XN000022-1988-06-01 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1988

"AS A FIRST STEP, ALL SIX-YEAR-OLD LIGHT GOODS VEHICLES 1.9 TONNES, WHICH ACCOUNT FOR OVER 80 PER CENT OF THE LIGHT VEHICLE FLEET, WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE PRIVATE CAR INSPECTION FOR ANNUAL INSPECTION, HE SAID.

BELOW

GOODS

SCHEME

"THE SECOND STEP WILL BE то INSPECT ALL GOODS VEHICLES ANNUALLY WHEN THE NEW KOWLOON BAY VEHICLE INSPECTION CENTRE IS FULLY OPERATIONAL IN 1991."

BUT THERE WAS NO INTENTION AT PRESENT

то CHANGE THE LAW ΤΟ INCREASE PENALTIES AS EXISTING PENALTIES FOR RECKLESS DRIVING WERE ALREADY QUITE SEVERE.

MR LEUNG SAID THAT UNDER THE EXISTING ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE, A PERSON WHO HAD COMMITTED THE OFFENCE WAS LIABLE ON CONVICTION ON INDICTMENT TO A FINE OF $20,000 AND TO IMPRISONMENT FOR THREE YEARS, AND ON SUMMARY CONVICTION TO A FINE OF $10,000 AND ΤΟ IMPRISONMENT FOR 12 MONTHS.

THE

WHERE RECKLESS DRIVING CAUSED THE DEATH OF ANOTHER PERSON, PENALTIES WOULD INCREASE TO A FINE OF $25,000 AND FIVE YEARS IMPRISONMENT ON CONVICTION ON INDICTMENT, AND ON SUMMARY CONVICTION TO A FINE OF $12,500 AND TO IMPRISONMENT FOR TWO YEARS.

IN ADDITION TO THESE PENALTIES, THE OFFENDER SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED IN A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT CONVICTION, AND MIGHT BE DISQUALIFIED IN A FIRST OFFENCE IN SERIOUS CASES.

ALSO, UNDER THE DRIVING OFFENCE POINTS SCHEME, A PERSON FOUND GUILTY OF RECKLESS DRIVING WOULD ATTRACT THE MAXIMUM 10 POINTS.

MONTH

MR LEUNG ADDED THAT THESE MEASURES WERE DISCUSSED LAST WITH THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND WERE SUPPORTED FOR EARLY IMPLEMENTATION.

NEW BORDER CROSSING WILL SOLVE CONGESTION PROBLEMS

A NEW BORDER CROSSING POINT AT LOK MA CHAU, WHICH WILL OPEN EARLY NEXT YEAR, WILL SOLVE CONGESTION PROBLEMS AT VEHICULAR BORDER CROSSING POINTS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON RICHARD LAI, MR BARNES SAID THE CROSSING POINT WAS BEING BUILT JOINTLY WITH THE SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES AND WOULD HAVE A CAPACITY OF 40,000 VEHICLES A DAY.

"BORDER OPENING