XN000022-1983-08-24 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1983

WAY BEING SOUGHT TO CONTROL VILLAGE VEHICLES

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THE GOVERNMENT HOPES SOON TO COME UP WITH A WAY OF CONTROLLING THE VILLAGE VEHICLES THAT HAVE RECENTLY ATTRACTED SO MUCH ATTENTION ON CHEUNG CHAU AND ELSEWHERE.

THE OBJECTIVE IS TO REGULATE THOSE ASPECTS WHICH ARE OF SERIOUS CONCERN, SUCH AS SAFETY AND NOISE, BUT WITHOUT IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS WHICH WOULD UNREASONABLY HAMPER THE USEFUL OPERATION OF THESE VEHICLES IN RURAL AREAS WHERE THEY ARE THE ONLY MEANS OF MOVING HEAVY GOODS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE INTENTION WAS TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN VILLAGE VEHICLES WHICH ARE PEDESTRIAN CONTROLLED AND THOSE WITH A SEATED DRIVER. THE FORMER WOULD BE ISSUED WITH A PERMIT AND REQUIRED TO CONFORM TO SIMPLE STANDARDS, SUCH AS DIMENSIONS AND THE FITTING OF BRAKES AND AN ENGINE SILENCER.

MOTOR DRIVEN VILLAGE CARS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE BASIC PROVISIONS OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION AND USE) REGULATIONS SO FAR AS THEY APPLIED TO SAFETY AND ROAD WORTHINESS,

LEGAL ADVICE IS BEING SOUGHT ON HOW THESE TWO PROPOSED NEW CATEGORIES OF VEHICLE CAN BE DEALT WITH UNDER THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE.

AS THE PROPOSALS WOULD FIRST BE SUBJECT TO THE ADVICE OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, AND AS AMENDMENTS TO THE LEGISLATION WOULD BE REQUIRED, THE CHANGES WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO INTRODUCE.

THE INTERVAL WOULD SERVE AS A SUITABLE PERIOD OF GRACE FOR OWNERS TO ENSURE THE IR VEHICLES MET THE STANDARDS SET.

SIR PHILIP TO VISIT FIRE SERVICES *****

THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, WILL VISIT THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TOMORROW (THURSDAY) TO SEE THE VARIOUS FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND SOME OF ITS RESCUE AND FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES.

SIR PHILIP WILL START HIS HALF-DAY TOUR FROM HMS TAMAR AT 2.15 PM, WHERE HE WILL BOARD A HELICOPTER WITH THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR F.M. WATSON, FOR THE FLIGHT TO FIRE SERVICES TRAINING SCHOOL AT PAT HEUNG, NEW TERRITORIES.

AFTER SEEING HOW THE RECRUITS ARE TRAINED AT THE SCHOOL, SIR PHILIP WILL FLY TO THE SHA TIN, NEW TERRITORIES FIRE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS AND TOUR THE COMPLEX.

HE WILL THEN LEAVE BY HELICOPTER FOR HONG KONG ISLAND, TO VISIT OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE SPECIAL MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY ́STRIKE FORCES DIVISION AT HARBOUR ROAD FIRE STATION.

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