XN000022-1982-06-02 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1982.

MOTOR VEHICLE RESTRAINTS APPROVED

AFTER LONG DEBATE

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THE CONTROVERSIAL BILLS AIMED AT STOPPING GROWING CONGESTION ON THE ROADS OF HONG KONG COMPLETED ITS PASSAGE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, DESPITE OPPOSITION FROM SEVERAL UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.

THE BILLS WERE THE MOTOR VEHICLES (FIRST REGISTRATION TAX) (AMENDMENT) BILL, THE ROAD TRAFFIC (REGISTRATION AND LICENSING OF VEHICLES REGULATIONS) (AMENDMENT) BILL AND THE DUT IABLE COMMODITIES (AMENDMENT OF DUTY OF LIGHT OILS) BILL.

SIXTEEN UNOFFICIALS SPOKE ON THE BILLS DURING THEIR SECOND READING DEBATE - TEN IN SUPPORT, SOME OF THEM WITH RESERVATIONS, AND SIX AGAINST.

LEADING THE DEBATE WAS THE HON LYDIA DUNN, CONVENOR OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUP WHICH EXAMINED THE BILLS.

MISS DUNN, SUPPORTING THE BILLS, AGREED THAT THE PROBLEM OF CONGESTION COULD NOT BE SOLVED BY ROAD-BUILDING AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMMES AND THE INTRODUCTION OF MORE SOPHISTICATED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ALONE.

SHE NOTED THE REASONING BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO INVOKE, IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, THE PRICE MECHANISM AS AN ANTI-CONGESTION WEAPON.

+1 WOULD ADD THAT I DO NOT THINK IT IS VERY HELPFUL FOR CRITICS TO DISMISS THIS WEAPON ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT IS FISCALLY INEQUITABLE- IT IS, BUT ONE CANNOT IGNORE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOCIAL BENEFITS THAT WILL FLOW FROM A SPEEDING UP OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT MOVEMENTS, SHE SAID.

HOWEVER, MISS DUNN QUESTIONED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT ALSO IMPOSE SOME FORM OF DIRECT LIMITATION ON NUMBERS AND ON USAGE.

REFERRING TO THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT'S REMARKS THAT 'T IS CONSIDERED UNDESIRABLE TO DENY ASPIRATIONS OF OWNERSHIP COMPLETELY, AND GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS, THEREFORE, THAT OTHER MEASURES SHOULD BE TESTED BEFORE DIRECT RESTRAINT ON OWNERSHIP IS RESORTED TO, MISS DUNN SAID THIS STATEMENT TYP IF IES AN ATTITUDE OF MIND WHICH PREVAILS IN THE GOVERNMENT ON TRANSPORT MATTERS, THAT IS TO SAY, A RELUCTANCE TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM LEADING TO A RETREAT INTO PIECEMEAL AND HALF MEASURES..

+SUCH AN ATTITUDE OF MIND HAS BEEN AT LEAST, IN PART, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE OF THE ROADS TODAY.

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