WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1982
23
GOVERNMENT REPLIES TO HKAA PETITION
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A REPLY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE HONG KONG AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION ON ITS PETITION WHICH MADE CERTAIN CLAIMS REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL ORDINANCE UNDER WHICH THE PETITION WAS SUBMITTED, THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL COMPANY WAS ENTITLED TO SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL ITS
REPRESENTATIONS IN WRITING IN RESPONSE TO THE VARIOUS POINTS RAISED IN THE PETITION.
THE POINTS WERE ALSO INVESTIGATED THROUGH A FORMAL SITE VISIT BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMPANY AND CONSULTATIONS WITH VARIOUS GOVERNMENT
DEPARTMENTS.
AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF ALL THE FACTS, THE GOVERNOR- IN-COUNCIL WAS NOT PERSUADED THAT THE COMPANY HAD FAILED OR WAS FAILING TO PROVIDE OR MAINTAIN ADEQUATE, EFFICIENT OR SAFE FACILITIES FOR THE PASSAGE OF MOTOR VEHICLES THROUGH THE TUNNEL.
ON THIS BASIS, THEREFORE, THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL DID NOT ACCEPT THE SUGGESTION IN THE PETITION THAT THE TUNNEL SHOULD BE TAKEN OVER AND RUN BY THE GOVERNMENT.
ONE OF THE CLAIMS IN THE PETITION WAS THAT NO ATTEMPT HAD BEEN MADE TO DEAL WITH CONGESTION CAUSED BY THE NORTH POINT EXIT ON HONG KONG ISLAND.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THIS WAS A MATTER FOR THE GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN THE COMPANY. HE COMMENTED THAT WORK ON AN ADDITIONAL SLIP ROAD, WHICH HAD BEEN PLANNED SOME TIME AGO, WOULD BEGIN SHORTLY AND THE PROJECT WOULD BE COMPLETED IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
+THE NEW ROAD WILL CARRY TRAFFIC FOR NORTH POINT ONTO THE OFF SIDE LANE OF VICTORIA PARK ROAD, LEAVING THE EXISTING SL IP ROAD FOR TRAFFIC TO CAUSEWAY BAY. TRAFFIC MOVEMENT WILL BE SIMPLIFIED AND IT SHOULD INCREASE CAPACITY ON GLOUCESTER ROAD BY 20 PER CENT, HE EXPLAINED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS HAD REGULAR CONTACT WITH THE COMPANY ON WAYS TO IMPROVE THE OPERATION OF THE TUNNEL AND THERE WOULD BE NO LET-UP IN THE EFFORT TO ENSURE OPTIMUM UTILISATION IN THE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES OF CONTINUING HIGH DEMAND.
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