41
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1990
LAM
TURNING TO THE PROPER ALLOCATION OF ROAD SPACE,
MR SAID THAT THE RAPID GROWTH IN PRIVATE CAR OWNERSHIP WAS MORE WORRYING.
"AFTER A PERIOD OF CONSOLIDATION BETWEEN 1982 AND 1987, THE NUMBER OF PRIVATE CARS HAS GROWN AT THE RATE OF ABOUT NINE PER CENT PER ANNUM OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS FROM 143,000 IN SEPTEMBER 1987, TO 194,000 IN SEPTEMBER 1990.
"I SHALL BE MONITORING THE SITUATION VERY CLOSELY, ΤΟ SEE WHAT MEASURES ARE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE ROAD SPACE CONTINUES TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE 90 PER CENT OF OUR DAILY COMMUTERS WHO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT, AND WHO, BETWEEN THEM, MAKE 10 MILLION TRIPS A DAY," HE SAID.
OF MASS SERVICES RAILWAY.
MR LAM SAID THE GOVERNMENT POLICY WAS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE CARRIERS, ESPECIALLY THE OFF-STREET MODES SUCH AS RAILWAY PROVIDED BY THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AND THE KOWLOON-CANTON
**MODERN TRAINS ARE NOT ONLY ENERGY EFFICIENT, BUT ALSO ENVIRONMENTALLY MORE ACCEPTABLE.
+
-
HE SAID PUBLIC BUSES STILL MOVED A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AROUND 3.4 MILLION PASSENGER TRIPS A DAY
THE AND OCCUPIED LEAST AMOUNT OF ROAD SPACE.
-
"THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE ACCORDED PRIORITY IN ROAD USE THROUGH BUS ONLY LANES AND BUS
MATTER PRIORITY SCHEMES, AS A
OF
POLICY.'
-
-
ON TAXIS, MR LAM SAID THEIR NUMBER WOULD CONTINUE ΤΟ BE REGULATED BY QUOTAS SET BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, ON THE ADVICE OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
TURNING ΤΟ PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES, HE SAID THAT SINCE 1976, THEIR NUMBER HAD BEEN STABILISED AT 4,350, INCLUDING A SIZEABLE FLEET OF "GREEN MINIBUSES" WHICH ENJOYED POPULAR SUPPORT AND GOOD PATRONAGE.
MR LAM SAID HE PROPOSED NO CHANGE ΤΟ THE ARRANGEMENTS, WHICH WERE WORKING SATISFACTORILY.
PRESENT
/42