FRIFLY, NOVED 25, 1993
1993.
PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR MIKE CLANCY EXPLAINED TODAY THAT UNDER THE SELECTED ARRANGEMENT, A VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECORDED AS IT ENTERED, MOVED THROUGH AND LEFT THE ZONE. THIS WOULD PROVIDE A THOROUGH TEST OF THE RECORDING ACCURACY OF THE SYSTEM.
HE EMPHASISED THAT THE SITE HAD BEEN SELECTED TO GIVE THE EQUIPMENT AN EXTREMELY EXACTING TEST.
A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE SITE AREAS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HARBOUR HAD BEEN EXAMINED.
IN THE KOWLOON PENINSULA THERE IS A MORE REGULAR GRID PATTERN OF ROADS ON FAIRLY LEVEL TERRAIN. THE CENTRAL AND ADMIRALTY AREA, ON THE OTHER HAND, OFFERED SITES ON UPHILL AND DOWNHILL GRADIENTS, SITES WHERE TRAFFIC WOULD CROSS IN MERGING MOVEMENTS OR AT SHARP ANGLES TO THE LOOPS, SITES WITH FASTER TRAFFIC AND SITES WITH BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC.
MR CLANCY SAID NO CHALLENGES HAD BEEN SHIRKED. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO TEST WHETHER THE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE ELECTRONIC LOOP AND THE ELECTRONIC NUMBER PLATE (ENP) WOULD BE
THEREFORE, SITES WERE AFFECTED BY ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE. DELIBERATELY PLACED NEXT TO TRAM LINES AND ABOVE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY TUNNELS.
+EVEN THOUGH THE SITES FOR THE PILOT STAGE HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO FORM A CORDONED ZONE, THERE IS NO COMMITMENT TO SUCH A ZONAL SYSTEM FOR CHARGING PURPOSES IF THE GOVERNMENT GOES AHEAD WITH A FULL SYSTEM,+ HE STRESSED.
+HOWEVER, THE FACT THAT ONLY 18 SITES ARE NEEDED TO FORM A LEAKAGE PROOF CORDON AROUND CENTRAL TENDS TO CONFIRM EARL JER ESTIMATES THAT MUCH OF THE URBAN AREA COULD BE COVERED BY 200 TO 300 ELECTRONIC LOOP SITES.-
HE ADDED THAT TRAFFIC CONGESTION EXISTED IN A NUMBER OF AREAS AND NOT JUST CENTRAL.
+AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PUNITIVE TAXATION ON ALL MOTORISTS, ERP OFFERS A MEANS OF CONTROLLING USAGE OF VEHICLES IN SUCH CONGESTED AREAS AT PEAK TIMES.+
MR CLANCY SAID THE ERP EQUIPMENT WOULD BE BEST TESTED IF THERE WERE AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WITH ENPS PASSING REGULARLY OVER THE BURIED ELECTRONIC LOOPS.
+IN THIS REGARD, THE GOVERNMENT IS VERY PLEASED WITH AND GRATEFUL FOR THE RESPONSE OF MANY ORGANISATIONS TO VOLUNTEER TO HAVE VEHICLES FITTED WITH ENPS.
FROM THE OUTSET OF THE SCHEME IT HAD BEEN ENVISAGED THAT GOVERNMENT VEHICLES WOULD BE FITTED WITH ENPS, AND THE GOVERNMENT FLEET REMAINED A CORE ELEMENT OF THE 3 000 VEHICLES TO BE FITTED WITH ENPS. HOWEVER, THROUGH THE GOOD OFFICES OF THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE GOODS VEHICLE FLEET OWNERS ASSOCIATION AND THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES. MANY BANKS, MAJOR COMPANIES AND UTILITIES WITH BUSINESS IN THE TEST AREA OR A NEED TO PASS THROUGH IT HAD VOLUNTEERED VEHICLES FOR ENP FITTING.
/+THIS COOPERATION