WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1986
PUBLIC ROLE IN TRAFFIC, TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT STRESSED *****
THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT BOARDS ON TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT ISSUES GREATLY INFLUENCE THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISIONS IN THESE MATTERS, THE ACTING COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR JAMES SO, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN AN ADDRESS TO A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF BAYVIEW, HONG KONG, ON THE SUBJECT +PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT+, MR SO SAID THESE INFLUENCES WERE CLEARLY VISIBLE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL CHANNELS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT MEASURES.
THE FORMAL CHANNELS WERE PROVIDED FOR THROUGH THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) AND THE UMELCO OFFICE.
EVERY DISTRICT BOARD HAD A TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE WHICH SPECIFICALLY EXAMINED AND ADVISED ON DISTRICT TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT MATTERS, BE THEY BIG OR SMALL. AND THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATED THROUGH THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BOARDS.
+THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT BOARDS ARE ALWAYS GIVEN GREAT WEIGHT BY THE GOVERNMENT AND ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL SUCH VIEWS ALL THE TIME, THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES WHERE TRANSPORT POLICY. OR TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT SCHEMES OR SPECIFIC ISSUES SUCH AS LOCATING BUS STOPS OR INSTALLING TRAFFIC LIGHTS WHERE THE DISTRICT BOARD'S INFLUENCE IS CLEARLY VISIBLE,+ MR SO NOTED,
MEANWHILE, HE SAID, THE TAC, CHAIRED BY AN UNOFFICIAL AND LARGELY MADE UP OF APPOINTED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FROM ALL STRATA OF SOCIETY, STRUCK A BALANCE BETWEEN THE VIEWS OF TRANSPORT EXPERTS AND THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF CITIZENS WHEN IT ADVISED THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL ON MATTERS OF TRANSPORT POLICY, MANAGEMENT AND LEGISLATION,
IN ADDITION, ALL MAJOR POLICIES, MEASURES AND LAWS RELATED TO TRANSPORT WERE UNDER THE CLOSE SCRUTINY OF A SPECIAL PANEL WITHIN THE UMELCO OFFICE AND THE PUBLIC COULD ALWAYS MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN TO UMELCO IF THEY WISHED TO EXERT THEIR INFLUENCE.
/ALTERNATIVELY,