FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1983,
AT A SELECTED NUMBER OF KEY LOCATIONS, CAMERAS AUTOMATICALLY PHOTOGRAPH VEHICLES WITH DEFECTIVE OR IMPROPERLY OPERATING ENPS, AND APPROPRIATE ACTION IS TAKEN. THE SYSTEM CAN DETECT VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WITH OVERDUE ACCOUNTS AS WELL AS CASES OF FRAUD AND VANDALISM,
THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER IMPORTANT ADDED ADVANTAGES OF THIS MONITORING SYSTEM:
(A) IT PROVIDES MORE ACCURATE REAL-TIME INFORMATION ON
THE MOVEMENTS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT VEHICLES, ALLOWING FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF THESE OPERATIONS TO BE IMPROVED:
(B) THE POLICE WILL BE ABLE TO REACH THE SCENE OF AN
INCIDENT QUICKER AND BE BETTER ABLE TO LOCATE STOLEN CARS AND VEHICLES USED IN CRIMES;
(c)
(D)
(E)
TRAFFIC SURVEYS CAN BE CARRIED OUT VIRTUALLY INSTANTLY AND IN GREATER DETAIL THAN IS NOW POSSIBLE;
TRAFFIC INFORMATION BROADCASTS ON RADIO AND TELEVISION WILL BE RIGHT UP TO THE MINUTE; AND
TRANSPORT PRIORITY SCHEMES AND TRAFFIC SIGNALLING CAN BE ADJUSTED AT SHORT NOTICE, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN PRIORITY FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES IS REQUIRED.
MR SCOTT SAID THAT WHEN THE SEVERE FISCAL RESTRAINTS TO CURB VEHICLE GROWTH WERE ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR IT WAS MADE CLEAR THAT WHILE THE MEASURES WERE NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH A CRITICAL SITUATION, THEY WERE ONLY A SHORT-TERM ANSWER AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO FIND A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND EQUITABLE SOLUTION TO THE URGENT PROBLEM OF ROAD CONGESTION.
+ IT WAS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT THE GOVERNMENT CARRIED CUT AN EXHAUSTIVE EXAMINATION OF VARIOUS OPTIONS INCLUDING RESTRICTING THE IMPORT OF CARS AND CONTINUING TO INCREASE TAXES AND LICENCE FEES. HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERED THEM INADEQUATE AND GENERALLY UNFAIR, AS WELL AS NOT COMPLYING WITH THE POLICY OBJECTIVE.+
THE COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY REPORT OF 1976 DESCRIBED ROAD PRICING AS +POTENTIALLY PERHAPS THE MOST EFFECTIVE FORM OF RESTRAINT+, AND MR SCOTT SAID HIS PARTICULAR CONCERN DURING A RECENT FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS TO CONFIRM THAT THE NECESSARY TECHNOLOGY EXISTED AND THAT OTHER QUESTIONS SUCH AS ENFORCEMENT, ACCOUNTING, PRICING ASSESSMENT, LEGAL ISSUES AND INTEGRATION WITH OTHER SYSTEMS COULD BE ANSWERED
SATISFACTOR ILY.
THE ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE OF EXPERTS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT WAS INVALUABLE IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, HE SAID.
/MH SCOTT