XN000022-1986-07-15 — Page 12

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TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1986

AFTER STUDYING A PAPER ON THE HISTORY OF TAXI LICENSING, MEMBERS CONSIDERED THAT WHILE THE ADMINISTRATION WILL PROVIDE THE COMMITTEE WITH PAST STUDIES ON THE TAXI TRADE, THE SUB-COMMITTEE MAY, SUBJECT TO RESOURCES AVAILABLE, ASK FOR FURTHER SURVEYS TO BE CARRIED OUT.

THE SUB-COMMITTEE WOULD START EXAMINING THE SITUATION CONCERNING TAXIS AND THEN GIVE GUIDELINES AS TO THE WAY THEY WOULD LIKE THE REVIEW TO BE CONDUCTED.

ALSO AT THE MEETING, MEMBERS FURTHER CONSIDERED THE REPORT ON THE +STUDY OF CROSS HARBOUR PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES+ (CHAPTS) WHICH EXPLORES HOW CROSS HARBOUR BUS AND FERRY SERVICES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED BEFORE AND AFTER THE OPENING OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING.

THEY ENDORSED THE +CHAPTS+ RECOMMENDATION THAT CROSS HARBOUR BUSES SHOULD ADOPT A GRADUAL AND LIMITED EXPANSION PROGRAMME AND THAT A NUMBER OF NEW RAIL AND FERRY FEEDER SERVICES SHOULD BE INTRODUCED.

MEMBERS AGREED TO KEEP THE TRAVELLING COST TO THE PUBLIC AS LOW AS POSSIBLE AND TO GIVE DUE WEIGHT TO CONSUMER CONVENIENCE WITHIN THE GENERAL POLICY FRAMEWORK.

THEY ALSO ENDORSED THE REPORT'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY'S CROSS HARBOUR NETWORK SHOULD BE RATIONALISED WHILE NO CHANGES TO THE STAR FERRY NETWORK WERE REQUIRED.

SHARP RISE IN ROAD ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THE ELDERLY

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IN 1985, THERE WAS A SHARP RISE OF 31 PER CENT IN THE NUMBER OF PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES IN THE 60 AND OVER AGE GROUP.

DESPITE THIS, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE OVERALL NUMBER OF ROAD ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES OF 1.3 PER CENT COMPARED WITH 1984,

THESE STATISTICS ARE CONTAINED IN THE 1986 EDITION OF GOVERNMENT'S ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY PAPER WHICH HAS JUST BEEN ISSUED BY THE ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL,

THE PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY PAPER IS TO REVIEW PROGRESS IN THE VARIOUS FIELDS OF ROAD SAFETY ENDEAVOUR, IDENTIFY AREAS REQUIRING SPECIAL ATTENTION AND CO-ORDINATE STRATEGY PROPOSALS AND MAINTAIN A CHECKLIST OF CURRENT AND FUTURE ACTIVITIES.

THE PAPER NOTES THAT PEDESTRIANS ACCOUNTED FOR 71.2 PER CENT OF THOSE KILLED AND 33.6 PER CENT OF THOSE INJURED AND CONTINUED TO BE THE ROAD-USER GROUP MOST AT RISK.

/ELABORATING