XN000022-1988-05-04 — Page 39

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1988

THE GOVERNMENT WOULD LET PRIVATE COMPANIES OR CORPORATIONS OPERATING ON PRUDENT COMMERCIAL PRINCIPLES RUN THESE SERVICES, UNDER GENERAL REGULATORY FRAMEWORK BUT WITH MINIMUM BUREAUCRATIC INTERFERENCE OR CONTROL.

A

HE SAID: "AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE AN INTER-MODAL CO-ORDINATING POLICY WHICH AIMS AT MAXIMISING THE USE OF THE MASS CARRIERS AS THE MORE EFFICIENT ROAD USERS, ENCOURAGING THE USE OF OFF-STREET MODES, ENSURING AS WIDE A GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF SERVICES, REMOVING UNNECESSARY AND THEREFORE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES, AND KEEPING FARES AS LOW AS

CONSISTENT WITH COMMERCIAL VIABILITY.

"THERE

IS

POSSIBLE

ALSO MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY, WITHIN EXISTING

ARRANGEMENT, IN ADJUSTING SERVICES TO CHANGING NEEDS.

"EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT THE INTER-MODAL CO-ORDINATION POLICY HAS WORKED WELL AND HAS ACHIEVED THE RIGHT BALANCE OF SERVICES, WITH CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES, THE POLICY CAN BE FURTHER REFINED BUT ITS OVERALL AIM REMAINS VALID.'

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TURNING ΤΟ THE USE OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES TO ENSURE THE MOST ECONOMIC USE OF LIMITED ROAD SPACE, MR LEUNG SAID THERE WERE THREE OBVIOUS AREAS WHERE THESE TECHNIQUES WERE APPLIED: TUNNELS, DISTRICT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT STUDIES AND OTHER TRAFFIC ENGINEERING MEASURES.

WOULD CONGESTION

IN REGARD TO TUNNELS. HE STRESSED THAT IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE TO BE MADE TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM RELIEF OF TRAFFIC AT LION ROCK TUNNEL.

NOTING THAT THE CONSULTANTS' LATEST REPORT ON IMPROVING TRAFFIC FLOW AT LION ROCK TUNNEL HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION, HE SAID STUDIES WERE ALSO IN HAND TO RELIEVE CONGESTION AT THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL, AND A REPORT WAS EXPECTED IN JULY.

ON DISTRICT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT STUDIES WHICH PROVIDED BASIS FOR LOCAL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND ENGINEERING WORKS, HE MAIN STUDIES COMPLETED OR IN PROGRESS INCLUDED THE TSIM SHA STUDY, STUDIES IN EAST KOWLOON AND NORTH WEST KOWLOON, AND STUDIES WESTERN DISTRICT ON HONG KONG ISLAND.

THE

SAID

TSUI IN

THE RESULTS PROVIDED A BASIS FOR INTRODUCING SUCH PRACTICAL MEASURES AS TRAFFIC ENGINEERING SCHEMES, FLYOVERS, PEDESTRIAN FOOTBRIDGES OR SUBWAYS TO EASE TRAFFIC FLOW.

HE SAID THE EFFECTS OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING MEASURES WERE CUMULATIVE AND OFTEN LOCALISED, AND HENCE LESS DRAMATIC.

/THEY RANGED.