XN000022-1984-07-16 — Page 2

MONDAY, JULY 16, 1934

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LIGHT RAIL DECISION WARMLY WELCOMED

薰蒸

THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR ALAN SCOTT, HAS WARMLY WELCOMED THE DECISION BY THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION TO BUILD AND OPERATE THE TUEN MUN/YUEN LONG LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM.

REFERRING TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE KCRC THAT IT HAS IN PRINCIPLE ACCEPTED THE GOVERNMENT'S INVITATION TO BUILD AND OPERATE THE LRT SYSTEM, MR SCOTT SAID THAT THE LRT SYSTEM WOULD CONSTITUTE THE CORE TRANSPORT SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTH-WEST NEW TERRITORIES. EXPECTED TO BEGIN OPERATIONS IN 1988, THE LRT SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO SERVE A POPULATION OF ABOUT THREE-QUARTER OF A MILLION BY THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, HE NOTED.

+THE LRT SYSTEM IS A SUBSTANTIAL AND IMPORTANT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND A VITAL COMPONENT IN THE GOVERNMENT'S LONG TERM PLANS FOR AN INTEGRATED AND BALANCED SYSTEM OF TRANSPORT FACILITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. A CAREFUL PLAN HAS BEEN DEVISED TO ENSURE THAT THE DIFFERENT MODES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT PROVIDE ADEQUATE AND COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES, SO THAT RESIDENTS IN THE NORTH-WEST WILL HAVE A CONVENIENT, EFFICIENT, AND REASONABLY PRICED TRANSPORT SYSTEM+, SAID MR SCOTT.

THE KCRC'S LRT PROPOSALS, TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S GENERAL TRANSPORT PLANS FOR THE REGION, WILL BE PUT TO THE TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AS A JOINT AND COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION.

OVER 50 000 GET AIDED FORM 4 PLACES

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A TOTAL OF 51 660 STUDENTS WHO TOOK PART IN THE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSESSMENT SYSTEM, WERE ALLOCATED AIDED FORM FOUR PLACES THIS YEAR, AN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY.

ORIGINALLY, 75 580 PUPILS ENTERED FOR THE SYSTEM THIS YEAR. AMONG THEM, 1 703 HAVE ACCEPTED PLACES ON FULL-TIME CRAFT COURSES IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND 2 150 HAVE OPTED OUT DURING THE YEAR.

OF THE REMAINING 71 727 PUPILS, 72 PER CENT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED SUBSIDISED FORM FOUR PLACÉS.

/THE SPOKESMAN