XN000022-1974-11-10 — Page 2

T

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1974.

:

2.

SCOPE OF VEHICLE INSPECTION ENLARGED

OVER 31,900 VEHICLES INSPECTED IN 1973/74

******

MORE VEHICLES WERE MECHANICALLY INSPECTED FOR ROADWORTHINESS BEFORE LICENSING DURING THE YEAR 1973-74 TO HELP IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY, THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR. BRIAN WILSON, SAID

IN HIS LATEST ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORT.

HE SAID THAT, WITH MORE STAFF, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO INCREASE THE SCOPE OF VEHICLES INSPECTION TO INCLUDE ALL PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES.

FROM EARLY THIS YEAR, HE SAID, IT BECAME POSSIBLE TO ARRANGE FOR ALL PUBLIC VEHICLES BUSES, LIGHT BUSES, TAXIS AND HIRE

CARS

-

- TO BE SUBJECT TO ANNUAL ÎNSPECTION AS A PREREQUISITE TO LICENSING.

MR. WILSON SAID THAT DURING THE YEAR UNDER REVIEW, HIS DEPARTMENT'S FOUR VEHICLE INSPECTION CENTRES CARRIED OUT A TOTAL OF 31,957 INSPECTIONS WHICH INCLUDED RE-CHECKS AN INCREASE

OF 16.9 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

THE NUMBER OF SUSPECTED DEFECTIVE VEHICLES INSPECTED ALSO ROSE TO 6,334, AND A FURTHER 1,335 VEHICLES WERE INSPECTED AS A RESULT OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, HE SAID.

BUT THIS IS STILL A LONG WAY SHORT OF WHAT IS DESIRABLE HE COMMENTED. FOR INSTANCE, THERE 13 NO REGULAR INSPECTION ŸÉT OF ALL PRIVATE CARS AND GOODS VEHICLES.

AT PRESENT, HE ADDED, AN ITEM FOR A NEW SEMI-AUTOMATED VEHICLE INSPECTION CENTRE IS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME AND, WHEN IT IS IN OPERATION, IT IS HOPED THAT MORE VEHICLES WILL BE SUBJECT TO ANNUAL INSPECTION,

THE COMMISSIONER POINTED OUT THAT STAFF IMPROVEMENT ENABLED THE FOURTH VEHICLE INSPECTION CENTRE AT TSUEN WAN TO BE RE-OPENED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR, ITS SOLE FUNCTION BEING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION OF ALL PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES.

THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS INVOLVING HEAVY GOODS VEHICLES INCREASED DURING THE YEAR, AND TO COMBAT THIS DISTURBING TREND, THREE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION UNITS HAVE BEEN SET UP, STAFFED BY MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTORS OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ON SECOND- MENT TO THE POLICE. THE UNITS ARE LOCATED AT TRAFFIC POLICE HEADQUARTERS IN HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

AT PRESENT, THE WORK OF THE VEHICLE INSPECTION SECTION, HEADED BY A SENIOR MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTOR, COVERS A WIDE SCOPE.

IT INSPECTS, ANNUALLY, TAXIS WITH THEIR METERS CHECKED EVERY SIX MONTHS, PUBLIC CARS, ALL PRIVATE AND PUBLIC OMNIBUSES, AND ALL PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES.

IN ADDITION, MECHANICAL INSPECTIONS ARE CARRIED OUT ON ALL GOODS VEHICLES AND PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES BEFORE INITIAL REGISTRATION AND LICENSING, ALL USED IMPORTED VEHICLES PRIOR TO REGISTRATION AND LICENSING, THE FIRST OF EVERY NEW MODEL OF PRIVATE CARS, DEFECTIVE VEHICLES REFERRED TO THE SECTION BY THE POLICE AND VEHICLES INVOLVED IN FATAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.

L

J