XN000022-1991-09-09 — Page 8

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9,

1991

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A GOVERNMENT/CONTAINER TERMINAL OPERATORS COMMITTEE TO BR SET UP TO DISCUSS AND CO-ORDINATE ALL MATTERS RELATED TO

THE OPERATION OF CONTAINER TERMINALS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND

THE OPERATORS ΤΟ BE ENCOURAGED ΤΟ DESIGN AN APPROPRIATE

APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CONTAINER ACTIVITIES.

THE ABOVE MEASURES WILL BE PURSUED AT A FURTHER INTER-DEPARTMENTAL MEETING INVOLVING ALL THE TERMINAL OPERATORS LATER IN THE MONTH.

TAC ALSO CONSIDERED THAT CLOSE LIAISON BETWEEN TERMINAL OPERATORS AND THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY WOULD HELP ΤΟ PROVIDE THE OPERATORS WITH UP-TO-DATE WEATHER INFORMATION FOR PLANNING THEIR OPERATIONS AHEAD AND FORMULATING CONTINGENCY MEASURES.

ON THE CONGESTION PROBLEM OF THE MTR NATHAN ROAD CORRIDOR, TAC WAS TOLD THAT ALTOGETHER NINE NEW BUS ROUTES HAD BEEN INTRODUCED SINCE MAY THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE COMMUTERS WHO MAY USE THE MTR NATHAN ROAD CORRIDOR WITH ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT SERVICES DURING THE

THE PEAK

HOURS.

ACCORDING TO

SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE TWO FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES IN JUNE AND JULY, ROUTES 300 AND 301 HAVE EXTRACTED ABOUT 2,400 PASSENGERS FROM THE MTR BETWEEN 7.45 AM AND 9 AM ON AN AVERAGE WORKING DAY.

TAC ALSO NOTED THAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WAS PLANNING FOR A NATHAN ROAD CORRIDOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT STUDY (NACOPTS) TO EXAMINE THE NEED FOR AND PROVISION OF ALTERNATIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT ALONG THE MTR NATHAN ROAD CORRIDOR UP TO THE COMPLETION OF THE AIRPORT RAILWAY.

NACOPTS WILL LOOK AT THE PLANNING OF ROAD-BASED PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND FERRY SERVICES TO HELP RELIEVE DEMAND ON THE NATHAN ROAD CORRIDOR, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE POTENTIAL GROWTH IN TRAVEL DEMAND, AND THE RELIEF MEASURES LIKELY TO BE TAKEN BY THE MTRC.

THE STUDY IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE LATER THIS COMPLETION COMPLETION IN ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS' TIME.

MONTH

FOR

AT THE MEETING, TAC WAS ALSO BRIEFED ON THE AWARD OF FRANCHISE TO CITYBUS LIMITED FOR A BUS SERVICE BETWEEN MACDONNELL CENTRAL.

ROAD AND

TAC ALSO NOTED THE CONSUMER COUNCIL'S RECENT SUGGESTION of CLOSER MONITORING AND CONSULTATION OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES, INCLUDING PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCHEME OF CONTROL. THE VIEWS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN GREATER DETAIL BY THE TAC PROBABLY AT ITS NEXT MEETING.

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