XN000022-1985-03-13 — Page 28

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1985

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MINIMISING NOISE LEVEL ON ROAD WORKS

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THE INTRODUCTION OF NOISE BARRIERS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A PRACTICAL NOISE ABATEMENT MEASURE IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON NICKY CHAN, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

BY ERECTING NOISE BARRIERS AT THE EDGES OF AN ELEVATED ROAD, A MEASURE OF NOISE ALLEVIATION COULD BE ACHIEVED AT FLOOR LEVELS CLOSE TO THE LEVEL OF THE ROAD, ALTHOUGH THE NOISE AT THE HIGHER FLOORS MIGHT BE INCREASED, MR CHAN SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON KIM CHAM.

+IN THIS CONTEXT, THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE IS EXAMINING VARIOUS TYPES OF ACOUSTIC BARRIERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE RECENTLY USED IN JAPAN WHICH APPEAR TO BE RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE AND VISUALLY MORE ACCEPTABLE, TO SEE WHETHER THEY CAN BE APPLIED IN HONG KONG, MR CHAN SAID,

+OTHER MEASURES INCLUDE TUNNELLING OR COMPLETE ENCLOSURE OF ELEVATED ROADS, BUT THESE MEASURES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, HE EXPLAINED.

REFERRING TO A QUESTION FROM MR CHEUNG YAN-LUNG CONCERNING THE RECENTLY OPENED SHA TAU KOK VEHICULAR CROSSING LINK. MR CHAN SAID THERE WERE TWO ITEMS OF CAPITAL WORKS IN CATEGORY A FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FROM FANLING TO SHA TAU KOK.

THEY ARE

* CONSTRUCTION OF A $10 MILLION DUAL TWO-LANE

CARRIAGEWAY FROM FANLING ROUNDABOUT TO LUNG YEUK TAU TO BE COMPLETED IN LATE 1986;

* IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SECTION OF SHA TAU KOK

ROAD FROM LUNG YEUK TAU TO SHA TAU KOK. COSTING $12.3 MILLION, THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE COMPLETED IN MID-1986.

EFFORTS TO REDUCE INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS GO ON

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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO REDUCE INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS IN ALL SECTORS OF INDUSTRY, BY INSPECTION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BY ENCOURAGING SAFETY AWARENESS AMONG EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON RON BRIDGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, WHO ASKED WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS IN PLASTICS FACTORIES.

/MR BRIDGE