XN000022-1986-02-22 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1986

ON U.S.'S INTERESTS IN HONG KONG, MR HO SAID THERE WERE OVER 80 U.S. ENTERPRISES WHICH HAVE A PREŠENCE IN HONG KONG.

+OF THE 150 LICENSED BANKS, OVER 100 ARE FOREIGN CONCERNS AND 20 OF THESE ARE U.S. BANKS. ALL THE MAJOR U.S. BANKS ARE. ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG, TOGETHER WITH BROKERAGE FIRMS, INSURANCE COMPANIES AND FINANCIAL SERVICE INSTITUTIONS.

+FINALLY, 53 PER CENT OF OVERSEAS INVESTMENT IN 142 ESTABLISHMENTS IN HONG KONG MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IS FROM THE U.S.: THEIR INVESTMENT IS ESTIMATED TO BE WORTH OVER U.S.$800M,+

APPEAL TO LION ROCK TUNNEL USERS

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS AGAIN APPEALED TO MOTORISTS USING THE LION ROCK TUNNEL TO SWITCH TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE NEXT WEEK WHEN RECABLING WORK AT THE TUNNEL TOLL PLAZA IS UNDERWAY.

KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY SERVICES WILL BE STEPPED UP DURING THE RECABLING EXERCISE WHICH BEGINS AT 8 PM ON MONDAY (FEBRUARY 24) AND IS SCHEDULED TO END AT 2 AM ON FRIDAY (FEBRUARY 28).

THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY HAS ALSO BEEN ADVISED FOR THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR THEIR SERVICES DURING THE 78-HOUR WORK PERIOD, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE RECABLING WORK WAS PART OF A PROJECT TO CONSTRUCT FOUR ADDITIONAL TOLL BOOTHS AT THE TUNNEL TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW. THE NEW BOOTHS ARE EXPECTED TO COME INTO OPERATION AT THE END OF MARCH.

TO FACILITATE THE WORK, THE TUNNEL COMPUTERS WILL HAVE TO BE SHUT DOWN AND TOLL BOOTHS VACATED. TUNNEL STAFF WILL THEREFORE BE COLLECTING TOLLS ON TRAFFIC ISLANDS ADJACENT TO THE BOOTHS.

MOTORISTS WHO CANNOT AVOID USING THE TUNNEL ARE URGED TO BE PATIENT, PARTICULARLY AT PEAK HOURS.

ALL 10 TOLL LANES WILL BE KEPT OPEN AT PEAK PERIODS (FROM 7 AM TO 9 AM AND FROM 5 PM TO 7 PM) DURING THE FIRST 48 HOURS OF RECABLING WORK, BUT AT OFF-PEAK TIMES, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LANES IN OPERATION TO FIVE.

DURING THE LAST 30 HOURS, ALL LANES WILL AGAIN BE AVAILABLE TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

/+THE DEPARTMENT