UN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1984
BUS ROUTE EXTENSION CONSIDERED
***
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT, TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRANSPORT FACILITIES FOR PASSENGERS IN THE WAN CHAI RECLAMATION AREA, THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY IS CONSIDERING EXTENDING ROUTE 5M TO CONNECT THE WAN CHAI RECLAMATION WITH THE MTR STATIONS IN CENTRAL. ROUTE 5M AT PRESENT IS AN MTR FEEDER SERVICE SERVING KENNEDY TOWN AND CHATER STATION.
THE REVISED ROUTING FOR 5M IS EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED SHORTLY. TIMING DEPENDS ON CMB'S REDEPLOYMENT OF BUSES. IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS NEXT MONDAY, BUT WILL CERTAINLY BE WITHIN TWO WEEKS.
CMB HAS AGREED TO CONTINUE ROUTE 24M BETWEEN JACKSON ROAD AND THE WAN CHAI RECLAMATION AREA UNTIL THE REVISED 5M ROUTE IS INTRODUCED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THERE WILL BE NO INTERRUPTION OF BUS SERVICE. THIS SUPERSEDES THE EARLIER ANNOUNCEMENT BY CMB THAT ROUTE 24M WOULD BE DISCONTINUED FROM TOMORROW (FEBRUARY 8).
POSTAL BOX RAIN SHELTERS FOR SQUATTER RESIDENTS ***
A PILOT SCHEME WILL SOON BE INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE RAIN- SHELTERED COMMUNAL POSTAL BOXES FOR SQUATTER RESIDENTS IN THE NORTH DISTRICT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE SCHEME RESULTS FROM A STUDY CARRIED OUT BY A WORKING GROUP UNDER THE LOCAL DISTRICT BOARD HEADED BY MR TANG KWOK- YUNG.
UNDER THE SCHEME, TWO RAIN SHELTERS WITH COMMUNAL POSTAL BOXES WILL BE BUILT AT PO KAT TSAI IN FANLING AT A COST OF $18 000, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ABOUT 2 000 RESIDENTS THERE.
MR TANG EXPLAINED THAT THE SQUATTER HUTS THERE ARE SO SCATTERED THAT THEY MAKE DOOR-TO-DOOR POSTAL DELIVERY IMPOSSIBLE. AND THE POSTAL BOXES IN SQUATTER HUTS ARE OFTEN EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER AND WORN OUT VERY EASILY, HE ADDED.
AS A RESULT, THE DISTRICT OFFICE WILL BE PROVIDING SITES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAIN SHELTERS SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN PUT UP POSTAL BOXES THERE.
+THE PROJECT AT PO KAT TSAT IS A PILOT SCHEME. IF IT PROVES SUCCESSFUL, WE WILL CONSIDER EXTENDING IT TO OTHER AREAS, + HE SAID.