XN000022-1982-06-09 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1982

TRANSPORT RESOURCES A MATTER OF PRIORITIES

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THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR ALAN SCOTT, IN REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS THAT NOT ENOUGH WAS ACHIEVED IN THE TRANSPORT FIELD, SAID TODAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE THE FIRST TO AGREE THAT MORE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE, BUT POINTED OUT THAT PRIORITIES WOULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED IF IT HAD DONE SO.

+THE TOP PRIORITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE LATTER PART OF THE 1970'S, WAS GIVEN TO HOUSING. THE REASON FOR THAT WAS OBVIOUS, AND STILL IS OBVIOUS.

+THE CLAIM FOR A BIGGER SHARE OF RESOURCES TO BE ALLOCATED TO TRANSPORT WAS PUT FORWARD AND ARGUED THOROUGHLY IN THE ANNUAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OF PREPARING THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, ALONG WITH THE CLAIMS OF OTHER PROGRAMMES.

+THE RESULT WAS A DELIBERATE ORDERING OF PRIORITIES BETWEEN HOUSING, EDUCATION, MEDICAL, SOCIAL WELFARE, WATER COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT, AND SO ON.

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+AND IN THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION WHICH FOLLOWED THE BUDGETS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEARS 1975/79, I DO NOT REMEMBER ANY SUGGESTION THAT THE BALANCE OF PRIORITIES SHOULD BE ALTERED IN FAVOUR OF TRANSPORT, OR ANY EXPRESSION OF CONCERN OVER THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE RELATIVE PRIORITY ACCORDED TO TRANSPORT, + MR SCOTT SAID.

IN A LUNCH TALK TO THE PO LEUNG KUK TODAY, MR SCOTT SAID HE DID NOT THINK MANY PEOPLE HAD MUCH PATIENCE WITH THOSE WHO CLAMOUR FOR COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO BE DIVERTED INTO MASSIVE ROAD CONSTRUCTION SCHEMES TO PROVIDE FOR UNRESTRICTED GROWTH AND MOVEMENT OF PRIVATE VEHICLES,

+THEY KNOW PERFECTLY WELL, OR WOULD IF THEY STOPPED TO THINK, THAT IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD A ROAD SYSTEM IN HONG KONG'S GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC CIRCUMSTANCES SUFFICIENT TO ENABLE UNRESTRAINED GROWTH AND MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES- AND THAT EVEN IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, IT WOULD PRE-EMPT OTHER VITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES SUCH AS HOUSING, EDUCATION AND MEDICAL- AND FURTHER, THAT TO PUT SUCH ADDITIONAL DEMANDS ON THE LABOUR FORCE AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WOULD HAVE VERY SEVERE INFLATIONARY EFFECTS,+ HE SAID.

NEVERTHELESS, MR SCOTT POINTED OUT THAT IN THE SIX YEARS FROM 1976-82, $3.6 BILLION WERE SPENT ON ROAD PROJECTS, $9.7 BILLION SPENT ON THE MTR, AND $1.5 BILLION ON THE KCR.

THE BUDGET FOR 1982/83 PROVIDES FOR $1.2 BILLION TO BE SPENT ON ROADWORKS, AND FOR $730 MILLION MORE ON THE MODERNISATION PROGRAMME OF THE KCR. THE MTR WILL CONTINUE ITS DEVELOPMENT TO THE TUNE OF $1.8 BILLION OF EXPENDITURE TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ISLAND LINE.

/THESE