XN000022-1983-05-31 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1983

TAC STUDIES SCHEME FOR CAR CHECKS

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THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TODAY EXAMINED A PROPOSAL BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO SPEED UP ITS PROGRAMME OF CHECKING UNROADWORTHY MOTOR VEHICLES AND ENSURING THAT THEY ARE REMOVED FROM THE ROADS IF THEY ARE NOT BROUGHT UP TO THE NECESSARY SAFETY STANDARDS.

THE AIM OF SUCH INSPECTIONS IS TO IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY AND TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION CAUSED BY BREAKDOWNS.

THE PROPOSAL IS FOR A SCHEME TO LICENSE PRIVATE GARAGES TO CARRY OUT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION OF PRIVATE CARS OVER SIX YEARS OLD. STAFF OF THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT VEHICLE EXAMINATION CENTRES WOULD THEN CONCENTRATE ON CHECKING THE SAFETY OF GOODS VEHICLES AND PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES.

PRIORITY HAS HAD SO FAR TO BE GIVEN TO THE EXAMINATION OF PASSENGER SERVICE VEHICLES SUCH AS TAXIS, LIGHT BUSES AND FRANCHISED BUSES. THIS REQUIRES A TOTAL OF 66 000 INSPECTIONS ANNUALLY.

A START HAS ALSO BEEN MADE BY REQUIRING GOODS VEHICLES REGISTERED BEFORE 1972 AND PRIVATE CARS REGISTERED BEFORE 1971 TO UNDERGO ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS BEFORE THEY CAN BE RELICENSED. SOME 5 500 ANNUAL INSPECTIONS ARE CARRIED OUT OF THESE TWO CATEGORIES OF VEHICLES.

THE COMPLETION OF ANOTHER GOVERNMENT VEHICLE EXAMINATION CENTRE IN SHEUNG KWAI CHUNG NEXT YEAR WILL BRING TOTAL CAPACITY FOR INSPECTIONS UP TO 84 000 EACH YEAR.

TO EXTEND THE ANNUAL INSPECTION TO PRIVATE CARS OVER SIX YEARS OLD WOULD MEAN AN ADDITIONAL 60 000 INSPECTIONS PER ANNUM.

THE POSSIBILITY OF USING PRIVATE GARAGES WAS EXAMINED IN THE PAST, BUT RECENTLY THE MOTOR TRADERS ASSOCIATION HAS PUT FORWARD DETAILED PROPOSALS. THESE SEEM FEASIBLE BECAUSE OF GENERALLY BETTER SERVICE FACILITIES WITHIN THE MOTOR TRADE AND THE ADVICE GIVEN BY THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION ON MEASURES TO PREVENT MALPRACTICE.

NOT ONLY WOULD THE GOVERNMENT ACHIEVE MORE QUICKLY THE DESIRABLE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY, IT WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF ITS EXISTING RESOURCES. MOTORISTS WOULD HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE CHOICE OF VEHICLE EXAMINATION CENTRES, GEOGRAPHICALLY BETTER SPREAD.

IN ENDORSING THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION TO ENLIST THE SERVICES OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE NOTED THAT GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER IN DETAIL PROBLEMS OF CORRUPTION AND MALPRACTICES, THE MAINTENANCE OF UNIFORM STANDARDS, AND CONTROL OVER FEES.

IN THEIR MEETING TODAY, TAC MEMBERS ALSO STUDIED A PROGRESS REPORT ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT PRIORITY MEASURES AND THE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF TAXI OPERATIONS ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS YEAR.

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