XN000022-1985-07-21 — Page 13

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LY 21, 1985

WITH A MANAGERIAL, WORKSHOP AND DRIVING STAFF TOTALLING SOME 160 PERSONNEL, THE DEPOT ALSO PROVIDES AN EMERGENCY SERVICE, MOBILISING THE DEPARTMENT'S VEHICLES AND MANPOWER DURING TYPHOONS OR NATURAL DISASTERS. A TRANSPORT OPERATION CONTROL ROOM LOCATED AT THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE DEPOT SERVES AS THE CENTRAL COORDINATION CENTRE FOR THE DEPARTMENT'S TRANSPORT DIVISION.

ADJACENT TO THE DEPOT BUILDING IS A FOUR-STOREY ANNEX WHICH HOUSES STAFF QUARTERS AND A REST ROOM FOR DRIVERS. BOTH THE DEPOT AND THE ANNEX ARE FITTED OUT WITH A PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM TO MAKE IT EASIER TO LOCATE DRIVERS AND THEIR VEHICLES.

POINTING TO THE FACT THAT A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE RSD'S SERVICES ARE TRANSPORT-BASED, MR HARRISON SAID FIVE ADDITIONAL DEPOTS WITH SIMILAR FACILITIES - THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY IN A MULTI-STOREY CONFIGURATION - WILL BE BUILT IN TUEN MUN, YUEN LONG, TAI PO, SHA TIN AND SAI KUNG TO REPLACE THE EXISTING TEMPORARY ONES WHERE THE REMAINING 350 OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FLEET ARE PARKED.

+THESE OTHER DEPOTS WILL NOT BE BUILT LIKE THE ONE IN KWAI CHUNG WHICH SUFFERS FROM AN ACUTE RESTRICTION OF AVAILABLE LAND. THESE OTHER DEPOTS WILL PROBABLY BE TWO OR, AT THE MOST, THREE- STOREY STRUCTURES AS WE DO NOT EXPECT SIMILAR LAND CONSTRAINTS IN THESE DISTRICTS. THEY WILL ALSO PROBABLY INCORPORATE OTHER DEPARTMENTAL USERS TO MAXIMISE BUILDING UTILISATION.

CONSEQUENTLY, CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THEM COULD BE CHEAPER, + MR HARRISON SAID.

THE RSD HAS 229 VEHICLES FOR HEAVY DUTY AND SPECIAL FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS REFUSE COLLECTORS AND GULLY CESSPIT EMPTIERS. TRAINING COURSES FOR THEIR OPERATION AND DAILY MAINTENANCE WILL BE CONDUCTED AT THE KWAI CHUNG DEPOT, SAID MR HARRISON, ADDING THAT THE RSD WILL SPEND UP TO $17 MILLION NEXT YEAR FOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.

MR HARRISON SAID THAT IT WAS THE DEPARTMENT'S ULTIMATE AIM TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT WITH REGARD TO THE MAINTENANCE OF ITS VEHICLE FLEET.

KITE-FLYERS GET DANGER WARNING

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KITE-FLYING AND MODEL AIRCRAFT ENTHUSIASTS ARE REMINDED THAT IT IS AN OFFENCE TO FLY A KITE OR A MODEL AIRCRAFT TOO CLOSE TO AN AIRPORT.

IT IS ALSO AN OFFENCE TO FLY KITES OR MODEL AIRCRAFT MORE THAN 60 METRES ABOVE THE GROUND AT ANY LOCATION WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION.

/THE LAW

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