XN000022-1979-01-24 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1979

+I FEEL, THEREFORE, THAT, BEFORE TAKING ACTION OF THIS SORT, WE SHOULD FIRST AWAIT THE OUTCOME OF THE MONITORING WORK REFERŘED TO IN REPLYING TO THE LAST QUESTION IN ORDER TO SEE WHETHER THERE IS A PROBLEM,+ MR. JONES SAID.

HE ADDED THAT IF THIS WORK SHOWED THAT LEAD LEVELS IN THE ENVIRONMENT WERE UNACCEPTABLY HIGH A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE LINES OF ACTION WOULD BE OPEN.

+THIS COULD INCLUDE THE USE OF LOWER OCTANE PETROL THAN AT PRESENT. BUT IT COULD ALSO INCLUDE THE USE OF HIGHER OCTANE, LOW LEAD, PETROL WHICH WOULD BE RATHER MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE PETROL NOW IN USE.

I WOULD, HOWEVER, EXPECT TO CONSULT THE OIL COMPANIES, THE MOTORING ORGANISATIONS AND THE MOTOR TRADERS ASSOCIATION BEFORE DECIDING WHAT EXACTLY SHOULD BE DONE.+

MORE BUSES

NATURAL BRAKE ON PLB FARES

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THE AVAILABILITY OF SUFFICIENT FRANCHISED BUSES IN FUTURE WOULD ACT AS A NATURAL BRAKE ON THE FARES THAT COULD BE CHARGED BY THE PUBLIC LIGHT BUS OPERATORS, SAID THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, MR. DEREK JONES, IN TODAY'S (WEDNESDAY) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING.

MR. JONES WAS ANSWERING A QUESTION FROM THE HON. J.H. BREMRIDGE ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT AGREED THAT THE INSUFFICIENCIES OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE FARES QUOTED BY PUBLIC LIGHT BUS OPERATORS.

MR. JONES SAID HE WOULD AGREE WITH MR. BREMRIDGE IF HIS QUESTION MEANT THAT IF THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH FRANCHISED BUSES ON THE ROADS TO COPE WITH PEAK DEMANDS, THEN TO CONTROL PUBLIC LIGHT BUS FARES WOULD PRODUCE A SHORTAGE OF THAT FORM OF TRANSPORT AS WELL.

BUT HE ADDED THAT ONCE THERE WERE SUFFICIENT FRANCHISED BUSES AVAILABLE, THERE WOULD BE, IN ANY CASE, NO NEED TO CONTROL PUBLIC LIGHT BUS FARES FOR THE COMPETITION FROM BUSES WOULD ACT AS A NATURAL BRAKE ON THE FARES ABLE TO BE CHARGED.

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