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WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 1986
HOWEVER, HE NOTED THAT IN VIEW OF THE NEED OF THE RURAL COMMUNITIES FOR SUCH A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, IT WAS PROPOSED TO BRING THEM WITHIN THE LAW THROUGH A PERMIT SYSTEM SO THAT THOSE VILLAGE VEHICLES WHICH COMPLIED WITH CERTAIN BASIC SAFETY AND NOISE CONTROL REQUIREMENTS COULD CONTINUE TO BE USED.
MR MACPHERSON SAID THAT THOUGH VILLAGE VEHICLES WERE IN USE THROUGHOUT THE RURAL AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE OUTLYING ISLANDS, THE USE OF THESE VEHICLES WAS ILLEGAL BECAUSE THEY WERE UNREGISTERED, UNLICENSED AND UNINSURED.
HE SAID THE PROPOSED PERMIT SYSTEM WAS A SIMPLER SYSTEM, WITH LESS STRINGENT ELEMENTS OF CONTROL THAN THE REGISTRATION AND LICENSING SYSTEM APPLICABLE TO OTHER TYPES OF MOTOR VEHICLES.
UNDER THE PROPOSED SYSTEM, VILLAGE VEHICLES WOULD BECOME A NEW CLASS OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND WOULD BE DIVIDED INTO TWO TYPES, NAMELY, PEDESTRIAN-CONTROLLED VILLAGE VEHICLES AND DRIVER-OPERATED VILLAGE VEHICLES.
MR MACPHERSON SAID + EXCEPT FOR SPECIFIED PROVISIONS AND REGULATIONS, THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE WILL NOT APPLY TO VILLAGE VEHICLES.
+THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL WILL BE EMPOWERED TO MAKE REGULATIONS FOR THE CONTROL OF VILLAGE VEHICLES THROUGH THE ISSUE OF PERMITS AND THE STIPULATION OF CERTAIN STANDARDS OF CONSTRUCTION AND PERMIT CONDITIONS.
+THE PERMIT FOR A VILLAGE VEHICLE, WHICH IS VALID FOR A YEAR, IS ISSUED OR RENEWED ON PAYMENT OF A FEE OF $50.+
MR MACPHERSON SAID CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS WERE MADE TO THE MOTOR VEHICLES INSURANCE (THIRD PARTY RISKS) ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE THAT VILLAGE VEHICLES BE INSURED AGAINST THIRD PARTY RISKS, AND TO THE MOTOR VEHICLES (FIRST REGISTRATION TAX) ORDINANCE TO EXCLUDE VILLAGE VEHICLES FROM THE CLASSES OF MOTOR VEHICLES DEFINED IN THAT ORDINANCE.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
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