TNAG-1136-FCO40-1416-Address-by-Sir-Edward-Youde--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-L-1982 — Page 120

109.

(iii) Uce of the road syston

transport

Public

priority schemes and traffip management in various forms are helping to facilitate the f

£lop of traffic on our very crowded roada. But,

But, earlier this year, the Government concluded that increasingly serious congestion had to be tackled by fiscal measur&B to restrain the rato of growth of private vehicle numbors, The new policy provides for a growth rate of not more than 50 per annum, a target expoctod to be achieved this year. For 1982-83, this means not more than 1,000 new private vehicle registrations every month, but it is uncertain whether thia

this target will bo maintained, in Lator The Government has thus faced the reality that uprootricted growth is intolerable, economically and socially. I have just referred to public

to public transport passenger trips ao approaching 8 million every day. This. is 12 times the number of passenger trips made by private cars which comprise two-thirds. of our total vehicles on the roads.

yeaza.

110.

A consultangy study 14 to be carried out O tho economics of the trucking industry co that the Government may consider whother roatzictionù arg also justified on goodo vohictas. Daciaiona on thia &ifficult and 'complex

complex problem

should be reached by the end of 1983.

111.

(g) Future development:

The total value of outstanding commitments on capital worka projects in the Public. Works Programme (and that excludos public housing and the Maca Transit Railway project) has. increased significantly over the past three years; from 14.2 billion at

at the beginning of 1980-81, to $21.6 billion at the beginning of 1981-82 to C26 billion at the boginning Of 1982-83. For economic and financial reasons, I do not think any further increase can be contemplated for the timo being.

/Neverthelesa

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