XN000022-1981-04-24 — Page 7

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 1981

NIGHT SUBWAY WORK APPROVED

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AN APPLICATION FOR WORKS TO BE CARRIED OUT OUTSIDE THE PERMITTED HOURS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SUBWAY AT SURREY LANE IN KOWLOON HAS BEEN GRANTED BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL.

THE SUBWAY FORMS PART OF THE OVERALL MODERNISATION AND

ELECTR IF ICATION OF THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY,

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SAID THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID DISRUPTION TO THE DAILY RAIL SERVICE, IT WOULD PE NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE WORK AT NIGHT WHEN THE RAILWAY IS CLOSED.

HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT THE EQUIPMENT TO BE USED WOULD BE A ECRING MACHINE AND NO NOISY PERCUSSIVE PILING EQUIPMENT WOULD BE LID.

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT DISTURBANCE TO THE PUBLIC WOULD AT A MINIMUM, AS THE CONSTRACTOR WOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE AL REASONABLY PRACTICABLE NOISE REDUCTION MEASURES.

THE WORK WILL LAST ONLY ABOUT THREE WEEKS.

NGAU TAU KOK AMBULANCE DEPOT OPENED

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S NEWEST AMBULANCE DEPOT IN NGAU TAU KOK WAS OPENED TODAY BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, DR THE HON HARRY FANG.

HE SAID THE OPENING OF THE DEPOT MARKED A FURTHER STEP IN GOVERNMENT'S PROVISION OF A MODERN AND EFFICIENT AMBULANCE SERVICE FOR THE PUBLIC OF HONG KONG,

BUILT AND EQUIPPED AT A COST OF $5 MILLION, THE DEPOT IS THE LARGEST OF A TOTAL OF 13.

THE AMBULANCE COMMAND HAS MORE THAN 1 200 PEOPLE AND A FLEET OF OVER 150 VEHICLES.

DR FANG SAID THE NGAU TAU KOK DEPOT WILL PROVIDE MUCH-NEEDED ACCOMMODATION FOR AMBULANCE PERSONNEL SERVING THE BUSY KOWLOON

AREA.

+DURING 1980, AMBULANCES OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO 228 134 CALLS AN AVERAGE OF 525 CALLS PER DAY - REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 10.6 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR,+ HE SAID.

+WITH AN EVER-INCREASING URBAN POPULATION AND TRAFFIC DENSITY GROWTH, IT SEEMS CERTAIN THAT THIS DEMAND BY THE PUBLIC FOR AMBULANCE AID WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE, HE ADDED,

ALSO PRESENT AT THE OPENING OF THE DEPOT WERE THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES MR FREDERICK WATSON AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICERS.

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