XN000022-1983-09-10 — Page 5

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1983

NEW ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATIONS PUBLISHED

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MAJOR CHANGES TO HONG KONG'S ROAD TRAFFIC LAWS ARE PUBLISHED IN THE LATEST GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

A TOTAL OF SEVEN SETS OF REGULATIONS ARE PUBLISHED, REPRESENTING THE CULMINATION OF MANY YEARS' WORK TO REVIEW AND UPDATE

THE LAWS WHICH GOVERN THE MOVEMENT OF TRAFFIC AND USE OF VEHICLES ON THE TERRITORY'S ROADS.

EXTENSIVE PUBLIC CONSULTATION HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT IN THE DRAFTING OF THE NEW LEGISLATION, WITH DOZENS OF INTERESTED BODIES AND INDIVIDUALS BEING ASKED FOR THEIR VIEWS, COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS BEFORE THE NEW MEASURES WERE DRAWN UP.

IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE COMPLETION OF THIS MAJOR PROJECT WILL BRING VERY REAL BENEFITS IN TERMS OF ROAD SAFETY AND DRIVING STANDARDS WHEN THE LEGISLATION IS IMPLEMENTED.

IN VIEW OF THE EXTENSIVE NATURE OF SOME OF THE CHANGES TO BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE REGULATIONS THERE WILL BE ADEQUATE ADVANCE NOTICE BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION, WITH THE VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS BEING BROUGHT INTO FORCE IN STAGES. THIS WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TIME TO FAMILIAR ISE THEMSELVES WITH THE CHANGES AND TO MODIFY VEHICLES OR SYSTEMS AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE NEW LEGISLATION.

AN INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMME HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE COMING MONTHS TO FAMILIARISE THE PUBLIC WITH THE CONTENT AND PROPOSED

IMPLEMENTATION DATES OF THE NEW REGULATIONS.

A NEW HIGHWAY CODE IS UNDER PREPARATION TO GUIDE ROAD USERS.

SALIENT POINTS IN THE NEW REGULATIONS ARE.

TRAFFIC CONTROL REGULATIONS

ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE EFFECTS OF THE NEW TRAFFIC CONTROL REGULATIONS WHICH WILL REPLACE THE CURRENT ROAD TRAFFIC (LIGHTING AND GUARDING OF ROAD WORKS) REGULATIONS, (ROAD CROSSING) REGULATIONS AND (ROADS AND SIGNS) REGULATIONS WILL BE THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW SET OF TRAFFIC SIGNS.

EXISTING SIGNS LACK UNIFORMITY AND THE CHINESE CHARACTERS ON THOSE BEARING WORDS ARE OFTEN TOO SMALL TO BE SEEN AND QUICKLY UNDERSTOOD AT A DISTANCE. THE NEW TRAFFIC SIGN SYSTEM WILL BRING HONG KONG INTO LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE BY ABBREVIATING MESSAGES. THE CHINESE CHARACTERS WILL BE ABOUT TWICE THE SIZE OF THE ENGLISH WORDING. SIGNS, INCLUDING THOSE INDICATING SPEED LIMITS, WILL BE EXPRESSED IN METRIC UNITS IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S METRICATION POLICY. ALTOGETHER THE NEW REGULATIONS CONTAIN 156 SIGNS - 66 OF WHICH WILL BE COMPLETELY NEW TO HONG KONG'S ROADS. SIGNS WILL EITHER BE OF A REGULATORY, WARNING, INFORMATORY OR SUPPLEMENTARY NATURE. THE 'STOP' AND 'GIVE WAY' SIGNS WILL HAVE SPECIAL SHAPES - AN OCTAGON AND INVERTED TRIANGLE RESPECTIVELY - IN ORDER TO MAXIMISE IMPACT.

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