XN000022-1978-03-15 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1978

TRAFFIC LIGHTS OPERATIONAL DELAY EXPLAINED

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THERE HAS BEEN A DELAY IN THE ELECTRICAL CABLING WORKS FOR THE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT SCHEME IN KWUN TONG, DUE MAINLY TO THE INABILITY OF THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE DIVISION OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE TO KEEP UP WITH ITS VERY HEAVY PROGRAMME OF WORKS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE HON. DAVID MCDONALD, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.

THE REV. BENNETT HAD ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD STATE THE REASON FOR THE DELAY IN BRINGING INTO OPERATION THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT THE JUNCTION OF MUT WAH STREET AND HONG NING ROAD IN KWUN TONG WHICH WERE INSTALLED IN THE SUMMER OF 1977 BUT ONLY BROUGHT INTO USE LAST WEEK.

MR. MCDONALD SAID THAT THE LIGHT SIGNALS IN QUESTION FORMED ONLY A PART OF A GENERAL TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT SCHEME IN THE KWUN TONG AREA.

ALTHOUGH THE COMPARATIVELY SIMPLE TASK OF ERECTING SIGNAL POSTS AT THE HONG NING ROAD/MUT WAH STREET JUNCTION WAS EXECUTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AS PART OF THE CIVIL WORKS, HE SAID, THE ELECTRICAL CABLING WORKS FOR THE WHOLE SYSTEM AND THE INSTALLATION AND TESTING OF THE LIGHT CONTROLLER HAD STILL TO BE CARRIED OUT.

+ IT WAS IN THIS PHASE THAT A DELAY OCCURRED, DUE MAINLY TO THE INABILITY OF THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE DIVISION OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE TO KEEP UP WITH ITS VERY HEAVY PROGRAMME OF WORKS, HE ADDED.

HOWEVER, MR. MCDONALD SAID THAT A SUBMISSION TO ALLOW FOR STAFF INCREASES AND RE-ORGANISATION OF THIS PART

OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE WHICH HOPEFULLY WOULD BE APPROVED BY FINANCE COMMITTEE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

EILLS PASSED

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TWO DILLS WERE PASSED INTO LA. AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THEY ARE THE BUILDINGS (APENDENT) EILL 1978 AND THE INSURANCE COMPANIES (CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS) I ILL 1978.

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