TNAG-1136-FCO40-1416-Address-by-Sir-Edward-Youde--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-L-1982 — Page 69

(iii) Use of the road system

109.

Public transport

priority schonos and traffic

management in various forms are helping to facilitate the flop of traffic on our very crowded roado. But,

But, earlier this year. the Government concluded that increasingly serious congestion had to be tackled by fiscal meczuced to

to restrain the rate of growth of private vehicle numbers, The new policy provides for a growth rate of hot more than 50 per annum, a target

a target expoatod to be achieved this year. For 1982-83, this means not more than 1,000 new private vehicle registrations every month, but it in uncertain whether; this target will be maintained. in lator

years. The Government has thus faced the reality that unrestricted growth is intolerable, economically and socially. I have just referred to public transport passenger trips an approaching 8 million every day. This is 12 times the number of passenger trips made by private care which comprice two-thirds

of our total vehicles on the roads,

110.

A consultancy study 16 to be carried out ́on the economice of the trucking industry do that the Government may consider whother restrictiong are also justified on gooâo vehicles. Dacisione

thia difficult and 'complex

complex problem should be reached by the end of 1983.

(g) Future development

111. The total value of outstanding commitments on capital worke projects in the Public. Works Programme (and that excludes public housing and the Mao Transit Railway project) has. increased significantly over the past three years; from $14.2 billion 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

time

being.

34

/Nevertheless