XN000022-1988-01-13 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1988

EFFORTS TO INFORM PUBLIC OF TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS

BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS, EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THE NEW TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR LEUNG, REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE SAID TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS WERE REQUIRED FOR ROAD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT.

THE

IN PLANNING ANY TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS, ONE MINIMISE INCONVENIENCE TO

PEDESTRIANS, TRANSPORT USERS.

HON MRS PAULINE NG, WORKS OR TO IMPROVE

MAIN OBJECTIVE

WAS TO

DRIVERS AND PUBLIC

PUBLICITY WOULD VARY

PROJECT,

HE SAID THE METHOD AND EXTENT OF THE DEPENDING UPON THE SCALE OF THE DIVERSION, THE TIMING OF THE AND THE NUMBER OF ROAD USERS LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED.

"FOR A MAJOR SCHEME INVOLVING AREA-WIDE TRAFFIC AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT DIVERSIONS SUCH AS A MAJOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OR ROAD CLOSURES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, A PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AND PLANS DISTRIBUTED TO THE MEDIA GIVING FULL DETAILS OF THE TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS," HE SAID.

"IN MOST CASES, THE RELEVANT DISTRICT BOARDS OR THEIR TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEES WILL BE CONSULTED OR BRIEFED.

"FOR MINOR DIVERSION SCHEMES, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WILL ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE AND A SPOKESMAN WILL BE AVAILABLE ΤΟ ANSWER MEDIA OR PUBLIC ENQUIRIES HE SAID.

"FURTHERMORE, MR LEUNG CONTINUED, "TRAFFIC MEASURES INVOLVING THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF A ROAD TO TRAFFIC FOR A PERIOD EXCEEDING 72 HOURS ARE REQUIRED UNDER THE ROAD TRAFFIC (TRAFFIC CONTROL) REGULATIONS TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE, OR IN ONE ISSUE OF AT LEAST ONE ENGLISH AND ONE CHINESE NEWSPAPER.

AT

"IN EMERGENCIES REQUIRING TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS IMMEDIATELY OR VERY SHORT NOTICE, IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO GIVE SUFFICIENT ADVANCE NOTICE.

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IN THOSE CASES, EVERY EFFORT IS MADE EMERGENCY ARRANGEMENTS THROUGH THE MEDIA, HE SAID.

שיד

PUBLICISE THE

MR LEUNG NOTED THAT IN ALL CASES FULL COVERAGE WAS GIVEN BY THE MEDIA SO THAT ANY INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC WAS REDUCED TO THE MINIMUM,

"ALL RADIO STATIONS HAVE DAILY AND VERY OFTEN HOURLY PROGRAMMES UPDATING THE PUBLIC ON THE LATEST TRAFFIC SITUATION AND ANY SPECIAL TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THESE PROGRAMMES, HE SAID.

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