ENG-1956 — Page 272

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COMMUNICATIONS

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quarries and on minor road maintenance. Owing to the shortage of professional and technical engineering staff a number of items of work, although of high priority, could not be undertaken. Projects undertaken included the improve- ment of major road junctions and the provision of traffic islands to reduce traffic congestion and accidents.

To cope with the substantial increase in traffic expected as a result of development in the Tsuen Wan area of the New Territories, reconstruction of the Castle Peak Road between 53 and 93 milestones to a final total width of 80 ft. continued. This work involves the construction of a number of culverts and bridges and is being carried out in conjunction with the laying of a water main from the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir to Kowloon.

The bulk of the requirements of the Public Works Depart- ment for aggregate for concrete and road stone were supplied from the two government quarries, one in Kowloon and one in Hong Kong. The combined production of these quarries during the year was 225,000 tons of crushed stone and 56,000 tons of bitumen macadam. A large amount of new plant was ordered for the new quarry being established at Mount Butler in Hong Kong and some of this was received. On comple- tion, this quarry will replace the existing quarry at Tsat Tze Mui which will then be closed down because of the dust nuisance and development in the vicinity.

Progress continued on the provision and improvement of street lighting throughout the Colony. Once again attention was directed to the lighting of roads where a danger of traffic accidents existed. A total of 700 new lamps was installed, including replacements for a number of gas lamps and obsolete electric lamps which were removed. Approximately 5,800 street lamps were in operation at the end of the year.

VEHICLES

The number of vehicles registered in the Colony was 29,004, excluding trailers, hand-carts and public chairs. This