XN000022-1979-12-20 — Page 2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1979

PUBLIC TRANSPORT PRIORITY SCHEME FOR

KING'S ROAD UNDER CONSIDERATION ******

THE GOVERNMENT IS STUDYING IN DETAIL A PUBLIC TRANSPORT PRIORITY SCHEME IN THE HEAVILY CONGESTED KING'S ROAD WHICH WILL ALLOW PERMITTED TRAFFIC TO FLOW FREELY AND COMPLETE THEIR JOURNEYS IN GOOD TIME.

SPEAKING AT A MEETING OF THE EASTERN CITY DISTRICT COMMITTEE TODAY (THURSDAY), THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR. N.C.L. SHIPMAN SAID THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS SCHEME ON TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL PATTERNS AND THE TIMES OF DAY OF ITS APPLICATION ARE BEING STUDIED AND NO COMMITMENT HAS YET BEEN MADE.

ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS ARE ALSO STUDIED AND WOULD BE FAVOURED IF THEY CAN ACHIEVE SATISFACTORY PUBLIC TRANSPORT JOURNEY TIMES WITH LESS SEVERE RESTRAINTS ON THE PRIVATE MOTORISTS, HE SAID.

ESSENTIALLY, THE PROPOSED SCHEME WOULD PROVIDE A RESERVED BUS LANE OVER MOST OF THE EASTERN SECTION OF KING'S ROAD BETWEEN CHAI WAN AND THE KING'S ROAD/JAVA ROAD JUNCTION.

ACCESS TO KING'S ROAD WEST OF THIS JUNCTION WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO BUSES, TRAMS, PLBS AND GOODS VEHICLES. THE REMAINING TRAFFIC WOULD BE DIVERTED ONTO JAVA ROAD AND ELECTRIC ROAD. SUCH A SCHEME WOULD REMOVE 60 PER CENT OF TRAFFIC FROM KING'S ROAD.

MR. SHIPMAN SAID THE STUDIES ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED NEXT SPRING, AND ONCE FIRM PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA WILL BE ASKED THEIR OPINIONS ON THEM AND THEIR VIEWS WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE DECISIONS ARE TAKEN.+

HE BELIEVED THERE WAS A STRONG CASE FOR GIVING PRIORITY TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT VEHICLES IN HEAVILY CONGESTED AREAS SUCH AS KING'S ROAD.

+THE CHOICE BEFORE US IS WHETHER TO TOLERATE THE PRESENT MISERY FOR EVERYONE OR TO TAKE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, WHO ARE DEPENDENT ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT, ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR JOURNEY IN REASONABLE TIME AND COMFORT, + HE EXPLAINED.

BUSES, PLBS AND TRAMS ACCOUNT FOR A QUARTER OF THE VEHICLES BUT CARRY THREE-QUARTERS OF THE PEOPLE. SOME OF THE LARGE DOUBLE-DECKER METROBUSES NOW SERVING THE TAIKOO SHING TO CENTRAL ROUTE ARE DESIGNED TO CARRY UP TO 150 PASSENGERS WHEREAS THE AVERAGE CAR IS OCCUPIED BY LESS THAN TWO PERSONS.

FROM FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR THERE WILL BE 255 BUSES SCHEDULED TO OPERATE ALONG KING'S ROAD DURING THE PEAK HOUR, A FIGURE THAT IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY A RESERVED LANE, HE SAID.

/OTHER THAN