WHICH MOST OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT BRANCH OF THE PWD HIGHWAYS OFFICE HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED IN ORDER TO SET UP REGIONAL OFFICES, EACH WITH AN ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER IN CHARGE, SUPPORTED BY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING AND TRANSPORT STAFF. CO-ORDINATION WITH TRAFFIC HEADQUARTERS OF THE POLICE HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND FURTHER STRENGTHENED, HE SAID.
+ IN SHORT, TRANSPORT POLICY VIEWS AND NEEDS ARE BEING CO-ORDINATED INTO OVERALL PLANNING AND PROGRAMMES TRANSPORT HAS A FULL VOICE IN THE NECESSARY COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES. AND THE OPERATIONAL SIDE IS MUCH STRONGER - INCLUDING, VERY IMPORTANTLY, BEING ABLE TO RESPOND AT DISTRICT LEVEL TO THE GROWING INTEREST OF DISTRICT BOARDS.
+IN THE FORMATION OF POLICY, WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE COUNSEL AND WIDE EXPERIENCE OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE ADVICE AND OPINIONS OF DISTRICT BOARDS IS BECOMING MORE AVAILABLE AS THE BOARDS GET INTO THEIR STRIDE. THEIR PART IN THIS INTERPLAY OF NEEDS AND IDEAS, RESOURCES AND POSSIBILITIES WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT IN THE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES,+ MR SCOTT SAID.