XN000022-1981-11-24 — Page 11

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1981

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BUS DEPOT SUB-GROUP HOLDS ITS LAST MEETING

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THE FINAL MEETING OF THE GROUP SET UP TO REVIEW THE EXISTING AND FUTURE PARKING AND MAINTENANCE FACILITIES OF KMB WAS HELD TODAY (TUESDAY).

THE GROUP HAD HELD SIX FORMAL MEETINGS AND A NUMBER OF VISITS TO KMB DEPOTS SINCE IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN JUNE.

MEMBERSHIP COMPRISES OFFICIALS FROM SEVERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM KMB, TAC MEMBERS, AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

AT TODAY'S MEETING, MEMBERS AGREED TO RECOMMEND THAT KMB PURSUE A PROGRAMME THAT WILL ULTIMATELY REMOVE ALL OVERNIGHT PARK ING OF BUSES FROM STREETS, AND WOULD PROVIDE PARKING ACCOMMODATION FOR THE WHOLE FLEET IN DEPOTS, AND IN CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE TERMINI.

AT PRESENT THE CAPACITY OF KMB'S EXISTING PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY DEPOTS IS SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE LESS THAN HALF THE TOTAL BUS FLEET. ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE FLEET IS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN TERMINI, AND THE REMAINDER ON STREETS AROUND THE EXISTING DEPOTS AT KWUN TONG, LAI CHI KOK, TUEN MUN AND SHA TIN.

THIS SITUATION WILL IMPROVE CONSIDERABLY IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WHEN TEMPORARY SITES AT CHA KWO LING, SHEK WU HUI AND YUEN LONG BECOME OPERATIONAL, BUT THE SUB-GROUP'S RECOMMENDATION WILL ENSURE THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE SUSTAINED SO THAT THE FLEET, WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO GROW TO 3 000 BUSES BY THE EARLY 1990'S IS PROPERLY ACCOMMODATED OFF-STREET, AND IS ACCESSIBLE FOR CLEARING AND MA INTENANCE.

THE EFFECTS ON KMB'S COSTS OF THE RECOMMENDED DEPOT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WILL BE RELATIVELY SMALL, AND SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE PROGRAMME PREVIOUSLY ENVISAGED, AS THE USE OF CERTAIN TERMINI FOR THE OVERNIGHT PARKING OF, EVENTUALLY, 1 000 BUSES HAS NOW BEEN RECOMMENDED.

PHONE DIRECTORY ON SALE

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THE SECOND ISSUE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TELEPHONE DIRECTORY FOR 1981, CONTAINING MORE THAN 15 000 LISTINGS, IS NOW ON SALE.

THE DIRECTORY, PRODUCED IN A NEW TYPOGRAPHIC STYLE, LISTS THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF THE STAFF IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER OFFICIAL BODIES.

THE PUBLICATION IS AVAILABLE AT $12 PER COPY FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GPO BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, MONG KONG.