MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1986
PUBLIC CONSULTATION VITAL IN FORMULATING TRANSPORT POLICIES
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PUBLIC CONSULTATION IS AN IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL STEP IN THE FORMULATION OF GOVERNMENT'S TRANSPORT POLICIES AND THERE IS A WELL-ESTABLISHED NETWORK THROUGH WHICH GOVERNMENT SEEKS AND RECEIVES ADVICE ON TRANSPORT MATTERS. THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR DAVID LAN, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
OUTLINING THESE CHANNELS OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION AT A MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR LAN SAID SENIOR TRANSPORT BRANCH OFFICIALS MET WITH THE UMELCO TRANSPORT PANEL TO DISCUSS TRANSPORT MATTERS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
ON MAJOR POLICY ISSUES, HE SAID, THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADVISING THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH MEETS MONTHLY, IS CHAIRED BY AN UNOFFICIAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER AND HAS A WIDE-RANGING UNOFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP INCLUDING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS (ELECTED AND APPOINTED) AS WELL AS TRANSPORT EXPERTS.
+THE INTERESTS OF A WIDE SPECTRUM OF THE COMMUNITY ARE THUS REPRESENTED ON THIS IMPORTANT BODY, HE SAID.
THE TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS UNIT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED UNDER THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO HANDLE AND MONITOR COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON TRANSPORT MATTERS. IT HAS A WIDELY PUBLICISED HOTLINE WHICH IS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY.
IN ADDITION, MR LAN SAID THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WAS REPRESENTED ON THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEES OF ALL THE DISTRICT BOARDS.
+ INDEED, IT IS A MEASURE OF THE IMPORTANCE TO WHICH BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC AL IKE ATTACH TO THE FIELD OF TRANSPORT THAT EACH DB SHOULD HAVE SET UP A COMMITTEE TO DEAL EXCLUSIVELY AITH TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT ISSUES,+ HE SAID.
MR LAN ASSURED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS COMMITTED TO FURTHER IMPROVING THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY'S ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND HOUSING PROGRAMMES AND THE RISING EXPECTATIONS OF THE PEOPLE.
HE APPEALED TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF EXISTING CHANNELS TO PUT FORWARD THE IR VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM.
TURNING TO PRESENT AND FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR TRANSPORT SYSTEM, MR LAN SAID THERE WERE ABOUT 40 HIGHWAYS PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND ANOTHER 88 PROJECTS BEING PLANNED WITHIN THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT.
+ THE TOTAL VALUE OF WORKS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS ESTIMATED AT $3.1 BILLION, HE SAID.
/+PJOR HIGHWAYE