XN000022-1982-12-22 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1982

+DANGER SIGNALS+ RAISED ON PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES

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THE REV THE HON JOYCE M. BENNETT RAISED A NUMBER OF +DANGER SIGNALS+ CONCERNING PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES WHEN SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL WHICH WAS PASSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE AMENDMENT BILL PROPOSED TO DELETE THE PRESENT TWO-TON RESTRICTION ON THE UNLADEN WEIGHT OF LIGHT BUSES, AND ALLOW THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TO APPROVE THE REGISTRATION OF LIGHT BUSES UP TO FOUR TONS IN GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT AND OF LARGER DIMENSIONS, SHE SAID.

WHILE AGREEING THAT PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES HAD PROVED VERY USEFUL IN HONG KONG, MISS BENNETT FELT THAT THE IR PUBLIC IMAGE WAS TOO OFTEN SPOILED BY THEIR DOUBLE-PARKING AND PARKING ON THE CORNERS OF STREETS.

SHE MENTIONED TUNG MING STREET IN KWUN TONG AND THE CORNER OF HANG ON STREET AND TUNG MING STREET AS EXAMPLES.

PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES ALSO USED TO CAUSE CHAOS TO TRAFFIC BY DOING U TURNS IN THE MIDDLE OF STREETS, SUCH AS HIP WO STREET IN KWUN TONG, SHE ADDED.

+1 AM SURE OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL CAN SUPPLY THE AUTHORITIES WITH DETAILS OF OTHER STREETS WHERE THE PUBLIC IS TROUBLED BY THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE BY DRIVERS OF PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES.+

ON THE PROBLEMS OF DOUBLE PARKING, MISS BENNETT SAID THAT IF EACH PUBLIC LIGHT BUS COULD BE ONE FOOT LONGER IN FUTURE. FEWER VEHICLES COULD BE PARKED IN THE PRESENT PUBLIC LIGHT BUS STANDS.

+CAN WE EXPECT EVEN MORE PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES PARKING ILLEGALLY?+ SHE ASKED.

+WE MUST ENSURE THAT THESE HEAVIER AND BIGGER PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES ARE NOT DRIVEN CARELESSLY OR RECKLESSLY NOR EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMITS.

+WERE THEY TO DO SO, THERE MAY BE EVEN MORE DANGERS THAN IN THE PAST.+

MISS BENNETT SAID ALSO THAT PUBLIC LIGHT BUS FARES SEEMED TO BE LESS UNDER CONTROL THAN OMNIBUS FARES.

FOR INSTANCE, SHE POINTED OUT, THE MINIBUS FARE WOULD +SHOOT UP+ AT THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.

+1 AM CONCERNED THAT SOME DRIVERS MAY FIND THE OPERATION OF THESE LARGER VEHICLES WILL NOT BE VIABLE.

/+AK I

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