XN000022-1982-05-05 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1982

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FOR EXAMPLE, THE ECONOMY WOULD BE HIT IF GOODS VEHICLES WHICH PLAY A CRUCIAL ECONOMIC ROLE - WERE UNABLE TO MOVE EFFICIENTLY, AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WOULD BE AS OBSTRUCTED IN MOVING TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS AS THE FRUSTRATED POPULATION ITSELF.

ALREADY, DELAYS TO FIRE APPLIANCES BECAUSE OF CONGESTION WERE AT A SERIOUS LEVEL, WITH JUST OVER 10 PER CENT OF THE CALLS IN HONG KONG AND KOWLOON IN THE FIRST QUARTER THIS YEAR SUFFERING HOLDUPS. DELAYS TO AMBULANCES OCCURRED AT AN EVEN HIGHER FREQUENCY,

MR SCOTT WENT ON TO OUTLINE PRESENT MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO REDUCE CONGESTION. THESE COVERED TRAFFIC CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT, THE DEVELOPMENT OF OFF-ROAD PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ON-ROAD PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS, AND PARKING FACILITIES AND CONTROLS.

ON PARKING FACILITIES AND CONTROLS, MR SCOTT EMPHASISED THAT AS MUCH PARKING SPACE AS POSSIBLE SHOULD BE PROVIDED, WITHOUT GENERATING MORE TRAFFIC THAN THE LOCAL ROAD NETWORK CAN CARRY WITHOUT WORSENING CONGESTION.

+THERE IS NO QUESTION OF USING THIS PROVISION, OR RATHER THE DELIBERATE LACK OF PROVISION, OF CAR PARKING AS A RESTRAINT ON CAR USAGE IN BUSY AREAS.

+A PROGRAMME OF CAR PARKING DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY IS ABOUT TO BE PUT TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL, AND I CAN ASSURE MEMBERS THAT TAKE THIS ASPECT OF TRANSPORT POLICY PARTICULARLY SERIOUSLY, + HE SAID,

REFERRING TO TRAFFIC CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES, HE SAID FINANCIAL APPROVAL WAS BEING SOUGHT TO EXTEND THE SOPHISTICATED AREA TRAFFIC CONTROL SCHEME IN WEST KOWLOON TO EAST KOWLOON AND ALSO TO INTRODUCE IT ON HONG KONG ISLAND.

THE SCHEME, WHICH SYNCHRONISES TRAFFIC SIGNALS BY COMPUTER, HAD REDUCED JOURNEY TIMES AND INCREASED VEHICLE SPEEDS IN WEST KOWLOON BY AS MUCH AS ONE-THIRD.

HOWEVER, AREA TRAFFIC CONTROL COULD ONLY IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW, SAID MR SCOTT. +IT CANNOT OPERATE IF CONGESTION IS ALREADY SO SEVERE THAT TRAFFIC CANNOT BE SHIFTED AROUND WITHIN THE ROAD SYSTEM CONCERNED.+

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES, INCLUDING THE MONITORED PHASING OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT KEY JUNCTIONS, PROHIBITION OF RIGHT-HAND TURNS, ONE-WAY TRAFFIC, URBAN CLEARWAYS, AND PROHIBITION OF STOPPING DURING PEAK HOURS, WERE ALREADY

EXTENSIVELY USED AND WOULD BE EXTENDED WHEREVER POSSIBLE, HE ADDED.

FIFTY-TWO LOCATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED IN 1981 FOR PRIORITY

SCHEMES, WHICH FAVOUR PUBLIC TRANSPORT OVER PRIVATE VEHICLES, AND THESE WERE BEING EXAMINED, SAID MR SCOTT.

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