XN000022-1982-04-14 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1982

BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, HE SAID, ABOUT 10 000 RENTAL FLATS WOULD HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO THE GENERAL HOUSING POOL BY FORMER TENANTS MOVING INTO HOME OWNERSHIP FLATS.

+WHEN PRODUCTION FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME INCREASES FROM 1984/85 ONWARDS, WE EXPECT AS MANY AS 5 000 FLATS TO BE RELEASED EVERY YEAR BY TENANTS BUYING THEIR OWN HOMES, + HE SAID.

MR LIAO SAID THAT THE 35 000 FLATS AND HOUSES COMPLETED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR DURING 1981/82 ALSO SET AN ALL-TIME RECORD. AS A CONSEQUENCE, HE SAID, IT WAS HARDLY SURPRISING THAT LAST DECEMBER 30 000 FLATS WERE STILL VACANT.

HOWEVER, HE WAS +CONFIDENT THAT THE LARGE UNSATISFIED DEMAND FOR HOUSING FROM ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY WILL LEAD TO A STEADY TAKE-UP OF VACANT FLATS, AND JUSTIFY THE CONTINUATION OF THE FASTEST POSSIBLE HOUSING PRODUCTION ON ALL AVAILABLE LAND. +

POLICY ON INTERNAL TRANSPORT IS TO MAINTAIN MOBILITY

*****

THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON INTERNAL TRANSPORT IS TO MAINTAIN MOBILITY, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, MR SCOTT SAID THERE ARE THREE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES: IMPROVEMENT OF THE ROAD SYSTEM, EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, AND MORE ECONOMIC USE OF THE ROAD SYSTEM.

ON THE FIRST OBJECTIVE, MR SCOTT SAID IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE MAIN ARTERIAL LINKS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY, PLANNED AND COMMENCED OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, ARE COMPLETED.

+PROJECTS SUCH AS THE SHA TIN-TAI PO ROAD, THE WIDENING OF THE NORTH WEST NEW TERRITORIES ROAD AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR, MUST BE PUSHED TO COMPLETION.

+THESE WILL BE SUPPORTED BY NETWORKS OF NEW AND IMPROVED ROADS SERVING BOTH THE NEW TOWNS AND THE OLDER URBAN AREAS.+

MR SCOTT SAID THIS PROGRAMME REQUIRED THE EXPENDITURE OF $1.2 BILLION IN 1981/82, AND A SIMILAR AMOUNT IS BUDGETED FOR 1982/83.

ON THE EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, HE SAID THIS INCLUDES THE HUGE PROJECTS OF CONSTRUCTING THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, AND OF REBUILDING THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY,

THE OBJECTIVE OF ECONOMIC USE OF THE ROAD SYSTEM, MR SCOTT SAID, MEANS GIVING PRIORITY IN GENERAL TERMS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT OVER PRIVATE TRANSPORT, AND TO MASS CARRIERS OVER PERSONAL VEHICLES.

/+SO FAR