XN000022-1984-02-19 — Page 4

(C) BY SELECTED

TRADES

t

3

تیا

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1984

SUPERMARKETS VALUE

229

214

-15 -7

43

VOLUME

147

135

-12

-8

4

*W

25

3

MOTOR

VALUE

59

53

-6

-10

-10

-16

VEHICLES

VOLUME

38

33

-5

-13 -13

-28

DEPARTMENT

VALUE

145

152

7

5

STORES

VOLUME

107

110

3 3 19 24

NOTES 1.

2.

3.

+FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO+ INCLUDES

+SUPERMARKETS+.

+CONSUMER DURABLES INCLUDES +MOTOR VEHICLES+.

+

+OTHER CONSUMER GOODS+ INCLUDES DEPARTMENT STORES+.

TRAMS FREE TO CONTINUE OPERATION

****

A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (SUNDAY)

THAT THE HONG KONG TRAMWAYS WOULD BE FREE TO CONTINUE OPERATION AFTER THE OPENING OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR IN 1984 AND THE MTR ISLAND LINE IN 1985.

+WITH THE TRAMS NOW CARRYING 360 000 PASSENGERS EVERYDAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE A USEFUL ROLE IN THE FUTURE,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

+THIS CONCLUSION HAS BEEN REACHED AND CONFIRMED BY A DETAILED STUDY TO ASSESS THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE OPENING OF THE MTR ISLAND LINE FOR OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES.

+THE STUDY HAS FOUND THAT EVEN AFTER THE OPENING OF THE MTR ISLAND LINE, THE TRAMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE RELIED ON BY A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF COMMUTERS ON THE ISLAND AS AN INEXPENSIVE AND RELIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE MTR AND BUSES, PARTICULARLY FOR SHORTER TRIPS.

+OVER THE YEARS, TRAMS HAVE MAINTAINED A VERY GOOD SAFETY RECORD. SO ESSENTIALLY THE FINDING IS THAT THE HONG KONG TRAMWAYS COMPANY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE ITS OWN COMMERCIAL JUDGEMENT AND TO CONTINUE ITS OPERATION FOR SO LONG AS THAT REMAINS VIABLE,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE APPROACHING THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THOSE AREAS SERVED BY THE TRAMS, TO EXPLAIN THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY.

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