XN000022-1974-06-05 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1974

MEASURES TO CONTROL VEHICLE NOISE

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, TODAY OUTLINED 30TH LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM MEASURES TO CONTROL EXCESSIVE NOISE PRODUCED BY VEHICLES.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. ROGER L030 AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. ROBSON INDICATED THE POSSIBILITY OF AN OVERHAUL OF EXISTING LEGISLATION GOVERNING NOISE MADE BY VEHICLES.

AS AN IMMEDIATE PRACTICAL MEASURE, HE SAID THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT WOULD INTENSIFY THE SPECTION OF NEW MODELS OF MOTOR CYCLES PRIOR TO LICENSING AND WARN IMPORTERS THAT THEY COULD EXPECT DIFFICULTIES IF THEY WERE TO IMPORT MODELS WITH POOR SOUND REDUCING QUALITIES.

MR. ROBSON ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE QUESTION OF MORE EFFECTIVE POWERS TO CONTROL VEHICLE NOISE WAS DEING EXAMINED BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CEPCOM).

+ALL MOTOR VEHICLES ARE ALREADY REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE PROPER SILENCERS, BUT THE LAW RELATING TO EXCESSIVE NOISE BY VEHICLES IS UNSATISFACTORY, IN THAT THERE IS NO DEFINITION OF WHAT CONSTITUTES EXCESSIVE NOISE.

+IT IS, THEREFORE, DIFFICULT TO PRODUCE CONVINCING EVIDENCE IN COURT TO SUBSTANTIATE A CHARGE THAT EXCESSIVE NOISE WAS BEING MAJE BY A PARTICULAR VEHICLE AT A PARTICULAR TIME AND AN OVERHAUL OF THE LEGISLATION IS REQUIRED BEFORE POLICE ACTIVITY ON VEHICLE NOISE CONTRJ CAN BE REALLY EFFECTIVE.+

HE SAID THAT EPCOM WAS CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF A DIRECTIVE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY LAYING DOWN THE NOISE LIMITS IN DECIBELS FOR VARIOUS CLASSES OF VEHICLE AND THE METHODS OF MEASURING THOSE LIMITS.

+UNFORTUNATELY, THE DIRECTIVE IS APPARENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF REVISIJH AB IT MAY BE THE END OF THE YEAR BEFORE THE NEW LIMITS ARE AVAILABLE,+ MR. ROBSON ADDED.

REHOUSING OF ALDRICH BAY SQUATTERS

CLEARANCE OF SQUATTERS IN ALDRICH BAY IS EXPECTED TO START IN AJOUT TWO YEARS' TIME, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. IAN LIGHTBODY TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG- LEEN ABOUT THE REHOUSING OF THE SQUATTERS WHO, MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID, ARE LIVING IN +SQUALID CONDITIONS+.

MR. LIGHTBODY SAID: +1 HOPE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE A START ON THE LONG-AWAITED CLEARANCE OF THIS PARTICULARLY UNPLEASANT SQUATTER AREA IN MID-1976, WHEN NEW ESTATE ACCOMMODAT– ION IN THE CHAI WAN AREA SHOULD BECOME AVAILABLE FOR ALLOCATION.+

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