XN000022-1982-01-21 — Page 8

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1982

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PLANS FOR MORE PEDESTRIAN WALKS

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ON THE AGENDA OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S MONTHLY MEETING TODAY WERE A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS TO HELP PEDESTRIANS WALK IN GREATER SAFETY. THESE INCLUDED PLANS TO BUILD FOOTBRIDGES ACROSS KING'S ROAD AS PART OF A PUBLIC TRANSPORT PRIORITY SCHEME WHICH THE COMMITTEE SCRUTINISED TODAY.

IN ADDITION, THE TAC HAD EXAMINED POSSIBLE MEASURES TO REDUCE CONGESTION APPROACHING AND THROUGH THE CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL. THE COMMITTEE CONCLUDED THAT, ON TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT GROUNDS, THERE WAS A CASE FOR AN INCREASE IN TUNNEL TOLLS EXCEPT FOR PUBLIC BUSES AND GOODS VEHICLES, PROVIDED THAT THE EXTRA REVENUE ACCRUING WENT INTO A DEVELOPMENT FUND TOWARDS THE COST OF NEW CROSS-HARBOUR TRANSPORT PROJECTS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT, AND THAT STRICT MEASURES WERE IMPOSED TO LIMIT ANY EXTRA REVENUE TO THE COMPANY.

THE ADVICE OF TAC WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AND DECISION.

IN A REPORT PREPARED FOR THE COMMITTEE, THE ROAD SAFETY DIVISION OF THE PWD HIGHWAYS OFFICE IDENTIFIED SOME 250 PROBLEM SPOTS IN THE TERRITORY WHICH HAD A BAD RECORD OF ACCIDENTS INVOLVING PEDESTRIANS.

A REVIEW OF PEDESTRIAN BLACK SPOTS IS CARRIED OUT EVERY YEAR AND THE COMMITTEE CHECKS ON THE ACTION PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE THE HAZARDS, IN MOST CASES BY INSTALLING PROPER CROSSINGS OR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS SYSTEM.

MEMBERS ALSO LOOKED INTO PROPOSALS TO BUILD TEN PEDESTRIAN FOOTBRIDGES AT BUSY TRAFFIC JUNCTIONS ALONG THE KING'S ROAD-SHAU KEI WAN ROAD CORRIDOR.

THESE ARE AT KING'S ROAD'S JUNCTIONS WITH LAU SIN STREET, FUK YUEN STREET, NORTH POINT ROAD, TIN CHIU STREET, JAVA ROAD, HOT TAI STREET, PAN HOI STREET, QUARRY BAY STREET, YAU MAN STREET AND TAI KOO SHING ROAD.

THE FOOTBRIDGES ARE PROGRAMMED FOR COMPLETION BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR AND ARE ONE OF THE MEASURES APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE BY THE COMMITTEE TODAY TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IN THE EASTERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND.

THE MAIN FEATURE OF THIS SCHEME IS A TRAFFIC GYRATORY SYSTEM USING ELECTRIC ROAD AND JAVA ROAD ENTIRELY FOR EASTBOUND, AND KING'S ROAD FOR WESTBOUND TRAFFIC EXCEPT ONE RESERVED LANE FOR BUSES, TRAMS AND VEHICLES REQUIRING ACCESS TO PREMISES.

TRAFFIC SIGNALS ALONG THE WHOLE ROUTE WILL BE REVAMPED AND THE ENTIRE SYSTEM COULD POSSIBL BE INTRODUCED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.