XN000022-1986-11-06 — Page 39

37

-

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1986

NEW AIRBUS SERVICE LAUNCHED

*****

THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT WELCOME THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, ESPECIALLY COACHES, AS THEY ARE RELATIVELY EFFICIENT USERS OF ROAD SPACE, THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR PETER LEEDS, SAID THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON.

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF A NEW AIRBUS SERVICE OPERATED BY THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY, MR LEEDS SAID ABOUT 80 000 TRIPS TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT WERE MADE DAILY BY VISITORS INCLUDING AIRPORT AND AIRLINE STAFF.

+THIS VOLUME OF GROUNDSIDE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE STEADILY, CREATES A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE LIMITED ROAD SPACE AVAILABLE AT KAI TAK,+ HE SAID.

THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TWO NEW DIRECT ROUTES, A2 AND A3, FROM THE AIRPORT TO CENTRAL AND CAUSEWAY BAY RESPECTIVELY WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING ROUTE 200.

KMB ALSO OPERATES A THIRD ROUTE FROM THE AIRPORT TO TSIM SHA TSUI.

MR LEEDS SAID IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AIRPORT COACH SERVICE HAD BEEN INTRODUCED GRADUALLY SINCE THE END OF LAST YEAR.

IN DECEMBER, THE FIRST OF THE AIR-CONDITIONED COACHES BEGAN SERVICE ON ROUTE 200, AND THE SECOND BATCH OF AIR-CONDITIONED BUSES STARTED TO PLY THE TSIM SHA TSUI ROUTE IN APRIL.

MR LEEDS NOTED THAT WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF AIR-CONDITIONED COACHES AND OTHER MEASURES, PASSENGERS ON THE TWO ROUTES INCREASED BY ALMOST 60 PER CENT OVER THE PAST YEAR.

HE PREDICTED THAT PUBLICITY GIVEN TO THE THREE ROUTES IN MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS AND THE NEW DISTINCTIVE BUS STOPS ALL HELP TO ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO USE THE AIRBUS SERVICE ON THEIR RETURN TRIP TO THE AIRPORT.

REGULATIONS ON SAMPAN OPERATION CLARIFIED *****

THE MARINE DEPARTMENT TODAY CLARIFIED THAT REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE OPERATION OF SAMPANS WHICH HAD BEEN IN FORCE FOR MANY YEARS, HAD REMAINED UNCHANGED.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT STRESSED THAT THESE REGULATIONS, DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS, ALLOWED SAMPANS TO CARRY PASSENGERS INSIDE TYPHOON SHELTERS ONLY.

/+PASIENGER SAFETY