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WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1984
ON TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND REDUCING CONGESTION, HIS SUGGESTION WAS +TAKE AWAY THE STOP-GO TOLL GATES AND RETURN THIS STRETCH OF ROAD TO THE PUBLIC, AND MAINTAIN IT OUT OF PUBLIC REVENUE LIKE ANY OTHER STRETCH OF ROAD.+
HE QUESTIONED THE ASSUMPTION BY THE GOVERNMENT THAT ANY CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PRIVATE MOTORISTS MADE UNNECESSARY JOURNEYS ACROSS THE HARBOUR AT 10 DOLLARS PER TWO-WAY TRIP.
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HARDLY A TRIP OF NATIONAL
+OFF HAND, THE ONLY ONES I CAN THINK OF ARE THOSE WHO DRIVE TO THE SHA TIN RACECOURSE NECESSITY, HE SAID.
+OTHER UNSATISFACTORY ELEMENTS INVOLVED IN THE BILL
HAVE BEEN TEMPERATELY AND LOGICALLY DEALT WITH IN THE PETITION ADDRESSED TO MEMBERS BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, WHOSE VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT HEARTILY ENDORSED,+ HE ADDED.
MR WONG LAM, WHO ABSTAINED FROM VOTING ON THE BILL, EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE PASSAGE TAX AS A SOLUTION TO THE CONGESTION PROBLEM WOULD BE SHORT-LIVED AND WOULD NOT HAVE A GREAT EFFECT.
ALTHOUGH SOME MOTORISTS MIGHT USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR CROSSING THE HARBOUR, THEY MIGHT RETURN TO THEIR OLD HABIT, ONCE THEY BECAME ACCUSTOMED TO THE TAX.
+ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THE SHIFT OF CONGESTION FROM THE TUNNEL TO THE VICINITY OF VEHICULAR FERRY PIERS,+ HE SAID.
HE SUGGESTED THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANOTHER LINK BETWEEN HONG KONG ISLAND AND KOWLOON AS A SOLUTION TO THE CONGESTION PROBLEM.
THE WAY OF IMPOSING THE TAX WAS CONTRARY TO THE SPIRIT
OF FAIR TAXATION, MR WONG SAID.
AS THE MAIN OBJECTIVE WAS AGAINST MOTORISTS WHO CAUSE CONGESTION, THOSE USING THE TUNNEL IN NON-PEAK HOURS SHOULD BEAR NO RESPONSIBILITY OF PAYING THE TAX, HE ADDED.
SINCE THE COMPUTER OF THE TUNNEL COMPANY WAS NOT CAPABLE OF DISTINGUISHING PEAK HOURS FROM NON-PEAK HOURS, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FIRST SETTLE THE COMPUTER PROBLEM WITH THE COMPANY BEFORE STARTING TO IMPOSE THE TAX, HE SAID.
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