XN000022-1982-02-15 — Page 2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1982

HONG KONG AWARE OF TRANSPORT

AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS, GOVERNOR SAYS

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HONG KONG WAS ACUTELY CONSCIOUS OF ITS TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC DEFICIENCIES BUT THE SITUATION SHOULD IMPROVE DRAMATICALLY IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TOLD A GATHERING OF TRANSPORT EXPERTS THIS MORNING.

IN HIS SPEECH BEFORE DECLARING OPEN THE CONFERENCE ON +TRANSPORT INTO THE 80'S+, BEING HELD HERE BY THE UK DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND THE UK INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, SIR MURRAY SAID HONG KONG'S TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC WAS UNTIL RECENTLY +STILL RATHER BETTER IN COMPARISON WITH OTHER BIG CITIES, BUT TRAFFIC HAS TEMPORARILY OUTSTRIPPED CONSTRUCTION.

+WE CAN NOW ONLY CLAIM TO BE A LITTLE WORSE, HE SAID.

HONG KONG, MEANWHILE, LOOKED FORWARD TO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE DISTINGUISHED GATHERING OF EXPERTS FOR ADVICE WHICH WAS FREE, SIR MURRAY TOLD THEM.

HONG KONG TRANSPORT POLICY DIFFERED FROM THAT OF MOST WESTERN ECONOMIES IN TWO WAYS, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

+FIRST, FOR REASONS OF SPACE AND PASSENGER VOLUME, WE MUST ENCOURAGE THE USE OF PUBLIC RATHER THAN PRIVATE TRANSPORT- AND SECOND, IN LINE WITH OUR ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY, PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS IN THE HANDS OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AND, THOUGH UNDER A DEGREE OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL, IS EXPECTED TO OPERATE PROFITABLY WITHOUT SUBSIDY.

+THIS IT DOES, EVEN WITH FARES WHICH ARE GENERALLY ONLY ONE-THIRD OF THOSE IN LONDON, SIR MURRAY SAID.

THE GOVERNOR SAID HONG KONG WAS HONOURED TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE EXCITING CONFERENCE. HE WELCOMED THE VISITORS AND WISHED THEM A PLEASANT AND INTERESTING STAY HERE, AND THE CONFERENCE SUCCESS.

HONG KONG'S TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE

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HONG KONG'S TRAFFIC CONGESTION PROBLEMS ARE AT LEAST POTENTIALLY MORE ACUTE THAN OTHER LARGE CITIES BECAUSE OUR

POPULATION IS MORE CONCENTRATED AND DENSE AND BECAUSE THE INTERLAND IS LIMITED BOTH IN EXTENT AND IN TERRAIN, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR ALAN SCOTT TOLD A CONFERENCE OF TRANSPORT EXPERTS TODAY.

IN A PAPER ON HONG KONG'S TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE PRESENTED AT THE FIRST SESSION OF THE +TRANSPORT INTO THE BOS+ CONFERENCE AT THE REGENT HOTEL. MR SCOTT SAID FROM STUDIES COMMISSIONED TO EXAMINE THE PROBLEM, THERE EMERGED THREE OBJECTIVES, ALL EASY TO SET OUT, BUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS DIFFICULT TO CARRY OUT IN PRACTICE:

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