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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1976.

RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF TSING Y BRIDGE TO BE EASED

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THE GENERAL RESTRICTION ON THE USE OF TSING YI BRIDGE WILL BE LIFTED VERY SHORTLY, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. OSWALD CHEUNG, MR. ROBSON SAID HOWEVER THAT IT WOULD STILL BE NECESSARY TO

IMPOSE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THE ROAD GOING NORTH FROM THE BRIDGE TO TSING YI TOWN ITSELF.

+ IT IS PROPOSED TO ALLOW TAXIS, A LIMITED NUMBER OF PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES AND PRIVATE CARS BELONGING TO RESIDENTS, TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE TOWN, MR. ROBSON SAID.

+UNRESTRICTED ACCESS OF PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES TO THE ISLAND WOULD LEAD TO A CHOKING OF THE ROAD NETWORK AND THIS IS NOT NECESSARY BECAUSE A KMB BUS SERVICE ALREADY RUNS FROM TSING YI TOWN TO LAI CHI KOK AND THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY PROVIDES A SERVICE TO TSUEN WAN AND CENTRAL.

+APART FROM THE RESTRICTIONS ON P.L.B'S, THERE WILL BE NO RESTRICTIONS ON VEHICLES USING BOTH THE BRIDGE AND THE ROAD GOING SOUTH FROM THE BRIDGE TO THE POWER STATION,+ HE ADDED.

MR. ROBSON SAID THE EASING OF RESTRICTIONS WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ACCESS ROADS LEADING TO THE BRIDGE AND TO THE ROAD JOINING THE BRIDGE TO THE TOWN.

THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR THE PRESENT REQUIREMENTS BUT WHEN THE FIRST HOUSING BLOCKS WERE COMPLETED, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO CONSIDER THE NEED OF A FRANCHISED BUS SERVICE TO TSUEN WAN, HE SAID.

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