XN000022-1985-10-29 — Page 7

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1985

AT THE SAME TIME, CMB WAS REQUIRED BY LAW TO PRODUCE ITS FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR THE FIRST TIME, APART FROM IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING GROUP'S REPORT.

THE REPORT GIVES CREDIT TO CMB FOR BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE THESE WHILE MAINTAINING A SATISFACTORY LEVEL OF SERVICE WITHOUT INCONVENIENCE OR DISRUPTION TO THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC.

ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE, THE TAC NOTED THAT PROGRESS ON MATTERS OF A MORE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE INVOLVING ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT WAS SLOW. A NEW ENGINEER MANAGER TO HEAD THE COMPANY'S ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HAS NOT YET BEEN RECRUITED AND THE REPORT PRODUCED BY THE CONSULTANT ENGAGED TO STUDY THE ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.

THE EXTENSION OF THE MONITORING PERIOD WOULD ENABLE THE TAC TO STUDY THE ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT'S REPORT COMMISSIONED BY CMB AND ASSESS ITS EFFECT ON THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO SUSTAIN THE IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS GIVING CMB MORE TIME TO COMPLETE ACTION ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH ARE STILL OUTSTANDING,

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AT THE IR MEETING TODAY. TAC MEMBERS ALSO ENDORSED A PERMIT SYSTEM TO REGULATE THE USE OF +VILLAGE VEHICLES+ IN THE RURAL AREAS.

THESE VEHICLES ARE MOTORISED CARTS WHICH ARE USED TO TRANSPORT AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE, BUILDING MATERIALS AND OTHER GOODS IN AREAS WHICH ARE INACCESSIBLE OR CLOSED TO ORDINARY VEHICLES. DUE TO THE IR OF TEN UNSAFE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION AS WELL AS THE NOISE THEY EMIT, THEY HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF COMPLAINT BY RESIDENTS FOR SOME TIME.

UNDER THE PROPOSED PERMIT SYSTEM, THE VEHICLES WILL HAVE TO BE BUILT WITHIN CERTAIN SPECIFIED DIMENSIONS, MUST BE EQUIFou

AND WITH A PROPER BRAKING SYSTEM, AN AUDIBLE WARNING DEVICE, AN EFFECTIVE NOISE REDUCTION MECHANISM.

THEY CANNOT BE OPERATED BY ANYONE UNDER 18, MUST NOT CARRY ANY PASSENGER, MUST NOT BE IMPROPERLY LOADED, MUST BE PROPERLY LIT AFTER DARK MUST BE MAINTAINED IN A SAFE CONDITION AT ALL TIMES, AND MUST BE INSURED AGAINST THIRD PARTY RISKS.

IN ADDITION, THE USE OF THE VEHICLES COULD BE PROHIBITED ON CERTAIN ROADS OR AT CERTAIN HOURS OF THE DAY, DEPENDING ON THE LOCAL CONDITIONS. THERE COULD ALSO BE A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES EITHER GENERALLY OR IN A PARTICULAR AREA.

IF THE PERMIT SYSTEM IS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATURE EXISTING VEHICLE OWNERS WOULD BE GRANTED A GRACE PERIOD to CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS.

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