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FRIDAY, DECEMPER 1993

* IT REDUCES JOURNEY TIMES, VEHICLE DELAYS AND THE NUMBER OF

STOPS AS TRAFFIC SIGNALS;

SPECIAL SIGNAL TIME PLANS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED TO CATER FOR PARTICULAR EVENTS SUCH AS ACCIDENTS OR ROADWORKS;

"GREEN WAVE" SIGNAL TIME PLANS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED TO PRIORITY TO FIRE ENGINES; AND

GIVE

* SIGNAL EQUIPMENT OPERATION CAN BE CLOSELY MONITORED SO

FAULTS ARE IDENTIFIED AND PROMPTLY RECTIFIED.

THAT

MEMBERS WERE TOLD THAT THE FIRST ATC SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED WEST KOWLOON IN 1977. IT PROVED EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING CONGESTION ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS IN JOURNEY TIME OF ABOUT 30 PER CENT.

SINCE THEN, THE KOWLOON ATC SYSTEM HAS BEEN EXPANDED RENEWAL OF THE SYSTEM IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN 1996.

IN

AND

AND

IT

THE HONG KONG ATC SYSTEM WAS COMPLETED IN 1989. INCORPORATES AN ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC RESPONSIVE CONTROL PACKAGE WHICH WILL ENABLE THE SYSTEM ΤΟ RESPOND INSTANTANEOUSLY ΤΟ CHANGES IN PREVAILING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.

THE SYSTEM FOR TSUEN WAN IS NOW BEING INSTALLED AND IS PROGRAMMED FOR COMPLETION IN 1995. THE SYSTEM FOR SHA TIN IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMMISSIONED BY 1997.

ON THE OPERATION OF THE

MEMBERS WERE GIVEN A DEMONSTRATION SYSTEM AND THEN TAKEN ON A GUIDED TOUR OF THE CENTRE INCLUDING THE COMPUTER ROOM.

ARTIFICIAL REEF PLANTED IN PAK SHA O

AN ARTIFICIAL REEF WAS TODAY (FRIDAY) PLANTED AT PAK SHA 0 IN SAI KUNG UNDER AN EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT (APD) AND UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG'S SWIRE MARINE LABORATORY.

THE REEF, BUILT WITH 1,000 COAL ASH CEMENT BLOCKS, OCCUPIES AN AREA OF 100 SQUARE METRES AND IS TWO METRES HIGH.

IT IS PLACED AT A SITE WITH A DEPTH OF SEVEN METRES OF WATER AT HIGH TIDE AT PAK SHA O, WHERE ONE OF ITS BAYS HOI HA WAN

HAS BEEN EARMARKED FOR HONG KONG'S FIRST MARINE PARK.

— —

AFD'S SENIOR CAPTURE FISHERIES OFFICER, DR PAUL MAK, SAID THE PROJECT AIMED TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ARTIFICIAL REEF AS A FISHERIES RESOURCES ENHANCEMENT AND CONSERVATION DEVICE, AS WELL AS THE FEASIBILITY OF UTILISING FUEL ASH UNDERWATER IN

AN ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY MANNER.

DR MAK POINTED OUT THAT ARTIFICIAL HABITAT TECHNOLOGY HAD BEEN APPLIED IN MANY COUNTRIES WITH CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS. AFD THEREFORE DECIDED TO TEST ITS EFFECT IN LOCAL WATERS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SWIRE MARINE LABORATORY.

/THE STUDIES

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