XN000022-1977-05-31 — Page 7

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1977

DOUBLE-DECK BUS TEST RUN PROVES SUCCESSFUL ON LANTAU ISLAND *****

A TEST RUN WITH A DOUBLE-DECK BUS ON LANTAU ISLAND HELD YESTERDAY (MONDAY) WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF P.W.D., POLICE TRAFFIC BRANCH AND TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT INDICATED THE FEASIBILITY OF INTRODUCING DOUBLE-DECK BUSES TO LANTAU ISLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME.

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF NO. 415, MARITIME TROOP FROM STONECUTTERS ISLAND WHO TRANSHIPPED A CMB DOUBLE-DECK BUS BY A LANDING CRAFT TO AND FROM SILVERMINE BAY, THE BUS WAS USED IN EXTENSIVE TESTS ALONG THE SOUTH LANTAU ROAD BETWEEN MUI WO AND TAI O AND COMPLETED THE TRIALS SUCCESSFULLY ON GROUNDS OF BOTH ROAD SAFETY AND HEIGHT STABILITY.

THE BUS BALLASTED WITH ALMOST A HUNDRED SAND BAGS AND A PARTY OF 25 OFFICIALS WHO TOGETHER SIMULATED A FULLY LOADED BUS UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY TESTS CONDUCTED ON STARTS ON STEEP GRADIENTS, MANOEUVREABILITY AROUND TIGHT CORNERS AND GENERAL HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS PROVED SUCCESSFUL.

+ THE LOW FLOOR LEVEL OF DOUBLE-DECK BUSES WAS FOUND TO BE PARTICULARLY WELL SUITED TO LANTAU ISLAND IN GIVING GREATER VEHICLE STABILITY AND A SMOOTHER PASSENGER RIDE.

+THE DOUBLE-DECK VEHICLE CHOSEN FOR THE TEST RUN WAS ONE OF THE STANDARD CMB BUSES USED ON SUBURBAN SERVICES TO THE PEAK, MID-LEVELS. SHEK O AND BRAEMAR HILL AREAS OF HONG KONG ISLAND AND THESE BUSES ARE SLIGHTLY SHORTER AND NARROWER THAN THE EXISTING SINGLE-DECK BUSES USED BY THE NEW LANTAO BUS COMPANY ON LANTAU

ISLAND.

+HENCE, NO DIFFICULTIES OF VEHICLE SIZE WERE EXPERIENCED OVER ANY SECTION OF THE ROUTE DURING THE TEST RUN,+ HE SAID,

HOWEVER, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT BEFORE A REGULAR SERVICE OF DOUBLE-DECK BUSES IS INTRODUCED ONTO THE ISLAND, OVERHANGING TREE BRANCHES HAVE TO BE TRIMMED AND THE FIRST SECTION OF THE ROAD WORKS BETWEEN CHEUNG SHA AND TONG FUK VILLAGE NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED, PROBABLY EARLY IN 1978.

+THE TEST RUN THEREFORE INDICATED THE LIKELY INTRODUCTION OF REGULAR DOUBLE-DECK SERVICES TO THE ISLAND INITIALLY BETWEEN MUI WO AND TONG FUK WHICH WILL PROVIDE SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED CARRYING CAPACITY FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO THE ISLAND TRAVELLING TO AND FROM PUI O, CHEUNG SHA AND TONG FUK, HE SAID.

+ULTIMATELY, IT IS INTENDED TO EXTEND THE DOUBLE-DECK OPERATION TO SHEK PIK AND TAI O ON COMPLETION OF THE FURTHER STAGES OF ROAD WORKS ON THE ISLAND.+

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT IT IS HOPED THAT BY A BETTER UTILIZATION OF THE EXISTING FLEET OF SINGLE-DECK BUSES USED AS INTERCHANGE FOR THE DOUBLE-DECK SERVICE, IMPROVED FACILITIES WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL AREAS OF THE ISLAND INCLUDING LOCAL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TRAVELLING TO THE NGONG PING MONASTERY.

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