XN000022-1984-07-17 — Page 4

TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1984

THIS SIMPLE INSTALLATION HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY THE BLIND, AND THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT RECEIVES PROPOSALS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF THE BLIND, FROM TIME TO TIME, TO SET UP SIMILAR AIDS AT OTHER BUSY ROAD JUNCTIONS.

TODAY, 27 AUDIBLE TRAFFIC SIGNALS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON HONG KONG, 15 IN KOWLOON AND ONE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

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ANOTHER LIST OF 24 LOCATIONS HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE ASSOCIATION FOR CONSIDERATION, AND THE DEPARTMENT HOPES TO INSTALL SUCH AIDS AT 20 ROAD JUNCTIONS EVERY YEAR.

+BEFORE THESE DEVICES ARE INSTALLED, DETAILED STUDY HAS TO BE MADE TO DETERMINE THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY, HE SAID.

MR WONG SAID EARLY INSTALLATIONS HAD BEEN GRADUALLY PHASED OUT AND REPLACED BY THE MUCH IMPROVED +BLEEPERS+ AND PRESENTLY BY THE +ACOUSTIC INSERTS+ WHICH INVOLVE MORE USEFUL TECHNICAL FEATURES IN THEIR SET-UP.

+UNLIKE THE OLD INSTALLATIONS, THE NEW DEVICES ARE LINKED

TO THE SIGNAL ASPECT FOR PEDESTRIANS.

+THE BLEEPERS, NOW OPERATING AT 14 LOCATIONS, ARE DEVICES WHICH EMIT SOUNDS FOR THE EARLY FEW SECONDS OF THE GREEN PHASE OF THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL,+ MR WONG SAID.

THE ACOUSTIC INSERT, NOW BEING USED AT 13 LOCATIONS ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS, IS A FURTHER IMPROVEMENT ON THE BLEEPERS.

IT PRODUCES SOUNDS OF VARIED FREQUENCY TO REPRESENT THE THREE PHASES - GREEN, RED AND FLASHING GREEN OF THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL TO GUIDE THE BLIND.

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+THERE IS ONLY ONE SOUND INDICATING THE GREEN LIGHT IN THE BLEEPER AND ITS FREQUENCY IS CONSIDERED SOMEWHAT DISTURBING TO NEARBY RESIDENTS, WHEREAS THE THREE AUDIBLE SIGNALS IN THE ACOUSTIC INSERT ARE SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO DIRECT THE TONE AT THE PEDESTRIANS AT A LOWER FREQUENCY, + MR WONG EXPLAINED.

TO AVOID DISTURBING RESIDENTS AT NIGHT, THE OPERATING HOURS

OF AUDIBLE TRAFFIC SIGNALS ARE IN GENERAL FROM 7 AM TO 11 PM.

MR WONG SAID ALL AUDIBLE TRAFFIC SIGNALS ARE LINKED TO THE +CONTROLLER+ AT EACH ROAD JUNCTION WHICH REGULATES THE TIMING OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS.

+THE CONTROLLER THUS HAS TO BE MODIFIED TO COPE WITH THE NEW SET-UP - WHICH IN MANY CASES REQUIRE RE-WIRING AND MINOR MOD IF ICATIONS TO THE CONTROLLER,+ HE SAID.

AT LOCATIONS WHERE INSTALLATION IS FOUND TO BE IMPOSSIBLE, PROPOSALS HAVE TO BE SHELVED.

+HOWEVER, THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO LIAISE WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF THE BLIND TO IDENTIFY MORE SUITABLE PLACES FOR THE SETTING UP OF THESE PRACTICAL AIDS, + MR WONG SAID.

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