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TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1986
DEBATE WILL ALSO RESUME ON THE FOLLOWING THREE BILLS WHICH ARE DUE FOR COMMITTEE STAGE AND FINAL READING:
* CIVIL AVIATION (AIRCRAFT NOISE) BILL 1986;
*
FIRE SERVICES (AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) BILL 1986; AND
* PUBLIC HOLIDAY (ROYAL VISIT) BILL 1986.
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NEW PROGRAMME TO TACKLE SMOKY VEHICLES ENDORSED
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THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE TODAY (TUESDAY) ENDORSED A NEW PROGRAMME TO TACKLE THE POLLUTION CAUSED BY SMOKE EMISSIONS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES.
IT WAS PROPOSED THAT A NEW SECTION WOULD BE SET UP IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WITH RESPONSIBILITIES FOR BOTH THE POLICY DEVELOPMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL AND FOR THE OPERATION OF THE EMISSION SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMME, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE SPOTTING OF SMOKY VEHICLES, THE OPERATION OF A CALL-UP SYSTEM (INCLUDING FOLLOW-UP ACTION) AND THE TESTING OF VEHICLES CALLED UP.
UNDER THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME. INSPECTORS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH SMALL MOTOR-CYCLES AND THEY WOULD STATION THEMSELVES AT VARIOUS POINTS FOR SPOTTING SMOKY VEHICLES.
OFFENDING VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE STOPPED AT THE TIME, BUT THEIR OWNERS WOULD RECEIVE A CALL-UP NOTICE TO ATTEND, WITH THEIR VEHICLE, AT A SPECIFIED TESTING STATION. ACTUAL TESTING OF THE VEHICLES WOULD BE CONDUCTED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A QUALIFIED INSPECTOR.
FOR LARGER VEHICLES SUCH AS LORRIES, COACHES AND BUSES WHICH OFTEN BELONG TO FLEET-OWNERS, ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE MADE TO TEST OFFENDERS IN THIS CATEGORY AT THEIR OWN MAINTENANCE DEPOT.
THE CALL-UP SYSTEM FOR SUCH VEHICLES WOULD BE FLEXIBLE IN THAT THE TIMING OF INSPECTIONS AND TESTS WOULD BE ORGANISED TO THE MUTUAL CONVENIENCE OF BOTH THE TESTER AND THE TESTED.
/THE NEW