XN000022-1988-06-21 — Page 6

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1988

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TAC CONSIDERS MEASURES TO EASE TUNNEL CONGESTION

THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) TODAY (TUESDAY) DISCUSSED THE MEASURES IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT OF THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL TRAFFIC STUDY FOR ALLEVIATING TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT THE APPROACHES TO THE TUNNEL BEFORE THE OPENING OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING NEXT YEAR.

MEMBERS NOTED THAT TUNNEL THROUGHPUT COULD NOT BE INCREASED BY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES AND THAT THERE WAS ONLY LIMITED SCOPE FOR INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF CROSS HARBOUR VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICES TO HELP RELIEVE CONGESTION AT THE TUNNEL.

TUNNEL

REPORT

IN VIEW OF THE SERIOUS EFFECT OF TRAFFIC QUEUES AT THE ON OTHER TRAFFIC USING THE SAME ROADS, MEMBERS AGREED WITH THE THAT MEASURES SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED TO SEPARATE NON-TUNNEL TRAFFIC FROM TUNNEL TRAFFIC.

AS FRANCHISED BUSES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT AND EFFICIENT CARRIERS OF PASSENGERS THROUGH THE TUNNEL, THE TAC AGREED THAT MEASURES SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO IMPROVE THEIR OPERATION.

THESE INCLUDED BUS ROUTE DIVERSIONS, RELOCATION OF CROSS HARBOUR BUS STOPS ON CHATHAM ROAD, AS WELL AS THE WIDENING OF THE LAYBY OUTSIDE THE TOLL PLAZA, PROVISION OF NON-STOP AND SHUTTLE SERVICES AND BUS ONLY TOLL BOOTH.

BUS BUS

IN CONSIDERING THE TOLL MEASURES, MEMBERS LOOKED INTO A RANGE OF OPTIONS INCLUDING A GENERAL TOLL INCREASE, DIFFERENTIAL TOLLS BY VEHICLE TYPE AND DIFFERENTIAL TOLL BY TIME PERIOD.

AT TODAY'S MEETING, NO DECISIONS WERE MADE ON THE TOLL MEASURES. MEMBERS REQUESTED FURTHER INFORMATION FOR DISCUSSION THE NEXT TAC MEETING ON JULY 4 IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT A DECISION.

AT

ON

ON OTHER AGENDA ITEMS, MEMBERS WERE BRIEFED ON THE PROGRESS THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES BEFORE AND AFTER THE MTR FARE REVISIONS IN MAY.

t

THE TAC ACCEPTED IN PRINCIPLE AN APPLICATION BY THE NEW LANTAU BUS COMPANY FOR A TWO-YEAR EXTENSION OF ITS FRANCHISE FROM MARCH 31, 1993 TO MARCH 31, 1995.

IN MAKING THE DECISION, MEMBERS CONSIDERED THE PERFORMANCE THE COMPANY AND FELT THAT IT HAD CONTINUED TO IMPROVE ITS PERFORMANCE OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS AND HAD MADE PROGRESS IN OBTAINING DEPOT AT MUI WO TO PROVIDE IMPROVED MAINTENANCE FACILITIES.

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