XN000022-1980-12-17 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1980

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POLICE ACTION AGAINST POOR BUS DRIVING

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IN THE FIRST 11 MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, SUMMONSES WERE ISSUED IN RESPECT OF 30 FRANCHISED AND 11 PRIVATE BUSES FOR SPEEDING, AND OF SIX FRANCHISED AND TWO PRIVATE BUSES FOR DISOBEYING TRAFFIC SIGNALS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY.

NO BUS DRIVER WAS PROSECUTED FOR FAILING TO GIVE PRECEDENCE TO PEDESTRIANS AT ZEBRA CROSSINGS, MR DAVIES SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON OSWALD CHEUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THESE OFFENCES WERE MAINLY DEALT WITH BY MEANS OF FIXED PENALTY TICKETS BUT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO TELL FROM THE RECORDS HOW MANY OF THEM HAD INVOLVED BUSES, FRANCHISED OR OTHERWISE.

SUMMONSES ARE TAKEN OUT IN A RELATIVELY FEW CASES, SUCH AS WHEN A DRIVER FAILS TO PRODUCE HIS DRIVING LICENCE OR WHEN AN OFFENCE IS DISCLOSED AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT, HE SAID.

HE SAID A MORE MEANINGFUL ILLUSTRATION OF POLICE ACTION AGAINST POOR BUS DRIVING COULD BE GIVEN BY THE NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS FOR THE OFFENCES OF DANGEROUS DRIVING AND CARELESS DRIVING.

IN THE FIRST 11 MONTHS OF THIS YEAR THE NUMBERS WERE:

* FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING, 32 CASES INVOLVING FRANCHISED BUSES-

AND

* FOR CARELESS DRIVING, 634 CASES INVOLVING FRANCHISED BUSES

AND 42 CASES INVOLVING PRIVATE BUSES.

FERRY COMPANY CONCESSION ARRANGEMENTS EXTENDED A YEMİ

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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS EXTENDED THE EXISTING CONCESSIONS TO THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY AND TO THE 'STAR' FERRY COMPANY FOR A FURTHER YEAR TO DECEMBER 31, 1981.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES, IN MOVING THE AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW, EXPLAINED THAT NEGOTIATIONS ON NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR OPERATION OF FERRY SERVICES WERE TAKING LONGER THAN WAS EXPECTED.

+BECAUSE OF THIS IT IS NOT EXPECTED THAT THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE INTRODUCED BEFORE THE END OF 1981 AND IT IS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO EXTEND THE EXISTING PROVISIONS FOR A FURTHER YEAR,+ HE SAID.

UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS, WHICH MR JONES SAID WERE BOTH DETAILED AND COMPLICATED, THERE WOULD BE A NEW FERRY SERVICES BILL UNDER WHICH IT WAS INTENDED THAT FRANCHISES SHOULD BE GRANTED TO MAJOR FERRY OPERATORS, AND LICENCES TO MINOR OPERATORS.

THE AMENDMENTS PASSED TODAY HAD THE CONSENT OF BOTH FERRY COMPANIES.