WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985
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ANTI-NOISE MEASURES PLANNED FOR NEW TRAM DEPOT
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EVERY POSSIBLE MEASURE WILL BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT
A SITE PROPOSED FOR A NEW TRAM DEPOT IN SAI YING PUN IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT TRAFFIC OR THE PROVISION OF AMENITIES IN THE AREA, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON IAN MACPHERSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LIU LIT-FOR, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SITE WAS CURRENTLY USED A LORRY PARK AND THAT +A TRAM DEPOT IS UNLIKELY TO GENERATE MORE NOISE THAN IS PRODUCED BY THE HEAVY VEHICLES CURRENTLY USING THE LORRY PARK+,
MR MACPHERSON SAID THAT THE HONG KONG TRAMWAYS COMPANY LIMITED HAD UNDERTAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THREE MEASURES TO MINIMISE ANY NOISE NUISANCE.
FIRSTLY IMPROVEMENT WORK WOULD BE CARRIED OUT TO THE TRAM TRACKS SO AS TO REDUCE NOISE FROM GEAR WHINE AND ROLLING STOCK. SECONDLY, THE TRACKS LEADING TO THE NEW DEPOT WOULD BE CAREFULLY ALIGNED TO AVOID SHARP TURNS AND THUS REDUCE WHEEL SQUEAL, AND LASTLY, THE DESIGN OF THE NEW DEPOT WOULD ENSURE THAT THE SIDINGS AND WORKSHOP WOULD BE SCREENED OFF FROM NEARBY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT BY THE COMPANY'S OWN BUILDING.
MR MACPHERSON SAID HE HOPED THESE NOISE REDUCTION MEASURES WOULD LEAD TO AN IMPROVEMENT IN NOISE LEVELS IN THE AREA,
HE ALSO NOTED THAT A TRAM DEPOT AT THIS SITE WOULD NOT CAUSE ANY MAJOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION PROBLEMS.
WHEN
+TRAMS WOULD ONLY USE THE DEPOT OUTSIDE PEAK HOURS TRAFFIC ALONG BOTH WHITTY STREET AND CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST WAS LIGHT,+ HE SAID.
+NEVERTHELESS, NECESSARY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES WOULD BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE TRAM DEPOT WAS FULLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE AREA.
+ IN THE LONGER TERM, CONSULTANTS CURRENTLY EMPLOYED TO EXAMINE THE UPGRADING OF CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST WOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF A TRAM DEPOT AT THIS LOCATION IN DEVISING FUTURE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SCHEMES IN THE AREA.+
MR MACPHERSON ALSO TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT ALTHOUGH THE SITE IN QUESTION WAS ORIGINALLY ZONED FOR LOCAL OPEN SPACE, IT WAS NOT AN ATTRACTIVE LOCATION FOR SUCH USE SINCE IT FELL PARTLY UNDER A FLYOVER,
IN THE LATEST DRAFT LAYOUT PLAN FOR THE WESTERN RECLAMATION, IT HAD BEEN RE-DESIGNATED AS A TRAM DEPOT.
SAN ALTERNATIVE SITE, SOME 300 METRES TO THE EAST, HAS NOW BEEN DESIGNATED AS PARKLAND.
+THIS WOULD MORE THAN COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF THE ORIGINAL SITE SINCE IT IS NEARLY SEVEN TIMES LARGER, HE SAID.
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