14
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1994
AN
SIR HAMISH ALSO NOTED THAT THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CARRIED 206 MILLION PASSENGERS IN 1993, AN INCREASE OF ABOUT FOUR PER CENT OVER 1992. OF THESE, 37 MILLION TRAVELLED TO AND FROM LO WO, INCREASE OF SIX PER CENT. THROUGH TRAIN TRAFFIC BETWEEN KOWLOON GUANGZHOU ROSE BY SEVEN PER CENT TO 2.9 MILLION.
AND
THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (LRT) SYSTEM CARRIED 117 MILLION PASSENGERS IN 1993, AN INCREASE OF 10 PER CENT OVER 1992.
THE LRT SERVICE WAS EXTENDED TO TIN SHUI WAI IN JANUARY 1993. ALL 30 NEW LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES CAME INTO SERVICE DURING 1993, FURTHER EXPANDING CAPACITY.
SIR HAMISH SAID THE KCRC PLANNED TO INVEST $6.4 BILLION INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENT.
0
THE CIVIL
BILL TO REDUCE AIRCRAFT NOISE
* * * * *
AVIATION (AIRCRAFT NOISE) (AMENDMENT} BILL 1994 SEEKING TO REDUCE PROGRESSIVELY NOISE DISTURBANCE CAUSED BY AIRCRAFT OPERATING AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS INTRODUCED то THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR GORDON SIU, SAID THE BILL SPECIFIED MORE STRINGENT STANDARDS TO CONTROL EMISSION OF NOISE BY AIRCRAFT USING THE AIRPORT.
AND
"WE INTEND TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRESSIVE PHASING OUT OF THE OLDER MORE NOISY MODELS OF AIRCRAFT FROM OPERATING TO OR FROM HONG KONG, MR SIU SAID.
CURRENTLY SOME 10 PER CENT OF THE AIRCRAFT OPERATING AT THE AIRPORT REGULARLY DO NOT MEET THE PROPOSED STANDARDS.
THE PROPOSED MORE STRINGENT
PROVISIONS WILL BE APPLIED
IMMEDIATELY TO HONG KONG REGISTERED AIRCRAFT.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDELINES ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION, SUCH STRICTER STANDARDS WILL BE EXTENDED то ALL FOREIGN-REGISTERED SUBSONIC JET AIRCRAFT USING THE AIRPORT AFTER APRIL NEXT YEAR.
AS OTHER COUNTRIES TIGHTEN THEIR NOISE CONTROL LEGISLATION, OWNERS OF OLDER AIRCRAFT WHICH DO NOT MEET THE MORE STRINGENT STANDARDS MAY SEEK OUT TERRITORIES OR JURISDICTIONS WHERE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO REGISTER SUCH AIRCRAFT, MR SIU SAID.
*
"THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WILL ENSURE THAT HONG KONG DOES NOT BECOME A POTENTIAL DUMPING GROUND FOR OLDER, NOISIER AIRCRAFT, HE SAID.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
—
/15