XN000022-1980-04-11 — Page 2

FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1980

HK TRANSPORT DELEGATION HAS USEFUL DISCUSSIONS IN GUANGZHOU

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A DELEGATION OF SEVEN LED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORT, MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT PAID A VISIT TO GUANGZHOU FROM APRIL 8 TO APRIL 10 AT THE INVITATION OF THE GUANGDONG TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES.

THE DELEGATION HAD VERY USEFUL AND INFORMATIVE DISCUSSIONS.

THE OFFICIALS IN GUANGZHOU DESCRIBED THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT CONDITIONS IN GUANGZHOU AND EXPLAINED THEIR DRIVER LICENSING AND VEHICLE REGULATIONS. THE HONG KONG DELEGATION SIMILARLY EXPLAINED THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG.

MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) BOTH SIDES AGREED TO CO-OPERATE IN ALL ASPECTS OF ANTICIPATED INCREASED COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC BETWEEN HONG KONG AND GUANGDONG.

+ON THE GUANGDONG SIDE THE AUTHORITIES EXPLAINED THEIR PLANS TO WIDEN AND UPGRADE THE EXISTING ROUTE BETWEEN GUANGZHOU AND SHENZHEN,+ SAID MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT.

THE PROJECT WOULD INCLUDE BRIDGES TO REPLACE THE TWO PRESENT FERRY CROSSINGS WHICH HOLD UP TRAFFIC.

ON THE HONG KONG SIDE, MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID, THE CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION FACILITIES AT MAN KAM TO WERE BEING EXPANDED AND THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD WAS BEING IMPROVED.

HE SAID IT WAS EXPLAINED TO THE GUANGZHOU AUTHORITIES THAT PHYSICAL RESTRAINTS AND THE PRESENT LIMITATION ON THE HOURS OF USE WERE FACTORS LIMITING THE POSSIBILITIES OF A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE TRAFFIC AT THE MAN KAM TO CROSSING.

+THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ADDITIONAL ROAD LINK AT LOK MA CHAU WAS DISCUSSED BRIEFLY, BUT IT WAS AGREED THAT IT WAS TOO EARLY TO DECIDE WHETHER ANOTHER ROAD CROSSING WAS NECESSARY AND WHERE ONE MIGHT BE, MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID,

BOTH SIDES EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THE EXISTING LICENSING REGULATIONS.

MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID: +WE AGREED TO CO-OPERATE IN MAINTAINING STANDARDS OF SAFETY TO WHICH BOTH SIDES ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE.

THE GUANGZHOU AUTHORITIES RAISED THE QUESTION OF SIZE, WEIGHT AND SAFETY OF THE LARGE CONTAINER TRUCKS NOW PLYING BETWEEN HONG KONG AND GUANGZHOU, AND IT WAS AGREED THAT THE REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE GIVEN CLOSE ATTENTION BY THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES.

WITH REGARD TO COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND PASSENGER BUSES TRAVELLING BETWEEN HONG KONG AND GUANGZHOU THE HONG KONG DELEGATION EXPLAINED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM IN DEALING WITH THESE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE EXISTING REGULATIONS.

WITH LIMITED