TNAG-1449-FCO40-1953-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 157

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the extent and nature of the application of the Traffic Accident

Victims Assistance Scheme to village vehicles.

number.

already

or

The Bill gives the Commissioner for Transport wide powers, including powers to limit the number of permits that may be issued, either generally or in a particular area, and to limit the issuing of permits to certain persons or classes of persons.

It also gives the Commissioner the power to restrict the times of

day during which the vehicles may be used. These powers are

useful in that they will enable village vehicles in a

particularly congested area to be controlled

reduced in

The present state of congestion on Cheung Chau may

require attention of this kind; other areas are, I

believe, less congested. The nature of these powers makes it very important that there is full consultation on when, how, and where they should be exercised the views of districts boards, rural committees, area committees, and other appropriate local

bodies should

taken into account before the powers are used.

Care should also be taken

ensure that any restriction in the

number of permits issued should not lead to the creation of a black market in permits. I understand that the intention is to avoid this problem by making the permits valid for only one year and by making them non-transferable.

powers

to

Finally, the Commissioner for Transport will have

refuse the issue of

to a permit or cancel a permit. The permit system is a simple one and it is not to be expected that it will be encumbered with complicated statutory appeal

the procedures of

kind that are available to persons denied licences for other types of vehicles. Nevertheless, I hope that the Government will look carefully at the administration of permit system in its first year to see whether machinery to deal with appeals is necessary.

With these remarks, Sir, I support the Bill.

the

statutory