XN000022-1980-01-30 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1980

SPECIAL TRAINING FOR CYCLISTS NOT ADVISABLE

******

THE GOVERNMENT'S STANDING CONFERENCE ON ROAD SAFETY HAS ADVISED THAT, GIVEN THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE URBAN AREAS AND THE DANGERS THAT EXIST EVEN FOR EXPERIENCED CYCLISTS ON MANY OF OUR ROADS, PROVIDING SPECIAL TRAINING FOR CYCLISTS WOULD ENCOURAGE MORE OF THEM TO TAKE TO THE ROADS AND THUS PUT THEMSELVES TO RISK.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ANDREW SO.

MR JONES SAID HOWEVER THAT POLICE ROAD SAFETY OFFICERS DID VISIT SCHOOLS REGULARLY TO LECTURE ON ROAD SAFETY, PARTICULARLY AS REGARDS PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS. DURING 1979 OVER 2 000 SCHOOLS WERE VISITED AND 200 000 CHILDREN WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTION IN THIS WAY.

+AS REGARDS RECREATIONAL AREAS, POLICE ROAD SAFETY TEAMS PAY REGULAR VISITS TO THE MAIN AREAS WHERE BICYCLING IS PRACTISED, SUCH AS SAI KUNG, AND GIVE ADVICE TO CYCLISTS ON HOW TO HANDLE THEIR MACHINES IN A SAFE MANNER, HE ADDED.

HE SAID IT WAS NOTEWORTHY THAT TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS INVOLVING CYCLISTS HAD FALLEN STEADILY IN RECENT YEARS FROM 6.5 PER CENT OF ALL TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN 1975 TO LESS THAN FOUR PER CENT IN 1979.

SUPERVISION AND INSPECTION OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

TO BE STRENGTHENED ******

THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON KENNETH TOPLEY SAYS HE INTENDS TO STRENGTHEN SUPERVISION AND INSPECTION OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION FROM THE HEADQUARTERS OF HIS DEPARTMENT WITH MORE STAFF AS THE NEED ARISES.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE REV THE HON JOYCE BENNETT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY HE SAID THREE ADDITIONAL POSTS IN THE FIELD OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE HEADQUARTERS WERE BEING SOUGHT IN 1980/81 AND THREE MORE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

AT PRESENT THERE ARE 20 TECHNICAL EDUCATIONAL SPECIALISTS WORKING AT THE DEPARTMENT'S HEADQUARTERS, 12 IN THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION DIVISION AND EIGHT IN THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE COVER ING TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, TECHNICAL SCHOOLS, PRE-VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE HANDICAPPED.

MR TOPLEY SAID THESE HEADQUARTERS STAFF WERE IN ADDITION TO THOSE WORKING IN THE FIELD AT THE TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE, THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, THE TECHNICAL SCHOOLS AND PRE-VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS WHO VALUABLY SERVE TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

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