XN000022-1995-03-03 — Page 4

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Improvements to Castle Peak Road from Siu Lam to So Kwun Wat ($282 million);

Improvements to Victoria Road ($122 million), and

consultancy for the design of Central and Wan Chai Bypass and Island East Corridor Link ($194 million).

Mr Barma said the Government's ability to control growth in recurrent expenditure on transport to some extent derived from its tremendous success in privatising the management of road tunnels, public car parks, parking meters, and vehicle examination centres.

"This record is second to none and has resulted in lower costs, increased efficiency and better service to the public," he said.

End/Friday, March 3, 1995

Slope safety review report released

The Governor-in-Council has accepted the recommendations in the Report on the Review of Slope Safety Measures, which will further reduce the risk of landslides to the public and enhance Government's capability to respond speedily to such emergencies.

The Secretary for Works, Mr James Blake, today (Friday) released the report which contains the following main recommendations for immediate action:

(a)

(b)

The current Landslip Preventive Measures (LPM) programme, which involves the inspection and, where necessary, upgrading of 10,000 man- made slopes listed in the 1977-78 catalogue of the Geotechnical Engineering Office, should be accelerated by 10 years for substantial completion by 2000.

The LPM programme should be extended to cover certain slopes which have previously been classified as "low consequence", such as those close to busy roads and footpaths.