XN000022-1983-04-27 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1983

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GYRATORY SYSTEM BRINGS ABOUT TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT

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THE DECISION TO POSTPONE THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTBRIDGES AT NORTH POINT AND QUARRY BAY WAS TAKEN IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROGRESS IN THE GYRATORY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND THE STRATEGIC REQUIREMENT FOR EFFECTIVE ROAD AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN HONG KONG AS A WHOLE, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT, SAID TODAY.

THE PROJECT OF THESE FOOTBRIDGES, WITH ONE ON JAVA ROAD AT ITS JUNCTION WITH NORTH POINT ROAD AND EIGHT ALONG KING'S ROAD AT ITS JUNCTIONS WITH NORTH POINT ROAD, TIN CHIU STREET, MANSION STREET, FINNIE STREET, PAN HQ! STREET, QUARRY BAY STREET, YAU MAN STREET AND TAI KOO SHING ROAD, HAD NOT BEEN UPGRADED FROM CATEGORY AB TO CATEGORY A, MR SCOTT SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING.

THE EFFECT WAS THAT THE FULL POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE GYRATORY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WOULD BE DELAYED, HE ADDED.

+HOWEVER, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GYRATORY SYSTEM HAS ALREADY BROUGHT ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN TRAFFIC FLOWS ALONG KING'S ROAD, RESULTING IN JOURNEY TIME SAVINGS OF THE ORDER OF FIVE MINUTES FOR EASTBOUND TRAFFIC AND FIVE TO 11 MINUTES FOR WESTBOUND TRAFFIC,+ HE SAID,

MR SCOTT WAS REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY THE HON MARIA TAM CONCERNING THE GOVERNMENT'S RECENT DECISION TO SHELVE THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTBRIDGES AT NORTH POINT AND QUARRY BAY IN ORDER TO FINANCE THE CONSULTANCY ON ELECTRONIC ROAD PRICING SCHEME.

HE ADDED THAT FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS WERE EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 12 MONTHS AS A RESULT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HONG KONG AREA TRAFFIC CONTROL INITIAL SYSTEM WHICH WOULD COVER KING'S ROAD, HENNESSY ROAD, CAUSEWAY ROAD AND SHAU KE! WAN ROAD.

THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL HAD APPROVED A PROPOSAL FOR A CONSULTANCY TO ESTABLISH THE PILOT STAGE OF AN ELECTRONIC ROAD PRICING SCHEME, SUBJECT TO SAVINGS BEING FOUND IN THE TRANSPORT COMPONENT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, MR SCOTT POINTED OUT.

+ THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THIS COUNCIL, WHEN CONSIDERING THE PROVISION OF FUNDS FOR THE PILOT STAGE, NOTED WHICH PROJECTS WERE PROPOSED FOR POSTPONEMENT TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDS, + HE SAID.

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