XN000022-1992-07-01 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1992

THE

ONE ALTERNATIVE WAS TO RESTRICT THE AREAS AND TIMES IN WHICH VEHICLES CAN OPERATE.

HOWEVER, THIS REQUIRES STRICT ENFORCEMENT AND PUTS AN ADDED AND UNNECESSARY BURDEN ON THE POLICE.

"ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLES HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS SO FAR, THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD THEIR BRIGHTLY LIT DISPLAYS CAN AND DO DISTRACT OTHER DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS," HE SAID.

HE

POINTED OUT THAT THESE VEHICLES HAD ALREADY BEEN BANNED IN OTHER SIMILARLY CONGESTED BIG CITIES, INCLUDING SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK.

UNDER THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION, THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT WILL STILL BE ABLE TO ISSUE PERMITS FOR THE DISPLAY OF NON COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING, INCLUDING ELECTION CAMPAIGNS.

"EXISTING OPERATORS WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO USE THEIR VEHICLES UNTIL THEIR CURRENT PERMITS EXPIRE, HE SAID.

T

MR LEUNG ALSO SAID THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS HAD ADVISED THAT A BAN ON ADVERTISING VEHICLES WOULD NOT CONFLICT WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

MORE ACCURATE ESTIMATES POSSIBLE AFTER FINALISATION

OF AIRPORT MASTER PLAN

THE INCREASE IN THE LATEST ESTIMATED CAPITAL COST OF THE NEW AIRPORT OVER THAT IN JULY LAST YEAR RESULTS FROM THE MORE ACCURATE ESTIMATE OF COSTS WHICH HAS BECOME POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE FINALISATION THE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN, WHEN REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MRS CHAN SAID MAJOR MASTER PLANNING AND ENGINEERING ISSUES HAD BEEN RESOLVED: THE LOCATION OF THE PASSENGER TERMINAL AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE HAD BEEN SETTLED AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FILL RESOURCES MUD DISPOSAL SITES FOR SITE PREPARATION WORKS HAD BEEN DETERMINED.

AND

THE SECRETARY SAID THE COST ESTIMATES OF $43.6 BILLION GIVEN IN JULY LAST YEAR AND OF $46.3 BILLION GIVEN IN APRIL THIS YEAR WERE BOTH IN MARCH 1991 PRICES AND WERE BASED ON THE CURRENT APPROVED MASTER PLAN.

/"THIS MASTER