XN000022-1981-08-28 — Page 10

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1981

TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WELCOMES KMB MOVE AGAINST OVERLOADING

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS WELCOMED A KOWLOON MOTOR BUS CO. LTD. MOVE TO EXPERIMENT WITH A WARNING DEVICE AIMED AT DETERRING PASSENGERS FROM BOARDING FULLY-LOADED BUSES.

THE DEVICE, LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE TO BUSES SERVING TWO OF KMB'S BUSIEST ROUTES, NO. 2 AND 38, MAKES A BUZZING SOUND WHEN THE LEGAL CARRYING CAPACITY HAS BEEN REACHED,

SIGNS WARNING PASSENGERS NOT TO BOARD THE BUS AFTER THE BUZZER HAS SOUNDED ARE ALSO DISPLAYED PROMINENTLY AT THE ENTRANCE TO VEHICLES,

+KMB IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR LAUNCHING THIS EXPERIMENT, WHICH IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF STEPS BEING TAKEN IN ANTICIPATION OF REDUCED PRESSURE ON HONG KONG'S OVERSTRETCHED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM, THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER/PUBLIC TRANSPORT, MR RICHARD MEAK IN, SAID TODAY.

+BUS CAPACITY IS RAPIDLY CATCHING UP WITH DEMAND DUE TO EXPANSION OF THE KMB FLEET. AND CONDITIONS WILL BE GREATLY IMPROVED BY THE OPENING OF THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION OF THE MASS TRANS IT RAILWAY AND THE MODERNISATION OF THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY.

+ALL THESE FACTORS WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE A MASSIVE INCREASE IN PASSENGER CAPACITY.+

MR MEAKIN SAID THE LONG-STANDING PROBLEM OF BUS OVERLOADING WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY UNACCEPTABLE, BOTH IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND PASSENGER COMFORT, AND IN VIEW OF MUCH IMPROVED SERVICES.

+ IT IS HOPED THAT COMMUTERS WILL CO-OPERATE TO HELP MAKE THE KMB EXPERIMENT A SUCCESS AND THAT BOTH COMPANIES WILL BE PROMPTED TO INSTALL FULLY-LOADED WARNING DEVICES ON ALL THEIR BUSES, HE SAID.

MR MEAK IN WARNED THAT CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO PROSECUTING PASSENGERS WHO BOARDED A FULLY-LOADED BUS.

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATIONS MAKE IT AN OFFENCE FOR PASSENGERS TO TRAVEL ON THE UPPER DECK OF A BUS UNLESS OCCUPYING A SEAT, AND TO ENTER THE VEHICLE WHEN REQUESTED NOT TO DO SO BY THE DRIVER ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT IS CARRYING ITS FULL COMPLEMENT OF PASSENGERS,

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