XN000022-1976-07-30 — Page 5

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1976

MEASURES TO IMPROVE PLB SERVICES EFFECTIVE NEXT YEAR

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REGULATIONS TO PROVIDE GREATER SAFETY AND BETTER SAFEGUARD OF SERVICES FOR PEOPLE USING PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES AND ALSO TO PROTECT PLB DRIVERS AGAINST PASSENGERS NOT PAYING THE STIPULATED FARE WILL COME INTO OPERATION ON AUGUST 1, 1977, ACCORDING TO A NOTICE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY.

THE REGULATIONS, KNOWN AS THE ROAD TRAFFIC (PUBLIC OMNIBUS, PUBLIC LIGHT BUS AND PUBLIC CAR) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, WERE MADE IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR BUT WERE NOT BROUGHT INTO FORCE AT THAT- TIME IN ORDER TO GIVE PLB OPERATORS SUFFICIENT TIME TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW REQUIREMENTS.

THE REGULATIONS LAY DOWN SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DISPLAY AND COLOURS OF DESTINATION INDICATORS AND FARE CARDS ON PLB'S, AND FORBID THE CHANGING OF AN INDICATOR DURING A JOURNEY WITH INTENT TO CHARGE EXTRA FARES OR TO CUT SHORT THE ORIGINAL JOURNEY.

ONE PROVISION REQUIRES A PLB DRIVER TO DISPLAY NOT MORE THAN ONE DESTINATION INDICATOR OF AN APPROVED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.

THE INDICATOR, IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE CHARACTERS, MUST SHOW THE DESTINATION CLEARLY BY REFERENCE TO A ROAD JUNCTION OR SOME OTHER EASILY RECOGNISED PLACE. IT SHOULD BE ILLUMINATED DURING DARK HOURS.

UNDER THE REGULATIONS, A SERIES OF STANDARD COLOURS OF DESTINATION INDICATORS WILL BE INTRODUCED FOR DIFFERENT ZONES. ALL INDICATORS WILL HAVE WHITE LETTERS AND CHARACTERS, BUT THE COLOURS OF THE BACKGROUND WILL VARY.

IT WILL BE A DARK BLUE BACKGROUND FOR ANY ROUTE ON HONG KONG ISLAND OTHER THAN A CROSS-HARBOUR ROUTE- A GREEN BACKGROUND FOR ANY ROUTE WHICH OPERATES WHOLLY IN KOWLOON AND NEW KOWLOON, A YELLOW BACKGROUND FOR ANY ROUTE WHOLLY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES OR BETWEEN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND KOWLOON AND NEW KOWLOON- AND A RED BACKGROUND FOR ANY CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL ROUTE,

A PLB DRIVER WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO DISPLAY IN AN APPROVED POSITION ON THE VEHICLE A FARE CARD, IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE CHARACTERS, OF AN APPROVED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. THE FARE SHOULD BE INDICATED IN RED LETTERS AND CHARACTERS ON A WHITE BACKGROUND.

THE REGULATIONS PROVIDE FOR BETTER SAFEGUARD OF SERVICES FOR PLB PASSENGERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE CARRIED TO THE INDICATED DESIGNATION AND ARE NOT CHARGED A HIGHER FARE THAN THEY EXPECTED TO PAY WHEN BOARDING THE VEHICLE.

/PLE DRIVERS