XN000022-1979-01-24 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1979

STARTING TIMES OF RACE MEETINGS

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THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB ALREADY CO-OPERATES SATISFACTORILY WITH THE POLICE AND TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES ON STARTING TIMES OF RACE MEETINGS,

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. F.K. LI IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. T.S. LO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR. LI SAID THAT AS THE EXISTING PATTERN HAD NOT CAUSED ANY SERIOUS INCONVENIENCES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN TERMS OF TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS, IT WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY FOR GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER MR. LO'S SUGGESTION AT PRESENT - THAT RACES SHOULD NOT START UNTIL AT LEAST ONE AND A HALF HOUR AFTER THE HOUR AT WHICH OFFICES NORMALLY CLOSE FOR BUSINESS.

HOWEVER, MR. LI SAID THE SITUATION WOULD BE MONITORED CONTINUOUSLY,

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+SHOULD ADJUSTMENTS TO THE EXISTING PATTERN ARE REQUIRED, GOVERNMENT WOULD APPROACH THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB ACCORDINGLY, HE ADDED.

STEPS TO IMPROVE CAUSEWAY BAY TRAFFIC *****

THE FIRST STEPS TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN CAUSEWAY BAY WILL BE TAKEN IN MARCH, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. S.L. CHEN ON TURNING GREAT GEORGE STREET AND PATERSON STREET IN CAUSEWAY BAY INTO A PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, MR. JONES SAID A SMALL WORKING GROUP FROM THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE AND THE POLICE WAS ALREADY STUDYING WAYS OF IMPROVING TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN CAUSEWAY BAY AND THEY WOULD BE ASKED TO EXAMINE THIS PROPOSAL IN DETAIL.

+THE GROUP HAS SO FAR MADE A NUMBER OF SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE CIRCULATION OF BOTH VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS AND THE FIRST STEPS TO IMPLEMENT THESE WILL BE TAKEN IN MARCH THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

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