XN000022-1979-11-14 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1979.

HOWEVER, MR. JONES WARNED THAT IF THE MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS IN BUS SERVICES WERE TO BE INTRODUCED, SOME INCREASES IN BUS FARES WOULD BE INEVITABLE. BUT HE WAS SURE THAT THE PUBLIC WILL ACCEPT THIS PROVIDED THAT THEY OBTAIN A BETTER AND MORE RELIABLE SERVICE.+

MR. JONES ALSO NOTED THAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC SITUATION ALONG THE NORTH SHORE OF HONG KONG ISLAND.

+HERE THERE IS NO EASY PANACEA FOR IMPROVEMENT. WE MUST WORK WITHIN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS MUST TAKE TIME, HE SAID.

IN THE SHORT TERM, MR. JONES SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAD SET UP AN ACTION GROUP TO RECOMMEND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND OTHER MEASURES TO BRING SOME RELIEF.

IN THE MEDIUM TERM, THE FEASIBILITY OF A LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM TO REPLACE THE TRAMS HAD BEEN CONSIDERED AND THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE PUT FORWARD FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, HE SAID.

+THEREAFTER, THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR_ROAD WILL BE ANOTHER EXPENSIVE NECESSITY AND FURTHER ROAD WORKS ARE ALSO BEING PLANNED,+ HE SAID.

+ALL THIS AND MORE IS BEING TIED TOGETHER IN AN ISLAND CORRIDOR STRATEGY WHICH WILL BE KEPT UNDER CONTINUOUS REVIEW,+ HE ADDED.

REPLYING TO THE HON. LI FOOK-WO'S COMMENT ON LAND PRODUCTION, JONES SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS DOING THE NECESSARY PLANNING NOW BOTH TO SUSTAIN AND TO INCREASE ITS LAND PRODUCTION PROGRAMMES.

MR.

+THIS WILL NOW NEED TO BE ENCOMPASSED IN FLEXIBLE LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLANNING TO LINK TOGETHER, NOT ONLY THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF LAND PRODUCTION, BUT ALSO THE POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, COMMUNICATIONS AND SERVICES WHICH WILL GO WITH IT TO PRODUCE THE MAXIMUM ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFIT WITHIN THE LIMITS OF OUR RESOURCES, HE SAID.

MR. JONES SAID A NEW STRATEGIC PLANNING UNIT WOULD SHORTLY BE SET UP IN THE LANDS DIVISION OF THE ENVIRONMENT BRANCH TO LOOK AFTER THIS ASPECT OF THE WORKS.

HE ALSO ASSURED MR. LI THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR OPPORTUNITIES OF SELLING UNFORMED LAND TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR DEVELOPMENT.

+THERE ARE TWO PRIVATE HOUSING ESTATES IN SHA TIN WHICH WERE DEVELOPED BY THIS METHOD, MR. JONES SAID.

*THE GREATER PART OF THE LAND IN SOUTH AND WEST TSING YI HAS ALSO BEEN FORMED BY THE OWNERS OF THE LOTS. AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE WE EXPECT TO LET EARLY NEXT YEAR A TENDER FOR A RECLAMATION ON AP LEI CHAU FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, HE ADDED.

/MR. JONES