XN000022-1978-06-21 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1978

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THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS THE EXTREME TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE CONTAINER PORT AREA ITSELF AND PARTICULARLY ALONG THE CARRIAGEWAY OFF. KWAI CHUNG ROAD WHICH PROVIDED THE ONLY ROAD ACCESS TO THE PORT.

THERE WERE THREE MAJOR REASONS FOR THIS CONGESTION:

* THE LONG QUEUE OF VEHICLES, AT TIMES EXTENDING 300 METRES, ALONG THE APPROACH ROAD WAITING FOR THEIR TURN TO ENTER THE INDIVIDUAL CONTAINER TERMINALS,

* THE PRACTICE OF SOME +SMART BUT SELFISH+ HAULAGE OPERATORS

TO ARRANGE FOR A PARTIALLY FILLED CONTAINER TO OCCUPY A SPACE IN THE QUEUE AND CONTINUE TO LOAD IT AS IT SLOWLY MOVED ALONG, AND

* THE USE OF PUBLIC ROADS NEAR THE TERMINAL BY MANY HAULAGE

OPERATORS TO STUFF AND DESTUFF CONTAINERS TO AVOID USING THE EXPENSIVE, PROPER TERMINAL FACILITIES.

THE THIRD PROBLEM RAISED BY SIR SZE-YUEN WAS THE GENERAL LACK OF PARKING FACILITIES FOR CONTAINER TRACTORS (PRIME MOVERS) AND CONTAINER TRAILERS (MOBILE CHASSIS).

AS FAR AS HE COULD GATHER, AT LEAST ONE OF THE THREE TERMINAL OPERATORS DID NOT PROVIDE A TRUCKING SERVICE AND THIS HAD LED TO THE PROLIFERATION OF SMALL HAULAGE OPERATORS.

MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THESE SMALL OPERATORS DID NOT HAVE PROPER PARKING FACILITIES. THEY THEREFORE USUALLY LEFT THEIR TRACTORS AND TRAILERS ON PUBLIC ROADS AND PAVEMENTS.

THE TRAFFIC POLICE HAD NO SUITABLE TOWING VEHICLES TO REMOVE THIS TYPE OF OBSTRUCTION AND WERE UNABLE TO ISSUE PARKING TICKETS, WHEN THE TRAILERS, WHICH HAD NO INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS, WERE DETACHED FROM THE TRACTORS.

SIR SZE-YUEN POINTED OUT THAT WITH THE COMPARATIVELY NARROW ROADS IN HONG KONG, THESE PROBLEMS COULD ONLY BECOME WORSE UNLESS A SOLUTION TO THEM WAS DEVISED QUICKLY.

THE VOLUME OF CONTAINERISATION LAST YEAR ACCOUNTED FOR ALMOST 60 PER CENT OF THE GENERAL CARGO IMPORTED INTO AND EXPORTED FROM HONG KONG AND WOULD NO DOUBT CONTINUE TO INCREASE.

+ IT IS THEREFORE IMPERATIVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD EXAMINE CRITICALLY THE PROBLEMS AND INTRODUCE MEASURES TO ERADICATE THEM WITHOUT DELAY.

+FURTHERMORE, IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT IMMEDIATE STEPS ARE TAKEN, IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN TAKEN, TO ENSURE THAT THE SITUATION I HAVE DESCRIBED IS NOT ALLOWED TO DEVELOP IN TUEN MUN, TSING YI, SHA TIN AND THE OTHER NEW TOWNSHIPS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE SAID.

/DRAWING ON