XN000022-1988-07-07 — Page 7

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 1988

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DIFFERENTIAL TOLL;

OWING TO TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, IT IS NOT EASY ΤΟ IMPOSE A DIFFERENTIAL TOLL SYSTEM IN THE WAY THAT THE TAC WOULD REGARD AS FAIR AND EFFICIENT.

THE PROPOSED TOLL MEASURE PACKAGE WAS INTENDED ONLY FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT NINE MONTHS, FROM OCTOBER 1988. THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING WOULD BE COMPLETED IN MID TO LATE 1989 AND MEMBERS CONSIDERED IT UNDESIRABLE THAT THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC AND THE TUNNEL COMPANY SHOULD HAVE TO ADJUST THEMSELVES TO COMPLICATED TOLL MEASURES FOR A COMPARATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WOULD GIVE A DETAILED BRIEFING TOMORROW (FRIDAY) ON A TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PACKAGE TO TRY ΤΟ SEPARATE TUNNEL AND NON-TUNNEL TRAFFIC TO REDUCE THE CONGESTION. CAUSED IN THE DISTRICTS SURROUNDING THE TUNNEL ENTRANCES.

HARBOUR

THE DEPARTMENT WOULD ALSO SEEK TO INTRODUCE MORE CROSS TUNNEL BUSES INTO SERVICE, ALTHOUGH THE RELIEF THAT THIS COULD BRING SHOULD NOT BE OVER-ESTIMATED.

OTHER MEASURES ΤΟ IMPROVE THE SITUATION INCLUDED REDUCING CONFLICTING AND MERGING TRAFFIC AT TUNNEL APPROACHES WHICH CAUSED DELAYS, AND PUBLICISING TUNNEL AND FERRY TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THROUGH BROADCASTING.

THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WOULD TAKE URGENT ACTION TO IMPLEMENT THESE MEASURES.

THE TAC ACCEPTED THAT THE STUDY REPORT ON CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL TRAFFIC AND ITS PROJECTION THAT AN INCREASE OF 10 PER CENT OF TUNNEL TRAFFIC WOULD CAUSE AN INCREASE OF 50 PER CENT IN QUEUE LENGTH.

THEREFORE WAITING TIME WOULD BE PROLONGED AND THERE WOULD BE SOME ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE LOCAL TRAFFIC SITUATION AT WAN CHAI AND TSIM SHA TSUI AREAS.

IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE PROPOSED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT L'ACKAGE COULD NOT ACTUALLY REDUCE THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC USING THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL OR INCREASE THE TUNNEL THROUGHPUT, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE URGED TO SWITCH TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

IT MUST ВЕ RECOGNISED THAT SIGNIFICANT RELIEF OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION ('OULD NOT BE BROUGHT ABOUT UNTIL THE OPENING OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING AND MOTORISTS WOULD HAVE TO BE PATIENT.

THE TAC RECOGNISED THAT IN NOT INTRODUCING A TOLL INCREASE WOULD CREATE A VERY STRONG SUPPRESSED TRAFFIC DEMAND WHICH WOULD RELEASED WHEN THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING WAS OPENED.

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