XN000022-1974-06-19 — Page 15

E

1

13

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19. 1974

SAFETY ON TRAMS ASSURED ******

THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TODAY

1 ASSURED THE PUBLIC THAT IT IS SAFE TO TRAVEL BY TRAMS.

F

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION RAISED BY THE HON. ROGER LOBO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON PASSENGERS' SAFETY IN TRANCARS, MR. ROBSON STRESSED THAT THE HONG KONG TRAMWAY COMPANY HAD A VERY GOOD RECORD OF SAFETY.

+UNDER SECTION 32 OF THE TRAMWAY ORDINANCE, EVERY TRAMCAR AND TRAILER MUST BE SO CONSTRUCTED AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS. + HE POINTED OUT.

MR. ROBSON SAID THAT ALL THE WINDOWS ON TRAMCARS HAD BEEN FABRICATED FROM PLATE GLASS SINCE THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AND THERE WAS NO RECORD OF PASSENGERS HAVING SUFFERED INJURY AS A RESULT OF THIS PRACTICE.

ON THE USE OF SAFETY GLASS, WHICH WAS USED ORIGINALLY IN TRAM TRAILERS, HE NOTED THAT EXPERIENCE HAD SHOWN THAT THIS TYPE OF GLASS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE FREQUENTLY REPLACED, LARGELY BECAUSE PASSENGERS ALLOWED THE WINDOWS IN THE TRAILERS TO DROP WITH A BANG.

ON A PROPOSAL OF AFFIXING GUARDRAILS TO SEATS ON THE UPPER DECK NEAR A STAIRCASE, MR. ROBSON SAID IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT A PASSENGER ON THE UPPER DECK WOULD BE DISLODGED FROM HIS SEAT BECAUSE THE MEANS OF PROPULSION EMPLOYED IN THE TRAMCAR NORMALLY ENSURED SMOOTH STARTING AND STOPPING.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE SEATS FACING THE TOP OF THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE AT THE REAR OF THE TRANCAR WERE ALREADY PARTIALLY PROVIDED WITH RAILS TO PREVENT PASSENGERS FROM FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS.

IN ADDITION, THE EXISTING SECOND STAIRCASE AT THE FRONT NEAR SIDE OF THE TRAM IS ALSO SEPARATED FROM THE SEATS FACING IT BY A RAILING.

7

REFERRING TO LEAKAGE OF WATER THROUGH THE ROOF INTO ELECTRIC LIGHTS HOLDERS, MR. ROBSON TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT DURING THE COURSE OF REGULAR INSPECTIONS, THE ROOFS OF TRAMS WERE ALWAYS CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND THERE WAS NO RECORD OF PASSENGERS RECEIVING ELECTRIC SHOCK FROM SUCH A SOURCE.

FINALLY, HE EMPHASISED THAT THE TWO ELECTRICAL CABLES RUNNING BETWEEN THE TRAMCAR AND THE UPPER PART OF THE TRAILER VERE BOTH CONSIDERED TO BE SAFE.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE CABLE LINKING THE BELL IS ACTUATED BY SMALL BATTERIES AND SO CAUSES NO RISK TO PASSENGERS WHILE THE LIGHTING CABLE IS VERY WELL INSULATED, BOTH WHERE IT LEAVES THE TRAMCAR AND WHERE IT ENTERS THE TRAILERS, THE TWO DANGER POINTS, HE EXPLAINED.

/14 ******