XN000022-1980-01-10 — Page 10

LOUNDRAT,

VANUAR T IU,

1700

9

WAYS TO TACKLE TRANSPORT PROBLEM

*****

HONG KONG'S ROADS ARE CONGESTED TO A POINT WHERE IT IS A CASE OF THE AUTHORITIES +TRYING TO GET A QUART OUT OF A PINT POT.+

THIS COMMENT WAS MADE BY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, DR. RICHARD BUTLER, AT THE ROTARY (ISLAND SOUTH) CLUB TODAY (THURSDAY).

HOWEVER, DR. BUTLER FELT THERE WERE FIVE WAYS OF ATTACKING THE PROBLEM OF CONGESTION:

* BY DELIBERATELY RESTRAINING THE INCREASE IN THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC COMING ONTO THE ROAD SYSTEM-

*

AS MORE THAN 80 PER CENT OF THE PUBLIC MAKE USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER DEMANDS THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORT USERS SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY OVER PRIVATE TRANSPORT USERS-

* EVERY EFFORT MUST BE MADE FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT

OPERATORS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR SERVICES-

* AS FERRIES, PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES AND BUSES ARE FREED FROM THEIR PRESENT USE BY THE PUBLIC OPTING TO USE THE MTR, THEY MUST BE REDEPLOYED TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR MOVEMENT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE TERRITORY- AND

*

OFF-STREET SYSTEMS AVAILABLE, OR POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE, MUST BE EXPLOITED TO THE FULL.

ON THE FIRST POINT DR. BUTLER SAID: +IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT THE ADDITIONAL MOTOR VEHICLES WHOSE NUMBERS WE SHOULD PARTICULARLY AIM TO CONTROL ARE PRIVATE CARS WHICH ACCOUNT FOR TWO THIRDS OF OUR VEHICLE FLEET, FOR WHICH SUBSTITUTES ARE AVAILABLE, AND WHICH ARE PECULIARLY WASTEFUL IN THEIR USE OF SCARCE ROAD SPACE.+

DR. BUTLER STRESSED THAT HE WAS NOT ADVOCATING A REDUCTION IN THE PRESENT NUMBER OF REGISTERED PRIVATE CARS. RATHER, HE REFERRED TO A CURBING OF THE RATE OF INCREASE IN THE NUMBER.

+ IN FACT, I FORESEE AN INCREASE BUT AT A SMALLER RATE THAN AT PRESENT, HE SAID.

THE SECOND POINT

HE SAID, MEANT EARMARKING BUS-ONLY LANES, TRAM RESERVES AND EVEN PUBLIC-VEHICLE-ONLY ROADS WHERE APPROPRIATE.

+TO DOUBLE THE SPEED OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS TO DOUBLE ITS CAPACITY IN A GIVEN TIME FRAME, SAID DR. BUTLER.

+ IF WE CANNOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE ROAD SPACE FOR ALL, LET US AT LEAST PROVIDE IT FOR THE VAST MAJORITY WHOSE NEEDS IN RELATION TO THE IR NUMBERS ARE MODEST.+

ON THE FIFTH POINT, DR. BUTLER SAID: +WE SHOULD INTRODUCE MORE FERRY SERVICES, PARTICULARLY COASTAL SERVICES, SUCH AS SHAU KEI WAN/ CENTRAL DISTRICT.

+WE MUST PRESS ON WITH THE KCR MODERNISATION AND ELECTRIFICATION AND WITH THE TUSEN WAN ESTENSION OF THE MTR PLANNED FOR 1982.+

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