TUESDAY, JULY 19, 1988
5
TAC DEFERS DECISION ON FIXED PENALTY FINES
(TUESDAY)
THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) TODAY DEFERRED DECISION ON WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A GENERAL INCREASE IN THE LIVEL OF FIXED PENALTY FINES FOR TRAFFIC OFFENCES AND WHETHER FIXED PENALTY FINES FOR OVERLOADING OFFENCES SHOULD BE INCREASED FROM $200 TO $450.
NOTING THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN ALARMING INCREASE IN OVERLOADING OFFENCES FROM 1,644 IN 1985 TO 23,641 IN 1987, THE TAC AGREED THAT AN INCREASE IN THE PENALTY LEVEL SHOULD LEAD TO FEWER DRIVERS AND COMPANIES TREATING THE PENALTY AS A ROUTINE OPERATIONAL EXPENSE.
HOWEVER, THE TAC COULD NOT COME TO A DECISION TODAY BECAUSE IT BELIEVED THAT THE DRIVING OFFENCE POINTS SYSTEM SHOULD NOT BE RULED OUT ALTOGETHER IN RESPECT OF OVERLOADING OFFENCES.
THE TAC RECOMMENDED THAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SHOULD RECONSIDER THE MATTER SO THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD IN DUE COURSE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW TO COMBINE THE FIXED PENALTY INCREASE WITH A POSSIBLE PENALTY UNDER THE DRIVING OFFENCE POINTS SYSTEM.
WILL TAKE STEPS то
MEMBERS NOTED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION TACKLE THE PROBLEM AT SOURCE AND TO ENSURE THAT EVERY DRIVER IS AWARE OF THE WRIGHT OF THE LOAD HE CARRIES.
THE TAC ALSO APPROVED THE APPLICATION FROM THE HONG KONG AND YAUNATI FERRY COMPANY (HYF) TO WITHDRAW THE
FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN TSUEN WAN AND TSING YI.
PASSENGER
MEMBERS NOTED THAT FOLLWING THE OPENING OF THE TSING TSUEN BRIDGE IN DECEMBER 1987 AND THE INTRODUCTION OF BUS ROUTE NO. 43B FROM CHEUNG CHING TO TSUEN WAN FERRY IN FEBRUARY 1988. PATRONAGE ON THE TSUEN WAN - TSING YI FERRY SERVICE DECREASED SHARPLY FROM 4,400 PASSENGERS PER DAY IN 1987 TO 700 PASSENGERS PER DAY IN APRIL-MAY THIS YEAR.
THE PROPOSED SERVICE WITHDRAWAL IS PART OF HYF'S OVERALL PLAN TO RATIONALISE ITS SERVICE, SUCH RATIONALISATION SHOULD REDUCE UPWARD PRESSURE ON FARES AND RESULT IN A HEALTHIER AND MORE EFFICIENT PERRY SERVICE.
THE TAC WAS ALSO INFORMED OF HYF'S PROPOSAL TO OPERATE A RECREATIONAL SERVICE TO CHEUNG CHAU FROM THE KOWLOON POINT FERRY PIER
AJ WEEKENDS AND ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FROM AUGUST 1.
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MEMBERS NOTED THAT THE DEMAND FOR EXISTING CHEUNG CHAU CENTRAL FERRY SERVICE DURING WEEKENDS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS HAD INCREASED BY MORE THAN 50 PER CENT FROM 1983 ΤΟ THIS YEAR. HYF'S PROPOSAL WOULD HELP TO RELIEVE EXCESSIVE CONGESTION AT THE OUTLYING DISTRICTS SERVICES FERRY PIER IN CENTRAL.
/THE SCHEDULES