XN000022-1990-05-10 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1990

HE BELIEVED THE ANSWER LAY IN THE WIDER USE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND THIS WOULD BE HIS TARGET FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

MR SIU BEGAN THE MEET-THE-MEDIA SESSION, ASSISTED BY THE DIRECTORATE OF THE DEPARTMENT, BY GIVING AN OVER-VIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK, AND HE UNVEILED SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL

INNOVATIONS WHICH MIGHT HELP TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THE 1990'S.

DURING THE PAST YEAR, MR SIU SAID, THE DEPARTMENT HAD HELPED MAP OUT THE PLANS FOR DEVELOPING HONG KONG'S TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE 1990'S AND THE 21ST CENTURY BY PROVIDING THE DATA BASE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S WHITE PAPER "MOVING INTO THE 21ST CENTURY" PUBLISHED IN JANUARY THIS YEAR.

"AS REGARDS REGIONAL TRANSPORT PLANNING, OUR STUDIES COVERED MANY ROAD NETWORKS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS, HE SAID.

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"DURING 1989, THE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED STUDIES ON THE REQUIREMENT OF CROSS HARBOUR PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES FOLLOWING THE OPENING OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR TUNNEL.

"WE ALSO STUDIED THE NEED FOR TRANSPORT INTERCHANGES IN THE URBAN AREA FOR LONG DISTANCE BUS SERVICES TO THE NEW TOWNS, AND CROSS BORDER COACH SERVICES.

"AS REGULATORS, THE DEPARTMENT OVERSEES THE OPERATION OF THE VARIOUS MODES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT WHICH MOVE SOME 90 PER CENT OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC IN HONG KONG EVERY DAY.'

MR SIU SAID THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUED ΤΟ APPRAISE PLANS SUBMITTED BY FRANCHISED PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPANIES,

ROUTES.

DEVELOPMENT

ONE MAJOR TASK BEGUN LAST YEAR WAS THE RATIONALISATION OF BUS

THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO FIND OUT IF THE PRESENT ROUTES WERE STILL EFFICIENT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC AND OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT COMPANY PROVIDING THE SERVICE.

"THE FIRST AREAS WE COVERED WERE SHA TIN, TAI PO AND THE NORTH. WORK ON THIS AREA WILL BE COMPLETED IN JULY 1990, HE SAID.

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ANOTHER AREA ON WHICH THE DEPARTMENT HAD FOCUSSED WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A POSITIVE RELATION BETWEEN A TRANSPORT SERVICE OPERATOR AND ITS CUSTOMERS.

"WE HAVE ENCOURAGED EACH OPERATOR TO ENLARGE ITS CONTACT WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PASSENGERS THEY SERVE, WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING SERVICES, SEEKING INNOVATIONS AND NURTURING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ASPIRATIONS AND NEEDS OF BOTH PARTIES, HE ADDED.

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/ON BUS