FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1982
TAC CONSIDERS PROPOSALS FOR BETTER TRANSPORT SERVICES
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THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TODAY CONSIDERED A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS FOR THE LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES AND FOR BETTER USAGE OF EXISTING ROAD AND TRANSPORT FACILITIES.
THE COMMITTEE NOTED A SITUATION PAPER ON A REQUEST TO EXTEND THE OPERATIONAL BOUNDARIES OF NEW TERRITORIES TAXIS, AND NOTED THAT THE NECESSARY SURVEYS ARE CONTINUING.
AMONG OTHER MATTERS MEMBERS DISCUSSED TODAY WAS A REPORT ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY. THEIR VIEW, TOGETHER WITH THEIR EARLIER VIEW OF THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY REPORT, WILL NOW BE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
ON THE PROBLEM OF ABANDONED CARS, A PAPER WAS TABLED REVEALING THAT AT THE END OF APRIL THIS YEAR, THERE WERE SOME 4 400 SUCH VEHICLES IN POLICE POUNDS, ON PUBLIC ROADS, CROWN LAND SITES OR PRIVATE PROPERTY. INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS NUMBER IS BEING INCREASED BY 350 EACH MONTH RECENTLY, PROBABLY AS A RESULT OF COMPULSORY SAFETY CHECKS ON OLDER CARS AND INCREASED LICENCE FEES. THE COMMITTEE WILL CONSIDER THIS PAPER IN DETAIL AT ITS NEXT MEETING.
THE PROBLEM IS BEING TACKLED ON SEVERAL FRONTS. THE OPERATOR CONTRACTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO CRUSH SCRAP CARS HAS BEEN ALLOCATED A LARGER SITE TO EXPAND HIS STORAGE AREA. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CONTRACTOR HAVE ALSO AGREED TO CRUSH UP TO 1 260 CARS A MONTH INSTEAD OF THE PREVIOUS AVERAGE OF 880 VEHICLES A YEAR.
THE PROCESSING OF VEHICLES ABANDONED ON PUBLIC ROADS WILL BE STREAMLINED AND THIS INCLUDES A PROPOSAL TO REDUCE THE IMPOUNDING PERIOD BEFORE A CAR CAN BE AUCTIONED, FROM ONE MONTH TO 14 DAYS.
CONSIDERATION IS ALSO BEING GIVEN TO OTHER MEASURES, SUCH AS INTRODUCING PENALTIES TO DETER OWNERS FROM ABANDONING THE IR CARS INDISCRIMINATELY, AND TRANSFERRING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REMOVING ABANDONED CARS FROM THE POLICE TO THE URBAN SERVICES AND NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENTS,
AN INFORMATION PAPER ON A CONSULTANCY ON THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, EXPECTED TO BEGIN SOON, WILL HELP THE GOVERNMENT TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ECONOMICS AND TRANSPORT ASPECTS OF GOODS VEHICLE OPERATIONS WHICH WILL BE USED AS THE BASIS OF GOVERNMENT'S FUTURE POLICY ON GOODS VEHICLES.
THE CONSULTANTS WILL BE ASKED TO ANALYSE AND REPORT ON THE GENERAL STRUCTURE AND ECONOMICS OF THE INDUSTRY, ITS ROLE IN THE ECONOMY, THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH IT PLAYS THIS ROLE, THE PROBLEMS IT FACES, ITS LIKELY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND THE COSTS ITS OPERATIONS IMPOSE ON THE GENERAL COMMUNITY.
THE OUT-GOING CHAIRMAN OF THE TAC, MR T.S. LO SAID FAREWELL TO MEMBERS WHO THANKED HIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.