XN000022-1994-06-01 — Page 35

16

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1994

+

LONG

IF THIS EXPERIMENT DID NOT POSE UNDUE OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS, CONSIDERATION COULD BE GIVEN TO EXTENDING THIS ARRANGEMENT OVER WEEKENDS, HE SAID, ADDING THAT PRIVATE TUNNEL OPERATORS HAD ALSO ADVISED TO ADOPT THIS PRACTICE.

BEEN

ONE-

MR BARMA EXPLAINED THAT OTHER OPTIONS SUCH AS IMPOSING A

ALTERNATIVE ROADS WAY SYSTEM AND REQUIRING MOTORISTS TO DRIVE ALONG

THE HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BEFORE BUT WERE NOT VERY PRACTICAL BECAUSE OF TREMENDOUS INCONVENIENCE TO MOTORISTS AND THE LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS INVOLVED.

MR BARMA SAID THE SITUATION WAS REVIEWED FROM TIME TO TIME, THE FOLLOWING PREVENTIVE MEASURES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED:

AND

*

*

ADDITIONAL SPEED PLACING TUNNELS TO ADVISE MOTORISTS;

TO 50 KM REDUCING THE SPEED LIMIT, FROM 70 KM PER HOUR HOUR, WHEN THE ONE-TUBE TWO-WAY SYSTEM IS IN OPERATION;

LIMIT REPEATER SIGNS INSIDE

PER

THE

STRENGTHENING THE ENFORCEMENT OF SPEED SPEED CHECKS;

LIMITS BY

RADAR

THE SURVEILLANCE

OF THE TUNNELS BY PATROL

INTENSIFYING CARS; AND

BROADCASTING MORE FREQUENT MESSAGES ON SAFE DRIVING.

TUBE

OF THE 99 TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS OCCURRED IN TUNNELS WHEN ONE WAS CLOSED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, THERE WERE FIVE FATAL AND 31 SERIOUS ACCIDENTS, RESULTING IN NINE DEATHS AND 54 SERIOUS INJURIES.

0

-

CAUSES OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS EXPLAINED

* *

RECKLESS AND CARELESS DRIVING, SPEEDING AND OVERLOADING HAVE

CAUSED THE MOST ACCIDENTS ON EXPRESSWAYS.

HAIDER

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR BARMA, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ROGER LUK IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR BARMA NOTED THAT APART FROM CONVENTIONAL METHODS, THE POLICE WERE NOW ALSO USING LASER SPEED DETECTORS AND UNMARKED CARS EQUIPPED WITH VIDEO RECORDERS AND SPEED DETECTION DEVICES TO DETECT SPEEDING.

NEW

AS A RESULT OF STEPPED-UP ENFORCEMENT, PARTICULARLY IN THE TERRITORIES, A TOTAL OF 14,145 FIXED PENALTY TICKETS AND SUMMONSES HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 1994.

THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 68 PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH 8,419 FOR THE CORRESPONDING QUARTER IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

/MR BARMA