XN000022-1976-07-07 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1976

PUBLIC TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS FOR SHEK O IMPROVED

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FOUR NEW MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS FOR SHEK O ON SUNDAY AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON, ALAN ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, HE SAID THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY HAD RESERVED A FLEET OF

30 DOUBLE-DECK BUSES FOR ROUTE 9 WHICH OPERATES BETWEEN SHAU KE! WAN AND SHEK 0.

+PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE NOT IMPEDED, THESE BUSES WILL OPERATE AT A TWO-MINUTE FREQUENCY,+ HE SAID.

PART OF THE CAR PARK HAS BEEN CONVERTED INTO A SUPPLEMENTARY BUS TERMINUS AND THE EXISTING PLB STAND HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO ACCOMMODATE 50 PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES, HE ADDED.

THERE IS ALSO A GREATER POLICE PRESENCE IN CONTROLLING. TRAFFIC, MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID.

+WHEN THE PLB STAND IS FULL, PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES ARE STOPPED AND TURNED ROUND AT THE JUNCTION OF SHEK O ROAD AND BIG WAVE BAY ROAD, HE ADDED.

+THESE ARRANGEMENTS HAVE IMPROVED THE SITUATION ALTHOUGH, WITH THE HEAVY DEMAND FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT AT SHEK O ON FINE SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, SOME CONGESTION IS INEVITABLE,+ HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY, ARE KEEPING THE SITUATION UNDER REVIEW.

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY MR. CHEONG-LEEN ON LANTAU BUS SERVICES DURING HOLIDAYS, MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID THE COMMI SSIONER FOR TRANSPORT WAS INVESTIGATING THE POSSIBILITY OF USING CONTRACT HIRE VEHICLES, SUCH AS SCHOOL BUSES, BROUGHT FROM URBAN AREAS TO TEMPORARILY SUPPLEMENT THE LANTAU FLEET DURING HOLIDAYS.

THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING DOUBLE DECKER BUSES TO LANTAU FOR USE ON SUITABLE ROUTES IS ALSO BEING INVESTIGATED, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE NEW LANTAU BUS COMPANY HAD, IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, EXPANDED ITS FLEET FROM 41 TO 45 VEHICLES,

+THIS, PLUS IMPROVED TIMETABLES, HAS MEANT A 22 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PASSSENGERS CARRIED BETWEEN JANUARY AND MAY THIS YEAR COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

+ALTHOUGH THE VERY HIGH DEMAND ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IS NOT MET, ON THESE DAYS THE SYSTEM CARRIES MORE THAN TWICE THE NORMAL WEEKDAY TRAFFIC,+ HE SAID.

BECAUSE BUSES ARE FULLY UTILISED ON HOLIDAYS AND GROSSLY UNDER-UTILISED ON WEEKDAYS, IT WOULD BE UNECONOMICAL TO FURTHER INCREASE THE LOCAL FLEET PURELY TO MEET PEAK DEMAND, HE ADDED.

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