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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1983
MEDICAL CHECKS ON FITNESS AND EYESIGHT ARE TO BE INTRODUCED PRIOR TO THE ISSUE OR RENEWAL OF LICENCES TO DRIVERS OF THE AGE OF 70 OR OVER. SUCH CHECKS ARE COMMONPLACE OVERSEAS AND THE IR
INTRODUCTION TO HONG KONG WAS THOUGHT AN ADVISABLE PRECAUTION IN VIEW OF CURRENT LOCAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.
THE PRESENT PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCE IS TO BE REPLACED BY A NEW LEARNER'S LICENCE.
MORE RIGOROUS CONTROL OVER THE STANDARDS AND CONDUCT OF LICENSED DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WILL BE INTRODUCED. THE REGULATIONS GIVE THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT POWER TO REQUIRE A DRIVING
INSTRUCTOR TO TAKE A TEST OF CONTINUED ABILITY AND FITNESS TO GIVE INSTRUCTION, AND TO SUSPEND OR CANCEL HIS LICENCE IF HE FAILS TO PASS THE TEST.
A CONSEQUENCE OF THE NEW CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS VEHICLES FOR LICENSING PURPOSES IS THAT SPECIAL LICENSING AND TESTING ARRANGEMENTS WILL HAVE TO BE INTRODUCED IN RESPECT OF THE DRIVERS OF ARTICULATED VEHICLES.
THE EXISTING PROVISIONS IN THE LAW AS TO INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMITS ARE LARGELY RETAINED IN THE NEW REGULATIONS,
PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES REGULATIONS
THESE REGULATIONS LARGELY REPLACE THE EXISTING ROAD TRAFFIC (PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES) AND (PUBLIC OMNIBUS, PUBLIC LIGHT BUS AND PUBLIC CAR) REGULATIONS WHICH DEAL WITH THE OPERATION OF PASSENGER CARRYING VEHICLES OTHER THAN FRANCHISED BUSES. A NEW 'PASSENGER SERVICE LICENCE' IS TO BE INTRODUCED UNDER THE PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES REGULATIONS FOR ISSUE TO THE OPERATORS OF NON-FRANCHISED PUBLIC BUSES, PRIVATE BUSES AND PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES (INCLUDING MAXICABS).
THIS WILL PROVIDE A MORE SATISFACTORY, COMPREHENSIVE AND FLEXIBLE SYSTEM OF LICENSING PASSENGER SERVICE OPERATORS AND ONE WHICH WILL ENABLE THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TO CONTROL AND MONITOR PASSENGER SERVICES MORE EFFECTIVELY. THE COMMISSIONER IS EMPOWERED TO STIPULATE CONDITIONS FOR THE ISSUE OF SUCH LICENCES AND TO CONTROL ROUTES, AREAS OF OPERATION AND THE TYPES OF SERVICE PROVIDED.
IN VIEW OF THE NUMBERS OF VEHICLES INVOLVED THE ISSUE OF THE NEW PASSENGER SERVICE LICENCES WILL BE PHASED. EACH OPERATOR WILL BE ISSUED WITH ONE PASSENGER SERVICE LICENCE AND ALSO WITH A SEPARATE PASSENGER SERVICE LICENCE CERTIFICATE FOR EACH VEHICLE HE OPERATES. THE OPERATOR MUST DISPLAY A CERTIFICATE ON EACH VEHICLE'S WINDSCREEN AND A PLATE SHOWING THE PASSENGER SERVICE LICENCE NUMBER ON THE REAR OF EACH VEHICLE.
THE REGULATIONS LARGELY INCORPORATE THE EXISTING LAW AS TO THE ISSUE OF PERMITS FOR HIRE CARS. OTHER NEW PROVISIONS ENABLE THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TO DESIGNATE STOPPING PLACES FOR PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES, AND THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO DESIGNATE OR CANCEL STOPPING PLACES OR STANDS FOR 72 HOURS.
/THE COMMISSIONER