XN000022-1978-01-25 — Page 12

11

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1978

ACCESS FACILITIES FOR DISABLED

*****

DROPPED KERBS HAVE ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED AT 20 PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS IN HENNESSY ROAD BETWEEN FENWICK STREET AND YEE WO STREET FOR THE USE OF DISABLED PEOPLE, THE HON. DAVID MCDONALD, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, SAID TODAY.

IN ADDITION, 28 MORE CROSSINGS ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED IN THE KWUN TONG AREA, HE SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR. THE HON. HARRY FANG AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING.

+ THE NEW KERB DETAILS ARE BEING INSTALLED IN THE TWO URBAN AREAS MENTIONED ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS, + MR. MCDONALD SAID.

+LATER THIS YEAR AN ASSESSMENT WILL BE MADE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE SYSTEM AND OF THE POSSIBLE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS SUCH AS THE PONDING OF RAINWATER IN THE FORMED AREAS.+

HE SAID IF THE STUDY INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO SERIOUS DISADVANTAGES IN THE SYSTEM, A PROGRAMME OF WORKS WOULD BE INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE DROPPED KERBS AT OTHER PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS,

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, MR. MCDONALD SAID THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE DISABLED AND HAD ADOPTED THE DESIGN STANDARDS LAID DOWN IN THE CODE OF PRACTICE RELATING TO ACCESS FOR THE DISABLED TO BUILDINGS FOR ALL NEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PROJECTS.

HE SAID THIS MEANT THE PROVISION OF EASIER-GOING STAIRWAYS, SHORTER STAIR-FLIGHTS, LONGER INTERMEDIATE LANDINGS AND FLATTER RAMP GRADIENTS. ESCALATORS WOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED IN SOME CASES.

MR. MCDONALD POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD NOT, HOWEVER, BE POSSIBLE TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THE RECOMMENDED STANDARDS IN EVERY NEW STRUCTURE DUE MAINLY TO THE LIMITED GROUND AREA AVAILABLE FOR LANDINGS.

+ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO PROPOSALS AT PRESENT TO RECONSTRUCT EXISTING FACILITIES TO BRING THEM INTO LINE WITH THE STANDARDS THEY ARE BEING EXAMINED TO DETERMINE WHETHER IMPROVEMENTS MIGHT BE MADE TO THEM IN THE FUTURE, HE ADDED.

'12