XN000022-1983-07-14 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1983

NEW LEGISLATION ON TRAFFIC SIGNS

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NEW LEGISLATION SHOULD REDUCE THE PRESENT PROLIFERATION OF

TRAFFIC SIGNS ON HONG KONG'S ROADS.

A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS AWARE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LARGE NUMBER OF SIGNS, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF ROAD JUNCTIONS.

*AT PRESENT, NOT MUCH CAN BE DONE AS THE SIGNS ARE REQUIRED BY EXISTING ROAD TRAFFIC LEGISLATION, HE SAID.

FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO COMBINE A PEAK HOUR 'NO STOPPING' SIGN WITH A "NO WAITING' SIGN. EACH MUST HAVE ITS OWN POLE, AS THE LAW STATES THAT THE SIGNS MUST BE MOUNTED ON POSTS OF DIFFERENT COLOURS.

THIS IS THE KIND OF ANOMALY THAT WILL BE REMOVED BY NEW LEGISLATION WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED NEXT YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

OTHER AMENDMENTS, HE SAID, WILL ALSO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ROAD SIGNS - SUCH AS THE INTRODUCTION OF A YELLOW LINE ROAD MARKING SYSTEM TO INDICATE STOPPING RESTRICTIONS, PURPOSE-DESIGNED PLB 'NO STOPPING SIGNS AND BUS ONLY-LANE SPECIFICATIONS.

+UNDER THE NEW LEGISLATION, ALL TRAFFIC SIGNS WILL BE BASED ON THE SAME PRINCIPLES, ENABLING UNIFORM AND CLEAR ADVICE TO BE GIVEN ON THE USE, LOCATION AND ORIENTATION OF SIGNS. A TECHNICAL MANUAL ON TRAFFIC SIGNS IS NOW BEING PREPARED+, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

GIVEN THE VAST NUMBER OF SIGNS ON HONG KONG'S ROADS, IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME PROBLEMS AND THE PUBLIC HAD AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN IDENTIFYING THESE, HE SAID.

COMPLAINTS ARE MADE IN THE PRESS, ON RADIO PROGRAMMES, BY LETTER AND VIA SUCH BODIES AS DISTRICT BOARDS.

+OBVIOUSLY WE TRY TO ENSURE THAT PROBLEMS DON'T ARISE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

IN ADDITION TO CAREFUL INITIAL PLANNING, EACH DEPARTMENTAL REGION, HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, HAS A TEAM WHICH CARRIES OUT INSPECTIONS TO CHECK FOR DAMAGED OR IMPROPERLY POSITIONED SIGNS, + HE SAID.

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