XN000022-1977-07-12 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1977

PLB'S TO HAVE DESTINATION INDICATORS FITTED BY AUGUST 1

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REGULATIONS REQUIRING ALL PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES TO DISPLAY DESTINATION INDICATORS AND FARE CARDS WILL COME INTO FORCE ON AUGUST 1.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ADVISED PLB OWNERS AND OPERATORS TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW REQUIREMENTS OTHERWISE WHEN THE IR VEHICLES ARE PRESENTED FOR INSPECTION THEY WILL NOT BE RE-LICENSED.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE REGULATIONS, KNOWN AS THE ROAD TRAFFIC (PUBLIC OMNIBUS, PUBLIC LIGHT BUS AND PUBLIC CAR) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, WERE AMENDED IN NOVEMBER 1975 BUT WERE NOT BROUGHT INTO FORCE IMMEDIATELY IN ORDER TO GIVE PLB OPERATORS SUFFICIENT TIME TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW REQUIREMENTS.

+THEY NOW HAVE HAD MORE THAN SUFFICIENT TIME TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW REQUIREMENTS AND IF THEY PRESENT THEIR VEHICLES FOR

INSPECTION WITHOUT THE DESTINATION INDICATORS THEY WILL SIMPLY NOT BE RE-LICENSED,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE SAID THAT THE REGULATIONS PROVIDE GREATER SAFETY AND BETTER SAFEGUARD OF SERVICES FOR PEOPLE USING PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES AND ALSO PROTECT PLB DRIVERS AGAINST PASSENGERS NOT PAYING THE STIPULATED FARE.

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 AT NIGHT.

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 AT 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