SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 1994
GOOD PROGRESS MADE IN PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED
THE TRANSPORT
A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN PUT IN BY THE GOVERNMENT, OPERATORS AND THE DISABLED GROUPS IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF DISABLED PERSONS TO MOVE AROUND AT WILL, AND CONSIDERABLE ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE, THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR RAFAEL HUI, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE RI-ICTA REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON ACCESS AND TRANSPORT HELD AT THE HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, MR HUI SAID THE GOVERNOR HELD A SUMMIT MEETING IN DECEMBER 1992 WITH DISABLED GROUPS AND TRANSPORT OPERATORS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE TRANSPORT NEEDS OF DISABLED PERSONS, AND TO IMPROVE FACILITIES FOR THEM.
TRANSPORT
IN EARLY 1993, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SET UP A WORKING GROUP TO CO-ORDINATE IMPROVEMENTS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES FOR DISABLED PERSONS. AS A RESULT OF DISCUSSIONS AND A NUMBER OF ACCESS TRIALS FOR DISABLED PERSONS ON VARIOUS MODES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP BY BACH OF THE MAJOR TRANSPORT OPERATORS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
MR HUI SAID THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION HAS AGREED TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF THE DISABLED IN THE DESIGN OF THE NEW AIRPORT RAILWAY, AS WELL AS TO INTRODUCE FACILITIES FOR DISABLED PERSONS ON ITS EXISTING SYSTEM AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE.
EVEN THOUGH BOTH THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY AND THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT ARE ALREADY RELATIVELY ACCESSIBLE
ΤΟ DISABLED PERSONS, THE KCRC HAS CONTINUED TO TAKE NEW INITIATIVES TO MAKE ITS SERVICES MORE USER-FRIENDLY TO DISABLED PERSONS.
"GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE DISABLED GROUPS ARE HAPPY WITH THE PROGRESS MADE BY THE TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND THEIR PLANS FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS, ALTHOUGH THEY FEEL THAT THERE IS ROOM FOR MORE POSITIVE ACTION ON THE PART OF THE BUS OPERATORS, ESPECIALLY IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF WHEELCHAIR USERS," MR HUI SAID.
"BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY TRAFFIC ON HONG KONG'S ROADS, THE CROWDED CONDITIONS ON ITS BUSES, THE HIGH FREQUENCY AND NUMBER OF SERVICES AND THE GENERALLY LIMITED SPACING AT BUS STOPS, THERE ARE REAL OBSTACLES FOR BUS OPERATORS TO DRASTICALLY AND QUICKLY CHANGE THEIR VEHICLES TO FULLY ACCOMMODATE THE TRANSPORT NEEDS OF ALL TYPES OF DISABLED PERSONS.
"NEVERTHELESS, THE BUS OPERATORS HAVE AGREED TO INCORPORATE IN THEIR NEW BUS FLEET THE SPECIAL FACILITIES FOR DISABLED PERSONS RECOMMENDED BY THE DISABLED PERSONS TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN THE UK, HE ADDED.
THIS
STARTING APRIL 1993, DISABLED DRIVERS HAVE BEEN EXEMPTED FROM PAYMENT OF GOVERNMENT TUNNEL TOLLS. CONCESSIONS SUCH AS EXEMPTION FROM FIRST AND DRIVING LICENCE FEES, DUTY ON FUEL PASSAGE TAX.
IS ADDITIONAL ΤΟ REGISTRATION TAX, VEHICLE AND CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL
/IN LATE
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