XN000022-1976-02-06 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1976

RE-OPENING OF PLB DRIVING TESTS

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TODAY ASKED DRIVERS WHO WISH TO APPLY FOR PLB DRIVING TESTS TO WRITE TO THE DEPARTMENT'S LICENSING OFFICES AT 2 MURRAY ROAD, HONG KONG, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THE APPLICANTS MUST HAVE THREE YEARS' EXPERIENCE AND HAVE NOT BEEN DISQUALIFIED.

AT A MEETING WITH PLB ASSOCIATIONS ON JANUARY 26

THE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD REOPEN DRIVING TESTS FOR PLBS FROM MARCH 1, 1976.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID +NO FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE OVER THE COUNTER. APPLICATIONS FOR FORMS WILL BE ACCEPTED ONLY BY POST, FORMS WILL THEN BE POSTED TO THE APPLICANT WHO SHOULD RETURN THEM, AGAIN, BY POST.+

AFTER THE COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS ARE RECEIVED. THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WILL CHECK THE PARTICULARS, INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OF THE DRIVER AND ANY DISQUALIFICATION,

IF THE APPLICANT MEETS THE DEPARTMENT'S REQUIREMENTS HE WILL BE SENT A LETTER ASKING HIM TO CALL IN PERSON AT THE LICENSING OFFICE BRINGING WITH HIM THE LETTER, HIS HONG KONG

IDENTITY CARD AND HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCE, AND $150 FEE FOR THE TEST FORM.

HIS ID CARD AND DRIVING LICENCE WILL BE RETURNED TO HIM AND HE WILL BE GIVEN A TEST FORM AND TEST APPOINTMENT TIME.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE LAST BATCH OF APPLICATIONS FOR PLB DRIVING TESTS WAS RECEIVED THREE YEARS AGO. +BUT BECAUSE OF THE MANY THOUSANDS OF APPLICATIONS IT HAS TAKEN THIS LONG TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG AND TEST ALL THE DRIVERS.+

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THESE PLB DRIVING TESTS WOULD NOT AFFECT THE NUMBER OF PLBS ON THE ROADS AS THE GOVERNMENT SET A LIMIT OF 4,331 VEHICLES IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR.

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