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manpower for such an exercise. I agree that we should wash the RCVs more frequently. As regards the second question on whether the sump-tanks are drained before leaving the RCPs, in my reply I said all drivers of refuse collection vehicles were under strict instructions to drain off the sump-tanks before driving off. I think this is a standard practice we have imposed staff.

on our

MR. STEPHEN LAU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, on the market there are other kinds of refuse collection vehicles in the private sectors for the collection of refuse. Do they have similar equipments like sump-tanks? If they drip foul water onto the road, I do not know which department is responsible for such malpractice?

DR. RONALD LEUNG (in English):--I think I cannot answer this question.

CHAIRMAN (in English):-This is outside the context of the original question.

DR. RONALD LEUNG (in English):-Yes, because we are talking refuse collection in our Urban Council fleet. But I think some sorts of control exist but I don't know the answer.

CHAIRMAN (in English):-We would make some enquiries and let Mr. LAU know.

DR. RONALD LEUNG (in English):—I will reply Mr. Lau's question in writing.

MR. JOSEPH CHAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, very frequently RCVs drip foul water on the roads and it takes about five or six hours before the bad smell dissipates. As the bad smell has lasted for quite a long period of time, do we have a responsibility to wash the street. Did we do that in the past or will we do that in the future?

DR. RONALD LEUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, we have been doing it especially washing in front of the refuse collection point. We always try to wash the street after the refuse collection vehicles leave the RCPs. I think this is again our standard practice we have been doing it.

5. MR. LEE CHIK-YUET asked the following question (in Cantonese):--The 86 million Po On Road UC Complex has been in use since March despite some electric-mechanical facility defects and some management problems yet to be improved, according to a recent survey of the users and residents, the Complex has been much used and favourably welcomed for its facilities and as an tremendous improvement to the environmental hygiene. However, most users are puzzled by the delay of the construction of a pedestrian footbridge connecting the Complex and a nearby public housing estate which is supposed to be one of the major catchment areas and which is also planned to rely heavily on the facilities of the

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Complex under the collaboration of the Urban Council and the Housing Authority. Could this Council be informed whether the planning of the footbridge has been scrapped? If not, why is it delayed? When it will be built, which Department or authority is responsible if not Urban Council? And what could this Council do to ensure the planning to be carried out and that the footbridge to be built as soon as possible?

DR. ELSIE TU, CHAIRMAN OF MARKETS AND STREET Traders Select CommITTEE, replied (in English): This question concerns the delay of the construction of a pedestrain footbridge linking Po On Road UC Complex with the Lei Cheng Uk Estate. It asks about the latest programme on the construction of the footbridge and what can be done to ensure that it is built as soon as possible.

The footbridge linking Po On Road Complex with the Lei Cheng Uk Estate was included in the original joint development scheme for the Po On Road Complex and Home Ownership Development. It was to be constructed and funded by Housing Authority and was included in the main building contract. In the process of construction, various underground utilities were found at the proposed footbridge landing on the side of the Lei Cheng Uk Estate, which did not correspond to plans held by Government. Construction of the footbridge was therefore halted until these utilities could be identified and their exact location ascertained.

In order not to hold up progress of the UC Complex, the Housing Depart- ment completed the main development without the footbridge but left an opening for future footbridge connection on 1/F of the UC Complex. This Department is very keen to pursue the early completion of the footbridge and has been urging the Housing Department to commence construction work as soon as possible. The current position is that the footbridge has been redesigned to avoid the underground problems and the new design has been approved by Highways Department. Meanwhile, the footbridge landing on the side of Lei Cheng Uk Estate is being used by the Highways Department as a works site until the end of 1988. Construction of the footbridge should proceed in early 1989 after the Highways Department has vacated the works site, for completion in 9-12 months. Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to Mr. LEE for raising this question and hope our MST S/C will follow the project through until it has been completed.

MR. LEE CHIK-YUET (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I want to know when it was discovered that various underground utilities were found at the proposed footbridge which did not correspond to plans held by Government and why does it take such a long time to build the footbridge? As mentioned in the reply by Mrs. TU, work will start in the beginning of 1989 and it will take nine to twelve months for the footbridge to be completed in early 1999. It means that the footbridge will be completed two years after the complex is finished. As the work has been going on for so many years and the various underground utilities were found at the

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