JUBILAI, DECEMBER 10, 1985
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID ONE OF THE MAIN BENEFITS OF THE RELOCATION WOULD BE A FREEZE ON TRAM FARES UNTIL 1989 AS A RESULT OF A 7.5 PER CENT SAVING IN OPERATING COSTS. THE COMPANY SAID THIS SAVING COULD BE ACHIEVED BY REDUCED TRAM MILEAGE. REDUCED TRACK WEAR AND FEWER OVERTIME PAYMENTS WHEN DEPOTS WERE PROVIDED AT EITHER END OF THE LINE, INSTEAD OF IN THE MIDDLE AS AT PRESENT.
IN ITS SUBMISSION TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, HKT ALSO INDICATED THAT SURPLUS INCOME FROM REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SHARP STREET EAST SITE MIGHT DEFER THE NEED FOR A FARE INCREASE EVEN FURTHER.
FURTHERMORE HKT HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO CHANNEL INCOME FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT TOWARDS IMPROVING THE TRAM SYSTEM OVER AND ABOVE THE CURRENT REFURBISHING PROGRAMME.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE THREE DISTRICT BOARDS AFFECTED HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO THE PROPOSAL, FOLLOWING ASSURANCES THAT MEASURES WOULD BE TAKEN TO MINIMISE NOISE NUISANCE AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AT THE NEW DEPOTS.
+
IN ADDITION, THE PREVIOUSLY DESIGNATED OPEN SPACE AT THE TWO NEW SITES WOULD BE MORE THAN COMPENSATED FOR BY USE OF ALTERNATIVE SITES. AT SAI YING PUN, THE 0.6 HECTARES ZONED FOR OPEN SPACE WOULD BE REPLACED BY FOUR HECTARES OF PARKLAND ABOUT 300 METRES TO THE EAST ALONG THE WESTERN RECLAMATION. AT SHAU KEI WAN, A MORE SUITABLE DISTRICT OPEN SPACE WOULD BE CREATED ON THE FUTURE ALDRICH BAY RECLAMATION.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WOULD CLOSELY MONITOR HKT'S PERFORMANCE TO ENSURE THE PROMISED IMPROVEMENTS VERE CARRIED OUT AND FARES KEPT LOW.
NEW ANTI-SMOKING PUBLICITY DRIVE LAUNCHED
*****
THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-SMOK ING DRIVE ENTERS A NEW PHASE TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) WHEN A NEW PUBLICITY PACKAGE IS LAUNCHED TO URGE YOUNG PEOPLE NOT TO START SMOKING.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (TUESDAY) SAID THAT THE NEW PACKAGE, IN THE FORM OF A 30-SECOND TELEVISION API (ANNOUNCEMENT OF PUBLIC INTEREST) AND POSTER DISPLAYS, REFLECTS GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUING EFFORT IN CAMPAIGNING AGAINST CIGARETTE SMOKING.
MOST OF THE PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN EFFORTS CONCENTRATED ON THE HEALTH HAZARDS SMOKERS ARE EXPOSED TO AND THE CONSEQUENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS CAUSED TO NON-SMOKERS.
/+PH Badu-SELL