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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1987
HE ENSURED THAT THOSE LOSS-MAKING SERVICES WHICH WERE
HIGHLY SOCIALLY DESIRABLE AND COULD BE HARDLY REPLACED BY OTHER ALTERNATIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WOULD BE MAINTAINED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.
GIVING A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE CANCELLATIONS, MR GREWAL SAID FOR THE BUS ROUTES, NINE WERE OPEARATED BY THE CMB, FOUR BY THE KMB AND THREE JOINTLY BY THE TWO COMPANIES.
THESE ROUTES WERE CANCELLED BECAUSE OF REDUCED DEMAND AND INSUFFICIENT PATRONAGE IN LIGHT OF COMPETITION FROM THE MTR, KCRG AND GREEN MINIBUS SERVICES.
AS REGARD FRANCHISED FERRY SERVICES, HE SAID THE THREE HYF'S CROSS-HARBOUR ROUTES WHICH HAD BEEN CANCELLED FOLLOWING A RATIONALISATION PLAN TO MAINTAIN THE VIABILITY OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE OUTLYING ISLANDS WERE ONE FOR VEHICLES AND TWO FOR PASSENGERS.
TRAFFIC OFFENDERS MAY PLEAD GUILTY BY LETTER
*****
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) APPROVED A RESOLUTION THAT AMENDS THE MAGISTRATES ORDINANCE SO THAT AN OFFENDER AGAINST THE ROAD TRAFFIC (VILLAGE VEHICLES) REGULATIONS 1986 MAY PLEAD GUILTY BY LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE MAGISTRATE RATHER THAN DO SO BY APPEARING IN COURT.
MOVING THE RESOLUTION, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON HARNAM GREWAL, SAID THE PURPOSE WAS TO AMEND THE THIRD SCHEDULE TO THE ORDINANCE.
HE SAID THE AMENDMENT WOULD COME INTO EFFECT ON FEBRUARY 2, THE SAME EFFECTIVE DATE AS THAT FOR THE ROAD TRAFFIC (VILLAGE VEHICLES) REGULATIONS, WHICH WERE MADE BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL ON JULY 8 LAST YEAR.
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