WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1988
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RESTRAINT MEASURES NECESSARY TO TACKLE TRAFFIC CONGESTION
HONG KONG COULD NEVER AVOID HAVING TRAFFIC CONGESTION SIMPLY BY BUILDING ROADS AND HIGHWAYS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1988, MR LEUNG SAID: "INDEED, THE MORE ROADS WE BUILD, THE MORE SUPPRESSED DEMAND FOR USE OF VEHICLES WILL BE RELEASED.
"A POLICY ON RESTRAINTS AND ON PRIORITY IN USE IS HENCE INEVITABLE.
OF ROAD SPACE
**THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE POPULAR, NOR WILL IT BE READILY ACCEPTED BY THOSE AFFECTED BY IT.
"IT IS FOR THIS VERY REASON THAT THE PUBLIC NEED TO UNDERSTAND FULLY THE CHOICE OF A NUMBER OF OPTIONS, AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF EACH. THE SOLUTIONS ARE NOT GOING TO BE PALATABLE BUT ARE NEVERTHELESS NECESSARY IN THE OVERALL INTEREST.
"ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSES OF THE SECOND COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY IS TO EXAMINE ALL POSSIBLE OPTIONS AND TO COME UP WITH RECOMMENDED POLICIES AND STRATEGIES ON RESTRAINTS, OR MEANS OF ENSURING MORE ECONOMIC USE OF ROAD SPACE.
"THE REPORT IS EXPECTED TO COME OUT LATER IN THE YEAR AND WILL RECOMMEND, AMONG OTHERS, POLICY INITIATIVES TO TACKLE CONGESTION IN THE LONG TERM.
"THIS WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF A GREEN PAPER TO BE PUBLISHED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
"
MR LEUNG LOOKED FORWARD TO A FULL, FRANK AND USEFUL DEBATE AND THE PRODUCTION OF A LONG-TERM POLICY ON TACKLING TRAFFIC CONGESTION
WHICH COULD BE IMPLEMENTED WITH GENERAL PUBLIC SUPPORT.
HE SAID THAT IT WAS CLEARLY THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION THAT THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM HAD TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND ΤΟ MEET CHANGING NEEDS AND INCREASING ASPIRATIONS.
THE THREE POLICY OBJECTIVES WERE FIRST, THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE ROAD SYSTEM; SECOND, THE EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF
PUBLIC TRANSPORT; AND THIRD, MORE ECONOMIC USE OF THE ROAD SYSTEM. THESE OBJECTIVES WERE INTER-RELATED AND EACH WAS COMPLEMENTARY TO THE OTHER.
THE BUDGET CONTINUED TO GIVE TRANSPORT HIGH PRIORITY.
FOR EXAMPLE,