XN000022-1982-06-02 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 196.

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THE HON T.S. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WAS THE LAST UNOFFICIAL MEMBER TO COMMENT ON THE BILLS.

HE SAID: +1 FULLY IF SADLY ACCEPT THAT WE NEED TO ADOPT MEASURES TO REDUCE THE GROWTH RATE OF PRIVATE CARS.

+I RECOGNISE THAT OTHER METHODS THAN THOSE PROPOSED MIGHT BE MORE POLITICALLY ACCEPTABLE SUCH AS THROUGH DIRECT RESTRAINT METHODS THEREBY GIVING EXISTING MOTORISTS AN ADVANTAGE OVER THE MOTORISTS OF TOMORROW. THIS WOULD OF COURSE ULTIMATELY CREATE A MARKET FOR LICENCES.

+ IN ANY EVENT, I WOULD ONLY SAY THIS, NO MATTER WHAT METHOD OF RESTRAINT WE USE, CAR OWNERSHIP WILL HENCEFORTH BE A LUXURY AND IT IS AN UNHAPPY NECESSITY FOR THOSE AFFECTED TO ADJUST TO THIS HARD FACT OF LIFE.

+ IT WOULD SEEM LESS UNFAIR TO THEM IF THE RESTRAINTS APPLY EQUALLY TO CIVIL SERVANTS AND ON THIS LAST POINT I WOULD WELCOME ANY SUGGESTION THAT THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT MAY HAVE TO REDUCE CAR USE BY THAT PRIVILEGED CLASS OF CIVIL SERVANTS WHOSE USE OF CARS IS AT PRESENT SUBJECTED TO NO FISCAL RESTRAINT.+

EARLIER, MR LO SAID IT WAS NOT SURPRISING THAT OUR ROADS WERE DANGEROUSLY OVER-CONGESTED.

WE HAVE SIMPLY NOT BEEN SPENDING ENOUGH ON THEM, HE SAID.

HE RECALLED THAT TWO YEARS AGO, HE DREW THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNCIL TO THE FACT THAT OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS FROM 1975 TO 1980 THE RELATIVE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON ROADS WAS HALVED.

EXPENDITURE ON ROADS WAS 17.8 PER CENT OF TOTAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE IN 1975 BUT THIS WAS STEADILY REDUCED UNTIL 1980 WHEN IT STOOD AT 8.2 PER CENT, HE NOTED.

+ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BUILT AN MTR AND HAVE MODIFIED THE KCR, THESE HAVE NOT HELPED THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS AROUND HONG KONG, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THE MOVING OF GOODS HAS BEEN INCREASED THIS HAS HAD TO BE ACCOMMODATED EXCLUSIVELY BY THE ROAD SYSTEM.+

MR LO ALSO SHARED FATHER MCGOVERN'S STRICTURE ON THE

BUREAUCRACY.

+ INDEED, HE POINTED OUT, IT WAS ONLY LAST YEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD, EN PASSANT, ACCEDED TO THE CONCEPT OF CREATING A TRANSPORT BRANCH, THUS GIVING RISE ULTIMATELY TO ITS ESTABLISHMENT AND DISTANT HOPE OF THE FOUNDING OF A COHESIVE TRANSPORT POLICY.

+THIS, I HOPE WILL MAKE BETTER USE OF THE SEA AND THROUGH PROPER PLANNING AS WELL AS INDUSTRIOUS ENFORCEMENT MEASURES, BETTER USE OF THE ROAD SYSTEM. +