XN000022-1980-12-31 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1980

RECORD AMOUNT SPENT ON PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTS

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AWARDED A TOTAL OF 60 CONTRACTS VALUED AT A RECORD TOTAL OF ABOUT $1 267 MILLION IN NOVEMBER.

ONE OF THE MAJOR CONTRACTS, WORTH ABOUT $485 MILLION, WAS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF STAGE ONE OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR.

THE HIGHWAY WILL BE A 2.3-KILOMETRE ELEVATED ROAD, MOSTLY OVER WATER ALONG THE NORTHERN SHORE OF HONG KONG ISLAND.

IT WILL START FROM VICTORIA PARK ROAD IN CAUSEWAY BAY AND END AT HEALTHY STREET WEST IN NORTH POINT.

ANOTHER MAJOR CONTRACT, WORTH ABOUT $122 MILLION, WAS FOR THE RECLAMATION AND SITE FORMATION WORK ON TSING YI ISLAND.

UNDER THIS CONTRACT, ABOUT 22 HECTARES OF LAND WILL BE FORMED FOR DEVELOPMENT.

THE WORK INCLUDES THE FORMATION OF LAND WEST OF TSING YI LAGOON AND THE RECLAMATION OF PART OF THE LAGOON AND TSING YI BAY.

ON COMPLETION, THE NEW LAND WILL BE USED FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, VILLAGE HOUSING, OPEN SPACE, AND GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTE AND COMMUNITY PURPOSES.

OF THE CONTRACTS AWARDED IN THE MONTH, 38 WERE ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CENTRAL TENDER BOARD AND THE OTHERS ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PWD TENDER BOARD.

HIGHER CAR TOWING FEES FROM FRIDAY

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MOTORISTS WHOSE VEHICLES ARE TOWED AWAY FOR HAVING PARKED ILLEGALLY OR FOR OBSTRUCTING OTHER VEHICLES UNNECESSARILY WILL, FROM FRIDAY (JANUARY 2), HAVE TO DIG DEEPER INTO THEIR POCKETS TO PAY THE CHARGES.

THE PRESENT TOWING CHARGE OF $80 WILL BE INCREASED TO $110 AND THE STORAGE CHARGE IN POLICE VEHICLE POUNDS WILL GO UP FROM $20 A DAY TO $35 A DAY. THIS DAILY STORAGE CHARGE WILL BE LEVIED FOR EACH DAY AFTER THE SECOND DAY THE VEHICLE REMAINS IN A POUND.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED TODAY THAT THE CHARGES WERE LAST REVISED IN 1974.

+THESE LATEST INCREASES HAVE BEEN NECESSITATED BY THE RISING COSTS OF PROVIDING THE TOWING AND STORAGE FACILITIES, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS NECESSARY TO TOW AWAY SOME VEHICLES TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND THE SAFETY OF ROAD-USERS.

+SUCH ENFORCEMENT ACTION WILL BECOME MORE NECESSARY AS THE VEHICLE FLEET CONTINUES TO GROW AND ROADS SECOME INCREASINGLY CONGESTED, HE SAID.

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