XN000022-1989-05-31 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1989

"DESPITE HEAVY CONGESTION AT PEAK HOURS, HE SAID, "IT EASIER TO TRAVEL AROUND HONG KONG THAN LONDON. TOKYO AND MANY CITIES."

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HE EXPLAINED THAT THE BASIC PHILOSOPHY OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM WAS THAT THE OPERATION OF DIFFERENT MODES SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR BY PUBLIC CORPORATION OPERATING ON COMMERCIAL PRINCIPLES. WITH THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDING A STATUTORY FRAMEWORK, MONITORING AND CO-ORDINATION.

THE INTER-MODAL CO-ORDINATION POLICY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE BASIS FOR MAINTAINING A BALANCED AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM, MR LEUNG SAID.

"THIS MAINTAINS A GOOD RANGE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES; ENCOURAGES THE USE OF OFF-STREET MODES: KEEPS THE TRAVELLING COST LOW; AND GIVES DUE WEIGHT TO CONSUMER COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE.

"THE POLICY WILL CONTINUE TO BE APPLIED FLEXIBLY ΤΟ MEET CHANGING TRANSPORT DEMANDS AND DEVELOPMENTS,' HE SAID.

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ON ROAD MANAGEMENT, MR LEUNG BELIEVED THAT WITHOUT EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT MEASURES VEHICULAR TRAFFIC WOULD IMPEDE THE SMOOTH FLOW OF GOODS AND SERIOUSLY UNDERMINE THE EFFICIENCY OF ROAD-BASED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES AND HOLD UP EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

ECONOMIC SUCCESS HAD GENERATED AN ENORMOUS DEMAND FOR GOODS MOVEMENTS. THE RAPID GROWTH IN RECENT YEARS OF CROSS BORDER GOODS VEHICLE TRAFFIC IMPOSED FURTHER STRAINS ON THE ROAD NETWORK.

MR LEUNG SAW THE NEED TO MANAGE THE GROWTH OF GOODS VEHICLE TRAFFIC WITHOUT ADVERSELY AFFECTING THE ECONOMY. "AT THE SAME TIME, INCREASING AFFLUENCE GENERATES A NATURAL DEMAND FOR HIGH QUALITY MEANS OF TRAVEL AND CAR OWNERSHIP,' HE SAID.

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"THERE ARE NOW 324,000 LICENSED VEHICLES. OR ABOUT 230 VEHICLES FOR EVERY KILOMETRE OF ROAD, ONE OF THE HIGHEST DENSITIES OF TRAFFIC ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

"WE HAVE MORE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES PER KILOMETRE OF ROAD THAN MOST OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE TOTAL VEHICLES PER KILOMETRE

"THE TOTAL PATRONAGE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS FAST APPROACHING 10 MILLION BOARDINGS PER DAY.

"YET MOST OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE CONCENTRATED INTO A BUILT-UP AREA OF LESS THAN 100 SQUARE KILOMETRES; MUCH OF THIS CONTAINS SOME OF THE HIGHEST DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN THE WORLD.'

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THE GREEN PAPER SET OUT A WIDE RANGE OF POSSIBLE MEASURES TO ACHIEVE MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF ROAD SPACE BY GIVING PRIORITY ΤΟ THE MORE EFFICIENT AND ESSENTIAL ROAD USERS. AND MANAGING TRAVEL DEMAND TO A LEVEL WITH WHICH THE ROAD SYSTEM COULD COPE.

/MR LEUNG