XN000022-1992-06-03 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1992

"THE GOODS VEHICLE TRADE HAS ALREADY RAISED STRONG OBJECTIONS GOVERNMENT GIVING PRIORITY TO PRIVATE CARS WHILST DISCRIMINATING AGAINST GOODS VEHICLES WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE ECONOMY.

ΤΟ

"ON THE OTHER HAND, LIMITING HEAVY GOODS TRAFFIC ΤΟ CERTAIN ROADS AT CERTAIN TIMES IS NOT UNCOMMON ON TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT GROUNDS, AND WE SHALL RE-EXAMINE THIS OPTION IN MORE DETAIL.

MR LEUNG SAID THE GOVERNMENT INTEND TO AMEND THE ROAD ORDINANCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE ANOMALY OF BEING FOR GOODS VEHICLE OVER 24 TONNES OR WITH MORE THAN TWO AXLES THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL RATHER THAN EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING.

TRAFFIC CHEAPER TO USE

MR LEUNG STRESSED THAT IT WOULD BE A LAST RESORT THAT ONLY AFTER ALL OTHER MEASURES HAD BEEN TRIED SHOULD RAISING THE PASSAGE TAX AT THE TUNNEL BE CONSIDERED.

"DESPITE ITS UNPOPULARITY, THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS TAX IN 1984 AND THERE EFFECTIVELY REDUCED TUNNEL TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS, WAS ONLY ONE TUNNEL AT THAT TIME.

"IF THE PASSAGE TAX FOR PRIVATE CARS WERE RAISED FROM $5 TO $15 DURING PEAK

IF GOODS

WE HOURS AND

VEHICLES WERE RE-CLASSIFIED, ESTIMATE SOME 19,000 VEHICLES PER DAY WOULD STOP USING THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL. OF THIS NUMBER, ABOUT 12,000 WOULD DIVERT TO THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING.

TO FACILITATE PUBLIC TRANSPORT, MR LEUNG SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO CONSIDERING REMOVING THE PASSAGE TAX COMPLETELY FROM BUSES AND MINI-BUSES.

RENT DECONTROL WILL ONLY AFFECT SOME PEOPLE

**

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PREMISES TO BE AFFECTED BY THE PHASING OUT OF RENT CONTROL BY THE END OF 1994 WILL CONSTITUTE ONLY ABOUT 4% OF ALL PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL FLATS, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.

TENANT

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE LANDLORD AND (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992, MR SUEN SAID THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES ON THE CONSUMER PRICE INFLATION WOULD BE INSIGNIFICANT.

"WE DO NOT CONSIDER THAT THE DECONTROL OF RENTS WILL AFFECT THE LOCAL RENTAL MARKET IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY," HE ADDED.

BE

THE BILL PROVIDES FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A SERIES OF GRADATED STATUTORY RENT CEILINGS WHICH WILL ENABLE PERMITTED RENTS TO BROUGHT CLOSE TO PREVAILING MARKET RENTS BY THE END OF 1994 TIME RENT CONTROLS WILL LAPSE.

AT WHICH

/BUT MR