29
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1991
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS COST-EFFECTIVE
HONG KONG'S INVESTMENTS IN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ARE COST EFFECTIVE AND PRUDENTLY SPENT, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, MR LEUNG QUOTED FACTS AND FIGURES TO SHOW THAT ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, TOTALLING $11 BILLION, WERE NOW BENEFITTING THE COMMUNITY.
DESPITE A SUBSTANTIAL 17 PER CENT INCREASE OF VEHICLES BETWEEN 1988 AND 1990, THE AVERAGE TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE URBAN AREAS 'HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AT 24 KILOMETRES PER HOUR, THANKS TO A FOUR PER CENT INCREASE IN TOTAL LANE LENGTH ON HONG KONG ROADS.
"EVEN MORE ENCOURAGING IS THE DECLINE IN ROAD ACCIDENTS FROM 2.3 ACCIDENTS FOR EVERY MILLION VEHICLE-KILOMETRE IN 1988 TO 1.9 ACCIDENTS IN 1990," MR LEUNG SAID.
ACCORDING TO INDEPENDENT PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS CARRIED OUT BY THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, 18 PER CENT OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID TRANSPORT WAS THEIR MAJOR CONCERN IN 1988. HOWEVER, THIS FIGURE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THREE PER CENT WHEN PEOPLE WERE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION IN 1990.
IN 1988, 11 PER CENT OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE INADEQUACY OF ROAD NETWORK. THIS FIGURE DROPPED TO EIGHT PER CENT IN 1990.
"THIS SUGGESTS A GENERAL PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF LESSER CONGESTION AND SPEEDIER TRAVEL, A PERCEPTION BORNE OUT BY STATISTICS ON THE DECLINE OF TRANSPORT-RELATED COMPLAINTS, FROM 3,163 IN 1988 1,924 IN 1990, A DROP OF 39 PER CENT," MR LEUNG SAID.
ΤΟ
A BUDGET OF ABOUT $3.2 BILLION HAD BEEN EARMARKED FOR HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORT PROJECTS IN THE DRAFT ESTIMATES THIS YEAR. AMONG THE MAJOR PROJECTS ARE THE YUEN LONG-TUEN MUN EASTERN CORRIDOR, THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD CONNECTING AU TAU WITH FAN KAM ROAD, SECOND LOK MA CHAU BRIDGE, AND THE MID-LEVELS ESCALATOR LINK.
THE
MR
COMMENTING ON THE IMPROVEMENT TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES, LEUNG SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY WOULD BE RESPONSIVE TO CHANGING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
"THAT IS WHY WE HAVE ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED THE INTRODUCTION OF AIR-CONDITIONED BUSES AND FERRIES, AND UP-MARKET SERVICES TO MEET NEW
DEMANDS.
"WE BELIEVE THAT THE CUSTOMER SHOULD HAVE A CHOICE AS REGARDS QUALITY AND PRICE, AND THAT IT IS ONLY THROUGH HEALTHY COMPETITION WITHIN A WELL-REGULATED FRAMEWORK THAT IMPROVEMENTS то SERVICE QUALITY AND STANDARDS CAN BE SPURRED, HE SAID.
"
/IMPROVEMENTS AT