XN000022-1981-07-22 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1981

13

TRAMS ALREADY WELL LIT AT NIGHT'

****

THE IDEA OF TRAMS BEING FITTED WITH REAR AND BRAKING LIGHTS HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PAST BUT REJECTED FOR SEVERAL REASONS, THE SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON PETER WONG. DEALING WITH REAR LIGHTS, MR JONES SAID TRAMS WERE ALREADY WELL LIT AT NIGHT BY THEIR OWN INTERIOR LIGHTING AND THERE WAS NO REASON TO SUPPOSE THAT THE USE OF REAR LIGHTS WOULD MAKE THEM ANY MORE VISIELE.

ON THE QUESTION OF BRAKING LIGHTS, HE SAID THE MATTER HAD BEEN EXAMINED AS FAR BACK AS 1962 BY THE THEN TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH ADVISED AGAINST THE IR USE.

THE DECISION WAS THEN REVIEWED IN 1969 AND AGAIN IN 1975, WHEN QUESTIONS WERE ASKED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND WAS CONFIRMED ON BOTH OCCASIONS.

MR JONES SAID THE REASONS FOR THE EARLIER DECISION REMAINED VALID.

THEY WERE: FIRSTLY, THERE WOULD APPEAR TO BE NO BRAKING LIGHTS IN EXISTENCE WHICH COULD BE ADOPTED FOR USE WITH THE POWER SUPPLY AND BRAKING SYSTEMS OF HONG KONG'S PRESENT TRAMS AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO DESIGN SOMETHING WORKABLE FOR MANUFACTURE HERE- SECONDLY, THE SPEED OF OUR TRAMS WAS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO MAKE IT NECESSARY TO USE BRAKING LIGHTS AND THIRDLY, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT ANY ACCIDENTS INVOLVING TRAMS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THEY HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH BRAKING LIGHTS.

/14