XN000022-1986-08-22 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 1986

HOWEVER, SEVERAL OF THE SITES IN THE LAND SALES PROGRAMME WERE SHORT-TERM TENANCY SITES OF SEVEN TO 10 YEARS WHICH DID NOT COUNT FOR THE 55 HECTARES.

+ I WOULD SUGGEST THEREFORE THAT THE 50-HECTARES LIMIT AND THE INCREASES TO THIS AGREED BY THE LAND COMMISSION ARE ADEQUATE TO MEET HONG KONG'S DEMAND, HE SAID.

+ IT IS INDEED A RESTRAINT,

BUT NOT A STRANGLEHOLD WHICH HAS

SEVERELY AFFECTED HONG KONG'S PROPERTY MARKET.+

HAZARD OF OVERHEIGHT LOADS STRESSED

*****

THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) REMINDED GOODS VEHICLES OPERATORS, ESPECIALLY DRIVERS, THAT THE HEIGHT OF ANY LOAD, WHEN CARRIED ON THEIR VEHICLE, MUST NOT EXCEED 4.6 METRES ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE.

+OVERHEIGHT LOADS MAY NOT ONLY CAUSE DAMAGE TO OVERHEAD STRUCTURES SUCH AS FOOTBRIDGES AND GANTRY SIGNS BUT MAY EVEN CAUSE SEVERE INJURY TO PEOPLE IN THE VICINITY, A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE 4.6-METRE HEIGHT LIMIT IS STIPULATED IN SECTION 55 (D) OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC (TRAFFIC CONTROL) REGULATIONS. THE SAME SECTION STATES THAT A DRIVER STILL COMMITS AN OFFENCE IF THE LOAD ON HIS VEHICLE CAUSES DAMAGE TO ANY OBJECT LAWFULLY ERECTED ABOVE THE ROAD, EVEN THOUGH THE LOAD DOES NOT EXCEED THE HEIGHT LIMIT SPECIFIED ABOVE.

A DRIVER WHO FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE REGULATION IS LIABLE TO A FINE OF $5 000 AND THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT ON FIRST CONVICTION AND A FINE OF $10 000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT ON SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT CONVICTION.

+GOODS VEHICLE DRIVERS SHOULD THEREFORE HAVE A FAIR IDEA OF THE HEIGHT OF THE LOAD WHEN PLACED ON THEIR VEHICLE BEFORE THEY SET OFF ON THEIR TRIPS AND TAKE HEED OF HEIGHT WARNING SIGNS AND HEIGHT GAUGES AS THEY DRIVE ALONG, THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED.

PAST ACCIDENT RECORDS SHOWED THAT MOST OVERHEIGHT LOADS WERE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND THAT MOST GOODS VEHICLES INVOLVED WERE THOSE INSTALLED WITH HYDRAULIC CRANES.

ON JULY 9 THIS YEAR, THE HYDRAULIC CRANE OF A GOODS VEHICLE HIT A FOOTBRIDGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT KWU TUNG VILLAGE ON CASTLE PEAK ROAD, BLOCKING TRAFFIC BETWEEN YUEN LONG AND SHEUNG SHUI FOR FOUR HOURS.

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