XN000022-1993-01-13 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1993

+

BILL TO TACKLE OVERLOADED GOODS VEHICLES INTRODUCED

THE

INTO

THE

A BILL SEEKING TO PROVIDE MORE STRINGENT MEASURES AGAINST OWNERS OF OVERLOADED GOODS VEHICLES WAS INTRODUCED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT} (NO. 4) BILL 1992, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID DESPITE VIGOROUS ENFORCEMENT ACTION BY THE POLICE, THE NUMBER OF OVERLOADING OFFENCES INVOLVING GOODS VEHICLES HAD INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY IN RECENT YEARS, FROM AN AVERAGE OF 1,820 A MONTH IN 1989 TO 2,770 A MONTH IN THE FIRST HALF OF LAST YEAR.

"OVERLOADING POSES A SERIOUS RISK TO ROAD SAFETY DAMAGES ROAD SURFACES THUS SHORTENING THEIR LIFE SPAN.

AND SEVERELY

"50 FAR ONLY DRIVERS HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED FOR OVERLOADING OFFENCES, BUT SOME DRIVERS CLAIM THAT THEY ARE FORCED BY GOODS VEHICLE OWNERS TO COMMIT THE OFFENCE, HE SAID.

THE BILL EMPOWERS THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL TO MAKE REGULATIONS IMPOSING STRICT LIABILITY ON OWNERS OF OVERLOADED GOODS VEHICLES UNLESS THEY CAN PROVE THAT THE OFFENCE WAS COMMITTED WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT AND THAT THEY HAD TAKEN REASONABLE MEASURES TO PREVENT THE OVERLOADING.

MR LEUNG SAID IT WAS ALSO INTENDED TO INCREASE THE FIXED PENALTY FINE FOR VEHICLE OVERLOADING FROM $450 TO $1,000 BY A RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE BILL ALSO EMPOWERS THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL TO

ΤΟ MAKE REGULATIONS REQUIRING THE DISPLAY OF DRIVERS' IDENTITY PLATES IN PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES SUCH AS PUBLIC BUSES, PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES AND TAXIS.

"INITIALLY, IT IS INTENDED THAT ONLY TAXIS SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THIS REQUIREMENT SO AS TO HELP CURB THE RISING TREND OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST TAX] DRIVER MALPRACTICES AND ΤΟ ENCOURAGE GREATER SELF- DISCIPLINE IN THE TAXI TRADE," HE SAID.

THE IDENTITY PLATES WOULD BE IN A SPECIFIED FORM, BEARING THE NAME AND PHOTOGRAPH OF THE TAXI DRIVER.

THE BILL INCLUDES TWO AMENDMENTS THAT SEEK TO DELEGATE FROM THE GOVERNOR TO THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT THE AUTHORITY TO SPECIFY THE AGE OF VEHICLES TO BE EXAMINED BEFORE LICENSING AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXAMINATION OF VEHICLE TRAILERS TO ENSURE THEIR ROADWORTHINESS.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

0

—

/5