XN000022-1988-08-04 — Page 6

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1988

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COOKSEY MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT LRT ACCIDENTS

THE UK DEPUTY CHIEF RAILWAY INSPECTING OFFICER, MR ALAN COOKSEY, MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOLLOWING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE JULY 25 FATAL ACCIDENT INVOLVING A LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE AND A VAN.

MR COOKSKY WAS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT ON JULY 26 ΤΟ LEAD AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE ACCIDENT. НЕ WAS ASSISTED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, MR CHENG HON-KWAN, AND AN EXPERT IN FRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS, MR BRIAN HARBORD.

IN HIS REPORT SUBMITTED ΤΟ THE CHIEF SECRETARY YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY), MR COOKSBY SAID: "THE INTENSIVE TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION AND TESTS OF THE SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOUND NO FAULT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

IT WAS ESTABLISHED WITHOUT ANY DOUBT THAT GREEN LIGHTS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISPLAYED SIMULTANEOUSLY TO BOTH THE ROAD VEHICLE DRIVER AND THE LRV DRIVER.

"THE ACCIDENT MUST, THEREFORE, HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ERROR ON THE PART OF ONE OR BOTH OF THE DRIVERS. THERE

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HOWEVER, INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH WITHOUT REASONABLE DOUBT WHICH DRIVER WAS PRIMARILY AT FAULT.

IN HIS REPORT, MR COOKSEY MADE THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS:

* IT IS CONSIDERED PRUDENT THAT THE TRAINING AND ABILITY OF ALL

LRV DRIVERS SHOULD BE REVIEWED.

* IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SECONDARY SIGNAL AT THE JUNCTION BETWEEN PING HA ROAD AND CASTLE PEAK ROAD WHERE THE FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BE EITHER REPOSITIONED TO THE LEFT OF CASTLE PEAK ROAD OR, AT LEAST, A SET OF RIGHT TURN SIGNALS BE PROVIDED ALONGSIDE IT.

* IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT ANY SIMILAR SITUATIONS, WHICH MAY EXIST AT OTHER JUNCTIONS, BR IDENTIFIRD AND THE NECESSARY ACTION TAKEN.

* IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT WHEN MAJOR AND COMPLICATED CHANGES ARE MADE TO ROAD JUNCTIONS MORE EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO ADVISE AND HELP THE ROAD USERS.

* MORE IMPORTANTLY, ACTION IS NEEDED AT THE JUNCTION FOR SOME TIME AFTER SUCH CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO IDENTIFY INCORPECT BEHAVIOUR BY MOTORISTS AND TO ADVISE THEM OF THEIR ERRORS AND WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE. THE POLICE HAVE AN IMPORTANT PREVENTATIVE ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS.

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GIVEN

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* IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT CONSIDERATION

REQUIRING THE FITTING AND WEARING OF SEAT BRLTS ON LIGHT GOODS VEHICLES.

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