XN000022-1984-05-16 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1984

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HE ALSO WELCOMED THE ASSURANCE THAT THE $140 MILLION WHICH WERE EXPECTED TO BE COLLECTED IN TUNNEL TAXES WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR TRANSPORT PURPOSES.

+ I HOPE THAT THIS WILL MEAN A COMMITMENT TO THE PROVISION OF A SECOND FIXED HARBOUR CROSSING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

+TO KNOW THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS TAX WILL BE GOING TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND CROSSING RATHER THAN BEING LOST IN THE AMORPHOUS BODY KNOWN AS GENERAL REVENUE MAY SWEETEN THE PILL SOMEWHAT FOR ALL OF US WHO ARE GOING TO PAY,+ MR CHEN ADDED.

EXEMPTION FOR DISABLED SUPPORTED

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THE ABOLITION OF THE TOLLS AND TOLL BOOTHS CALLED FOR BY REV THE HON PATRICK MCGOVERN WOULD INDUCE AN EVEN GREATER NUMBER OF VEHICLES, INCLUDING THOSE USING THE VEHICULAR FERRIES, TO BE DIVERTED TO USING THE TUNNEL. THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON JUSTIN YUE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MORE CONGESTION WOULD BE THE INEVITABLE RESULT, MR YUE SAID. IN MOVING THE FINAL READING OF THE CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL (PASSAGE TAX) BILL 1984, MR YUE THANKED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FOR THE IR COMMENTS ON THE BILL.

+MORE SPEC IF ICALLY.

I WISH TO ENDORSE WHAT DR HARRY FANG, MR S.L. CHEN AND MR WONG LAM HAVE SAID ABOUT ASSISTING THE DISABLED TO PLAY THE IR FULL PART IN THE WORK AND SOCIAL LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED UNRESERVEDLY THE AMENDMENT TO THE BILL MOVED BY DR FANG TO EXEMPT DISABLED DRIVERS FROM PAYMENT OF THE PASSAGE TAX, HE ADDED.

+BUT, OF COURSE, NOT ALL THE DISABLED DRIVE. SOME RELY ON THE ABSENCE OF ANY SPECIFIC THE REHABUSES FOR THE IR TRANSPORT. PROVISION IN THE BILL FOR THESE BUSES DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED, MR YUE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF THE GOVERNMENT ASKING THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR REHABILITATION TO PASS ON THE COST OF THE TAX TO THE USERS OF THE REHABUS SERVICE.

HE ASSURED THE COUNCIL THAT THE PASSAGE TAX WAS REGARDED AS A RECOGNISED COST FOR WHICH ADDITIONAL SUBVENTIONS WOULD BE MADE.

/HE ALSO