XN000022-1991-11-05 — Page 5

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1991

NEW EMERGENCY TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS ADOPTED

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS PUT INTO EFFECT ITS REVISED TRANSPORT EMERGENCY ARRANGEMENTS, FOLLOWING THE

WITH CONSULTATION TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS.

ACCORDING то THE PRINCIPAL TRANSPORT OFFICER (PUBLIC

MR ALAN TRANSPORT),

LUI SUNG-YEE, THE MAIN

OF OBJECTIVE

THE ARRANGEMENTS ARE TO CO-ORDINATE EFFORTS OF ALL CONCERNED PARTIES

IN ROAD OBSTRUCTION

A DURING PUBLIC TRANSPORT DISRUPTION AND MAJOR BID TO MINIMISE INCONVENIENCE AND BRING RELIEF MEASURES TO THE AFFECTED COMMUTERS AND MOTORISTS.

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (TUESDAY) ΤΟ EXPLAIN THE NEW MEASURES, MR LUI SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD RECENTLY CONDUCTED A SERIES OF SIMULATED EMERGENCY DRILLS AND REVIEW SESSIONS WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS BEFORE ADOPTING THE REVISED ARRANGEMENTS.

COMMUNICATION IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS LOOKED INTO. TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION, MULTIFAX HAS BEEN INTRODUCED FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARTIES INVOLVED.

APART FROM THE NEED FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO MAINTAIN CLOSE CONTACT DURING AN EMERGENCY THROUGH THE USE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY, IT IS OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY TO KEEP THEIR COMMUTERS INFORMED OF THE SITUATION.

THE USE OF PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM AND NOTICES AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF STATION STAFF TO HELP IN CROWD CONTROL COULD HELP TO SOLICIT THE CO-OPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THRONGS OF DISPLACED PASSENGERS.

SUCH AS

PASSENGERS

ΤΟ

AS IN THE CASE OF SERVICE DISRUPTION TO MASS CARRIERS THE KCR AND THE MTR, IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DEMANDING FOR THE AFFECTED

VOLUME OPERATOR TO CATER FOR THE NEED OF THE HUGE

OF CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY.

"IN AN EMERGENCY

TRANSPORT SERVICES, THE

NECESSITATING THE PROVISION OF RELIEF OPERATOR EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM ON HIS SERVICES HAS TO REQUEST OTHER OPERATORS TO. PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ALTERNATIVE RELIEF AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, MR LUI SAID.

H

FOR

UPON BEING NOTIFIED, HE SAID THE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE CHECKING THAT THE RELIEF TRANSPORT SERVICES PROVIDED ARE APPROPRIATE AND ARRANGING FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES IF REQUIRED.

UNDER THE REVISED PROCEDURES, THE "AMBER ALERT" AND "RED ALERT" ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AND WILL COME INTO OPERATION WHEN PUBLIC TRANSPORT EMERGENCY SITUATION DETERIORATES.

"AN AMBER ALERT IS AN EARLY WARNING IN CASE OF AN INCIDENT WHICH COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS DISRUPTION OF SERVICE.

/"A RED