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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1984
FIXED PENALTY SCHEDULE AMENDED
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A MOTION, AMENDING THE SCHEDULE TO THE FIXED PENALTY (CRIMINAL PROCEED INGS) ORDINANCE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE (1982) IN AUGUST THIS YEAR WAS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
+FOR THE UNINTERRUPTED OPERATION OF THE FIXED PENALTY SYSTEM, THE SCHEDULE MUST BE AMENDED SO THAT IT REFERS NOT TO OFFENCES IN THE EXISTING ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE, BUT TO THE SECTIONS OF AND REGULATIONS MADE UNDER THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 374),+ THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT, SAID IN MOVING THE RESOLUTION.
AMENDMENTS TO THE DESCRIPTION OF OFFENCES AS APPROPRIATE, INCLUDING THE METRICATION OF MEASUREMENTS, WERE ALSO APPROVED.
MOVING THE RESOLUTION, MR SCOTT HAD SAID THE OPPORTUNITY WAS TAKEN TO RATIONALISE THE LIST OF FIXED PENALTY OFFENCES.
THE MAIN FUNCTION OF THE FIXED PENALTY SYSTEM, HE SAID, WAS TO REDUCE THE TIME REQUIRED BY MOTORISTS, THE POLICE AND THE COURTS, THROUGH SUMMONS ACTION FOR THE LESS SERIOUS BUT FREQUENT OFFENCES,
SEVERAL OFFENCES IN THE UNAMENDED SCHEDULE ATTRACTED RELATIVELY FEW TICKETS, AND A REVIEW HAD BEEN MADE TO EXAMINE WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE RETAINED IN THE SCHEDULE.
IN THE LIGHT OF THIS REVIEW AND WHERE NO RESULTING UPSURGE IN OFFENCES WAS EXPECTED, OFFENCES ATTRACTING LESS THAN 50 TICKETS WERE PROPOSED FOR DELETION FROM THE SCHEDULE.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME OFFENCES, SUCH AS FAILURE TO WEAR SEAT BELT, WHICH SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE FIXED PENALTY SYSTEM.
+THIS OFFENCE MAY BE FREQUENTLY COMMITTED, AND IT IS CLEARCUT FOR A POLICE OFFICER TO IDENTIFY AND FOR A MOTORIST TO ACKNOWLEDGE, + MR SCOTT SAID.
FURTHER ADDITIONS RESULTED FROM THE SPLITTING OF THE EXISTING ITEM OF +DISOBEYING TRAFFIC SIGNS+ INTO THREE SEPARATE ITEMS. THESE WERE CROSSING A DOUBLE WHITE LINE OR A WHITE LINE WITH A BROKEN WHITE LINE, FAILING TO COMPLY WITH TRAFFIC SIGNS, AND FAILING TO COMPLY WITH ROAD MARK INGS,
HE ALSO PROPOSED ADDING THE OFFENCES OF DRIVING WITH AN EXPIRED DRIVING LICENCE, OVERLOADING VEHICLES, FAILING TO REPORT CHANGES OF VEHICLE PARTICULARS AND CONTRAVENING CONDITIONS OF DRIVING LICENCES TO THE SCHEDULE.
+EVEN WITH THESE ADDITIONS. THE LIST OF OFFENCES FOR WHICH THE FIXED PENALTY PROCEDURES MAY BE USED WOULD BE REDUCED FROM 73 TO 49 ITEMS,+ MR SCOTT SAID.
/HE POLITED
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