XN000022-1988-01-13 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1988

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PUBLIC SAFETY ENSURED IN ROAD EXCAVATION WORKS

ABOUT 1.100 ROAD EXCAVATION WORKS ARE IN PROGRESS THROUGHOUT TERRITORY AT ANY ONE TIME AND EACH TAKES AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 40 DAYS TO COMPLETE.

THE

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHAN YING-LUN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON GRAHAM BARNES, SAID: "EXTENSIONS OF TIME FOR COMPLETION OF THE WORKS ARE NORMALLY GRANTED TO THE CONTRACTOR WHERE EVENTS OCCUR WHICH DELAY THE PROGRESS OF THE WORKS, AND WHICH ARE OUTSIDE THE CONTROL OF THE CONTRACTOR.

"THE PERMITTEES ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS EXTENSIONS GIVING JUSTIFICATIONS FOR SO DOING.

"I

FOR

'THESE INCLUDE ADDITIONAL OR EXTRA WORKS ORDERED AFTER WORKS HAVE COMMENCED, INCLEMENT WEATHER AND THE EFFECTS THEREOF, DELAYS ΤΟ WORKS BY OTHER PARTIES, SPECIAL TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS, ETC, MR BARNES SAID.

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EXTENSIONS PROCESSED

SUCH EXPLANATIONS WERE CAREFULLY SCRUTINISED BEFORE WERE GRANTED BY THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT, WHICH RECEIVED AND AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 100 APPLICATIONS FOR EXCAVATION PERMITS EACH DAY.

TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY, PROPER LIGHTING, SIGNING AND GUARDING WERE REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED BY THE PERMITTEES IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING REGULATIONS, MR BARNES ADDED.

"IN ADDITION, HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATES WITH THE POLICE IN JOINT SITE INSPECTIONS OF THE STANDARD OF LIGHTING AND GUARDING ON ALL ROADWORKS. NON-COMPLIANCE WOULD RESULT IN PROSECUTION BY THE POLICE UNDER THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE.

H

HE WARNED THAT ORGANISATIONS UNDERTAKING EXCAVATION WORKS MIGHT BE HELD LIABLE FOR NEGLIGENCE SHOULD THEY FAIL TO TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTION TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEY MIGHT BE ORDERED TO PAY DAMAGES IN THE EVENT OF INJURY TO A PEDESTRIAN,

0

NEW BOO UNIT REMOVES DANGEROUS SIGNS

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NEARLY 1,500 PRECARIOUSLY DANGLING SIGNS HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY A NEW UNIT THE DANGEROUS SIGNS UNIT - SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT LAST APRIL UNDER THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE OF THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT.

AND

WORKS, THE HON HILTON

THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS HON GRAHAM BARNES, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE CHEONG-LEEN, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

ABOUT 440 A FURTHER SIZES, SOME

MR BARNES SAID THE NEW UNIT, IN ADDITION TO REMOVING ABANDONED SIGNS, HAD ALSO CAUSED THE VOLUNTARY REMOVAL OF 1,000 POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIGNS OF VARIOUS SHAPES AND OF WHICH PROTRUDED INTO THE ROAD.

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