XN000022-1994-01-27 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1994

1

WORKING GROUP FORMED TO EXAMINE CAR GROWTH

THE SECRETARY

FOR

TRANSPORT, MR HAIDER BARMA, SAID A SMALL WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN FORMED WITHIN THE TRANSPORT BRANCH AND DEPARTMENT TO EXAMINE PRACTICAL OPTIONS TO CONTROL TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND TO REDUCE CAR GROWTH.

SPEAKING AT A MEET-THE-MEDIA SESSION TODAY (THURSDAY) WHICH WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR RAFAEL HUI AND THE DIRECTOR OF HIGHWAYS, MR H S KWONG, MR BARMA SAID UNDER HIS CHAIRMANSHIP, THE WORKING GROUP WOULD CONSIDER VARIOUS OPTIONS WOULD KEEP TRAFFIC MOVING AND HOPE TO COME TO SOME PROPOSALS WITHIN THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.

THAT

HE SAID: "THE MEDIA HAVE BEEN MOST HELPFUL IN GENERATING DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT AND WE WILL TAKE ACCOUNT OF THESE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY READERS AND IN EDITORIALS."

HAD

TRAFFIC

MR BARMA SAID ALTHOUGH STUDIES SHOWED THAT THE GOVERNMENT MANAGED TO MAINTAIN THE AVERAGE VEHICLE SPEEDS ON THE ROADS, CONDITION WOULD WORSEN STEADILY IF VEHICLES WERE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO GROW AT THE PRESENT RATE OF CLOSE TO 12 PER CENT ANNUALLY.

"IT IS NOT AN EASY DECISION WHEN YOU COME TO A CHOICE OF HOW TO BALANCE THE INTERESTS OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF ROAD USERS AND CAR OWNERS.

"FOR

AND THE OR

EXAMPLE, A METHOD OF INTRODUCING A QUOTA SYSTEM

HAVE то

BY BE FULLY STUDIED. SHOULD IT BE IMPLICATIONS

TENDER BALLOT? WOULD THIS RESULT IN A BLACK MARKET? WHAT ABOUT ESSENTIAL USERS?"

PROPOSALS ABOUT THE ISSUE OF WEEKEND LICENCES AND A BAN ON CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF VEHICLES FROM CERTAIN ROADS AT CERTAIN TIME OF HE THE DAY ARE ALSO OPTIONS. BUT THEY MAY POSE ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS, SAID.

'WE NOTICE THAT THE PUBLIC VIEWS ARE DIVIDED ON HOW TO GO ABOUT REDUCING TRAFFIC CONGESTION."

SOME ARE IN FAVOUR OF TAXING THE ROAD USERS MORE WHILE

TAX. SUGGEST TO DOUBLE OR EVEN TRIPLE THE FIRST REGISTRATION PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED OF RESOLVING THE PROBLEM BY BUILDING MORE AND TUNNELS.

OTHERS

SOME ROADS

"BUT,

AS THE GOVERNOR SAID IN HIS LAST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SESSION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THERE IS A LIMIT TO ROAD BUILDING. IS AND NO MATTER HOW ACTIVE AND IMAGINATIVE OUR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT HOW AMBITIOUS OUR ROAD BUILDING PROGRAMME IS, THERE COMES A POINT WHEN HARD CHOICES AND UNPOPULAR DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE."

BARMA MR

WOULD ALSO PROPOSALS.

BE SOUGHT

ONCE THE WORKING

SAID A STEER WOULD BE SOUGHT FROM THE TRANSPORT LEGCO TRANSPORT PANEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) AND THE VIEWS OF THE

WITH GROUP HAS COME UP

/MEMBERS OF