WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1986

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+ AM SURE THAT THESE PROVISIONS WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF CLOSE SCRUTINY BY THIS COUNCIL,+ HE SAID.

REFERRING TO THE PARKING PROBLEM AT THE KWAI CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINAL, MR BARNES SAID THAT CONTAINER PORT ROAD WAS NOW BEING REALIGNED AND WOULD PROVIDE A TWO-LANE DUAL CARRIAGEWAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL QUEUEING LANE FOR CONTAINER TRUCKS.

THE FIRST STAGE WOULD BE COMPLETED IN 1987 AND THE ROAD WOULD BE COMPLETED IN 1990.

ABOUT THIS TIME ALSO, HE ADDED, PARKING SPACE FOR 200 TO 250 CONTAINER VEHICLES +WILL BECOME AVAILABLE AT KWAI CHUNG CREEK RECLAMATION WHICH IS BEING FORMED TOGETHER WITH TERMINAL 6+.

MR BARNES SAID THAT THESE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WOULD HELP, BUT THERE WOULD NEVER BE PLENTY OF SPACE AT KWAI CHUNG.

HONG KONG WELL SERVED BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM

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THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON HARNAM GREWAL, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THERE HAD NEVER BEEN TOTALLY FREE COMPETITION IN THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES IN HONG KONG AND THAT THE PHILOSOPHY REMAINED THAT THE OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM SHOULD BE BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR PUBLIC CORPORATIONS WORKING ON COMMERCIAL PRINCIPLES, WITH GOVERNMENT PROVIDING A STATUTORY FRAMEWORK, REGULATION AND DEGREE OF COORDINATION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT MODES.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE GOVERNOR'S OPENING ADDRESS, MR GREWAL SAID THE SYSTEM HAD SERVED HONG KONG WELL AND HAD +ENABLED US TO MAINTAIN A RANGE OF SERVICES WHICH COMBINES CHOICE AND EFFICIENCY AT REASONABLE FARE LEVELS TO A GREATER EXTENT THAN IN ANY OTHER LARGE CITIES IN THE WORLD+.

TURNING TO POINTS RAISED EARLIER THAT THERE WAS AN OVER-RELIANCE ON RAILWAYS, MR GREWAL POINTED OUT THAT IN DEVELOPING THE TRANSPORT NETWORK GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BOTH THE SHORT-TERM DEMANDS OF THE PUBLIC. FOR WHOM REASONABLE FARES AND CONVENIENCE WERE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS. AND THE LONGER TERM OBJECTIVE OF DEVELOPING A BALANCED SYSTEM THAT WAS GOING TO PROVIDE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND EFFICIENT SERVICES OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS.

AT THE

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