XN000022-1979-01-24 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1979

NEW GRASS CUTTING ARRANGEMENTS

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GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO WHICH CROWN LAND HAS BEEN ALLOCATED ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING GRASS CUTTING, WHILE THE LAND AUTHORITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UNALLOCATED CROWN LAND, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS-JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON, FRANCIS TIEN, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID NEW ARRANGEMENTS HAD RECENTLY BEEN MADE TO CATER FOR CUTTING ROADSIDE GRASS, FOR WHICH THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WAS NOW RESPONSIBLE.

+MORE STAFF WILL BE NEEDED IF ROADSIDE GRASS IS TO BE CUT MORE REGULARLY THAN IN THE PAST, AND APPLICATION FOR THE NECESSARY FUNDS FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE MADE, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID.

+ IN THE INTER IM, TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY REDEPLOYING EXISTING RESOURCES,+ HE ADDED.

ONE OBVIOUS WAY TO CONTROL CYCLISTS

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ONE OBVIOUS METHOD OF CONTROLLING BICYCLES IS TO SEGREGATE THEM FROM OTHER TRAFFIC, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

BUT ALTHOUGH THIS COULD BE DONE IN SOME PARTS OF THE NEW TOWNS, PARTICULARLY IN SHA TIN, IT WAS NOT A PRACTICABLE PROPOSITION IN MOST OF THE URBAN AREA, MR. JONES SAID.

+A FACTOR TO BE BORNE IN MIND IS THAT BICYCLES ARE NOT VERY HEAVILY USED IN HONG KONG. CYCLISTS ACCOUNTED FOR LESS THAN FOUR PER CENT OF CASUALTIES FROM TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN 1978 AND THIS FIGURE HAS BEEN DROPPING IN RECENT YEARS, MR. JONES ADDED.

HE SAID SOME OF THE CREDIT FOR THIS MUST GO TO THE POLICE, WHO ARE CONTINUALLY SEEKING TO REDUCE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS INVOLVING CYCLISTS.

+FOR INSTANCE, THE POLICE ARE NOW ATTEMPTING TO ARRANGE TRAINING FOR CYCLISTS THROUGH THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE AND OTHER SIMILAR ORGANISATIONS, AND THROUGH EVENTS SUCH AS THE 'CYCLE SAFETY DAY WHICH WAS HELD IN VICTORIA PARK LAST SUNDAY, JANUARY 21.+

EARLIER, MR. JONES TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT BICYCLES, LIKE ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, ARE SUBJECT TO CONTROL UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE.

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