XN000022-1980-08-18 — Page 3

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MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 1980

GO-AHEAD FOR NORTH POINT TRAFFIC SCHEME

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THE FIRST STAGE OF THE KING'S ROAD PUBLIC TRANSPORT PRIORITY SCHEME WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE, AND WORK ON THE OTHER TWO STAGES WILL GO AHEAD.

THIS WAS DECIDED AFTER A MEETING TODAY BETWEEN TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS, CHINA MOTOR BUS, POLICE, AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR NIGEL SHIPMAN SAID THAT SINCE PHASE ONE OF THE SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED LAST WEDNESDAY, THE INITIAL RESULTS DEMONSTRATED THE POTENTIAL WHEN THE FULL SCHEME WAS IN OPERATION, ALTHOUGH THEY HAD NOT BROUGHT AN IMMEDIATE GREAT IMPROVEMENT. IT WAS TOO EARLY TO MAKE A FULL EVALUATION.

+THERE HAVE BEEN TEETHING PROBLEMS WHICH WE PLAN TO DEAL WITH, + HE WENT ON. FOR EXAMPLE THERE HAS BEEN CONGESTION AT THE JUNCTION WITH TAI KOO SHING ROAD, THIS MAY BE IMPROVED BY INTRODUCING A RIGHT-TURN-FILTER TRAFFIC LIGHT ON THE WESTBOUND LANE AND POSSIBLY MORE GREEN LIGHT TIME IN SHAU KEI WAN ROAD.+

OTHER TRAFFIC ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE THE EXPANSION OF THE URBAN CLEARWAY TO PLUG GAPS IN THE BUS LANE WHICH PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES HAVE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF. PLB'S AND TAXIS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE THE RESERVE LANES.

+WE FEEL THERE IS ADEQUATE UTILISATION OF THE BUS LANES AS IT IS, SAID MR SHIPMAN. +WE ARE REASONABLY CONFIDENT THAT THE BENEFITS WILL INCREASE AS THE BUS LANES GET EXTENDED.+

+AT THE MOMENT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS IN THE FILTERING OF VEHICLES. BUT ONCE TRAFFIC HAS BEEN SORTED OUT INTO LANES, IT WILL MOVE REASONABLY SMOOTHLY. AS THE LANES ARE EXTENDED, THE BENEFITS SHOULD INCREASE.+

THE BIGGEST BENEFIT OF THE PHASE ONE STRETCH WAS GAINED BY RESIDENTS OF TAI KOO SHING. THEY COULD USE THE NEW AIR-CONDITIONED FERRY SERVICE TO CENTRAL AND THERE WERE SAVINGS OF UP TO 12 MINUTES ON THE ROUTE 21 BUS JOURNEY TO CENTRAL.

PHASE TWO OF THE SCHEME -- UP TO JAVA ROAD JUNCTION DUE TO COME INTO OPERATION ON OCTOBER 1.

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