XN000022-1988-06-08 — Page 4

E

3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1988

THE GOVERNMENT SET OUT TO EVALUATE THESE PROPOSALS AND TO NEGOTIATE A DEAL WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVE OF MAXIMISING THE BENEFIT TO TUNNEL USERS IN THE FORM OF A LOW INITIAL TOLL AND A STABLE TOLL STRUCTURE.

OTHER MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDED A SHORT CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, SOUND ENGINEERING DESIGN, PROVEN CONSTRUCTION METHOD AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCE IN SIMILAR WORKS.

MR LEUNG BELIEVED THAT THE PACKAGE FINALLY ARRIVED AT WAS ONE WHICH CONFORMED THE MOST TO THE FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SET OUT TO ACHIEVE.

HE SAID THAT ONE PARTICULAR

POINT WHICH MERITED SPECIAL

MENTION WAS THE SHORT CONSTRUCTION PERIOD.

"THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED WITHIN 37 MONTHS, ALMOST ONE YEAR BARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED. ON THE BASIS THAT THE COMPANY CAN START WORK IN JULY IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ENACTMENT OF THE ORDINANCE, THE TUNNEL WILL BE OPEN TO PUBLIC USE IN AUGUST 1991," HE SAID.

BILL AIMED AT MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE

THE NOISE CONTROL BILL. 1988 WILL BRING ABOUT MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THR SECOND READING OF THE BILL, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE BILL WAS A CONSOLIDATION OF PIECEMEAL CONTROLS AT PRESENT CONTAINED IN DIFFERENT ORDINANCES, WHILE THE CURRENT SCOPE OF NOISE CONTROL HAD BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED.

THE BILL DEALT WITH FOUR MAIN TYPES OF NOISE:

NOISE FROM DOMESTIC

PREMISES AND PUBLIC PLACES (GENERAL

NEIGHBOURHOOD NOISE);

*

CONSTRUCTION NOISE AND PILING;

NOISE FROM INDUSTRIAL OR COMMERCIAL PREMISES; AND

章 NOISE FROM INDIVIDUAL ITEMS OF PLANT OR EQUIPMENT.

"AT PRESENT, PROVISIONS TO CONTROL GENERAL NEIGHBOURHOOD

++

NOISE

ARE CONTAINED IN THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE, MR CHAMBERS SAID.

"THESE PROVISIONS