XN000022-1982-10-26 — Page 4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1982

TAC ENDORSES PROPOSALS ON ROAD SAFETY PROMOTION

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MEMBERS OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT THEIR MEETING TODAY (OCTOBER 26) ENDORSED PROPOSALS TO STEP UP ROAD SAFETY PROMOTION MEASURES AND AGREED THAT THE PRESENT TOLL CHARGES FOR THE ABERDEEN AND LION ROCK TUNNELS SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.

THE TAC IS CLOSELY INVOLVED WITH PROMOTION OF ROAD SAFETY IN HONG KONG. AMONG MEASURES CONSIDERED AND RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN THE COMPULSORY WEARING OF SEAT BELTS, THE USE OF REFLECTIVE NUMBER PLATES, AND A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN CONCENTRATING ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IN THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.

THESE MEASURES ARE PART OF A STRATEGY DRAWN UP BY THE STANDING CONFERENCE ON ROAD SAFETY TO TACKLE THE ROAD ACCIDENTS WITH A BROAD, CO-ORDINATED EFFORT.

THE STRATEGY REQUIRES CONCERNED GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO ASSESS ROAD SAFETY ASPECTS IN THEIR SPHERES OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND ENCOURAGES ASSOCIATIONS, SUCH AS THE MOTORING ORGANISATIONS, TO MAKE THE IR CONTRIBUTION.

THE STANDING CONFERENCE ON ROAD SAFETY WAS SET UP IN 1973 TO CO-ORDINATE THE EFFORTS OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND INTERESTED ORGANISATIONS IN THE PROMOTION OF ROAD SAFETY. AT TODAY'S MEETING, THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGREED TO RECOMMEND THAT IT BE RECONSTITUTED AS THE ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL, WITH MEMBERSHIP TO INCLUDE THE ROAD SAFETY ASSOCIATION, THE AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, THE INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED MOTORISTS AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMANDER, BRITISH FORCES. THESE BODIES AT PRESENT SEND OBSERVERS TO THE STANDING CONFERENCE.

THE ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL WILL BE CHAIRED BY THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT A SENIOR LEVEL TO REFLECT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ROAD SAFETY DIVISION IN MAY LAST YEAR HAS PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO SUPPORT THE COUNCIL.

ON THE CHARGES FOR THE ABERDEEN AND LION ROCK TUNNEL TOLLS, TAC MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO EXAMINE THE POSITION, AS THE CHARGES WERE DUE FOR REVIEW BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

ALTHOUGH THE TRAFFIC FLOW THROUGH ABERDEEN TUNNEL HAS BEEN BUILDING UP QUICKLY SINCE IT WAS OPENED TO SINGLE TUBE OPERATION (AND AT PEAK HOURS NOW REACHES 85 PER CENT OF CAPACITY), NO TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED, AS TWIN-TUBE OPERATION WILL BEGIN IN A FEW MONTHS' TIME. THE IMPROVEMENT IN TRAFFIC FLOW AT WONG NEI CHUNG GAP ROAD HAS BEEN EVIDENT.

UTILISATION OF THE LION ROCK TUNNEL HAS ALSO INCREASED BY 23 PER CENT TO 54 500 VEHICLES PER DAY SINCE THE LAST TIME THE TOLL CHARGES WERE REVIEWED IN JUNE 1981, BUT CAPACITY OF THE TWIN TUNNEL WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO COME.