XN000022-1978-06-21 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1978

HE ALSO FELT THAT MORE POLICE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO HELP TRAFFIC FLOW AND FOR HAWKER CONTROL.

REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS

THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. THE HON. DEREK JONES SAID HE PROPOSED TO RE-ACTIVATE THE CONTAINER TERMINAL FACILITIES COMMITTEE AND TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF ITS WORK,

TING

ON LOADING AND UNLOADING OF CONTAINERS ON PUBLIC ROADS MR. JONES SAID HE WILL BE LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF LIMITING THE HOURS IN WHICH THIS CAN TAKE PLACE SO AS TO AVOID PEAK TRAFFIC PERIODS.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT SUCH ACTIVITIES CANNOT BE BANNED OR SEVERELY RESTRICTED IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREAS WITHOUT PRODUCING SERIOUS ECONOMIC EFFECTS AND THAT EVEN IF CONTAINERS WERE FORCIBLY PREVENTED FROM LOADING IN THESE AREAS, OTHER GOODS VEHICLES WOULD BE LOADING IN THEIR PLACE AND THEY WOULD ALSO BE CREATING

CONGESTION.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT ALL NEW FACTORY BUILDINGS ARE NOW REQUIRED TO PROVIDE FACILITIES WITHIN THEIR LOTS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING SO THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE NEARLY AS SEVERE IN SHA TIN, TUEN MUN AND THE OTHER NEW TOWNSHIPS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

ON TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE CONTAINER PORT AREA IN KWAI CHUNG, MR. JONES SAID THE PROBLEM IS BEING TACKLED WITH THE POSTING OF TRAFFIC POLICE TO CONTROL THE QUEUE OF CONTAINER VEHICLES ALONG THE APPROACH ROAD TO THE PORT AREA AND TO KEEP IT FROM STRETCHING BACK TO OBSTRUCT KWAI CHUNG ROAD.

MR. JONES HAS ALSO ASKED RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO CONSIDER THE FEAS LBILITY OF DECLARING THE APPROACH ROAD AND THE IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING ROADS A +NO LOADING, NO UNLOADING, NO PARKING+ AREA, THUS FACILITATING ITS USE FOR THROUGH TRAFFIC.

CONSIDERATION IS ALSO BEING GIVEN TO ACQUIRING AT LEAST ONE TOWING TRACTOR TO TOW AWAY PARKED TRAILERS CAUSING AN OBSTRUCTION TO VEHICLE POUNDS. "THE OWNERS OF THESE TRAILERS WILL HAVE TO PAY A HEFTY FEE FOR THE SERVICE AND THIS WILL HELP TO FINANCE THE COST.

MR. JONES SAID HE HAS ALSO ASKED DEPARTMENTS TO CONSIDER CHANGES IN THE LAW SO THAT THE FIXED PENALTY (TRAFFIC CONTRAVENTIONS) ORDINANCE CAN BE MADE TO APPLY TO TRAILERS.

+ALTHOUGH I CERTAINLY CANNOT PROMISE THAT ALL THE PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED AND ALL DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME, I AM CONFIDENT THAT SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS CAN AND WILL BE MADE IN THOSE AREAS WHICH ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IMPROVEMENT,+ HE SAID.

17