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TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1985
AT TODAY'S MEETING, TAC MEMBERS ALSO CONSIDERED TWO PROPOSALS ON THE EXTENSION OF NEW TERRITORIES TAXI BOUNDARIES - TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL IN KWAI CHUNG, AND TO ALLOW SUCH TAXIS TO USE THE NEW SHA TIN-TAI PO COASTAL ROAD WHEN IT OPENS TO TRAFFIC IN SEPTEMBER.
THE COMMITTEE SUPPORTED THE GOVERNMENT'S RECOMMENDATION THAT ON BALANCE THE PROPOSED EXTENSION TO KWAI CHUNG SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED.
IT NOTED THAT THE MAIN ARGUMENT FOR THE EXTENSION WAS TO ENABLE WESTERN NT RESIDENTS TO HAVE DIRECT TAXI ACCESS TO THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL. HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT POINTED OUT THAT AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THE WESTERN NT WAS ADEQUATE AT PRESENT AND WILL BE ENHANCED LATER THIS YEAR WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW TUEN MUN AMBULANCE DEPOT, AT THE SAME TIME, IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHERE A PATIENT IS REQUIRED TO BE TRANSPORTED QUICKLY AND SAFELY TO A HOSPITAL, THE AMBULANCE IS THE MORE APPROPRIATE MODE OF TRANSPORT.
THE GOVERNMENT ALSO POINTED OUT THAT FURTHER RELAXATION OF THE OPERATION BOUNDARY TO THE BUILT-UP AREAS WILL BE AT THE EXPENSE OF TAXI SERVICE TO THE REMOTE PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THERE WAS ALSO A POTENTIAL PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL OPERATIONS AS THE PROPOSED ROUTE EXTENSION PASSED THROUGH THE TWO MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF TSUEN WAN AND KWAI CHUNG AND PROVIDED FRONTAGE ACCESS IN THE TAI WO HAU AREA AND ALONG LAI KING HILL ROAD.
THE COMMITTEE HOWEVER SUPPORTED THE USE OF THE NEW SHA TIN- TAI PO COASTAL ROAD BY NT TAXIS AS IT WOULD SHORTEN THE JOURNEY TIME TO THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL, SHA TIN RACE COURSE AND MEI SHA FERRY PIER.
THE BOUNDARY EXTENSION SHOULD NOT PRESENT ENFORCEMENT OR TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AS THERE WOULD BE 24-HOUR CLEARWAY RESTRICTIONS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE NUMBER OF NT TAXIS USING THE HIGHWAY WAS EXPECTED TO BE SMALL.
TRIAL PERIOD FOR 'PLEA BY POST' SYSTEM
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THE GOVERNMENT WILL SOON IMPLEMENT THE NEW PROCEDURE TO DEAL WITH MINOR OFFENCES WHICH ALLOWS DEFENDANTS TO PLEAD GUILTY BY LETTER.
THE SIX-MONTH TRIAL BEGINS ON SUNDAY (SEPTEMBER 1) IN TWO DISTRICTS - WESTERN MAGISTRACY WILL DEAL WITH CASES FROM CENTRAL POLICE DIVISION AND NORTH KOWLOON MAGISTRACY WILL DEAL WITH THOSE FROM THE CHEUNG SHA WAN POLICE DIVISION.
/A GOVERNMENT