ENG-1978 — Page 230

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COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT

Transport Administration The Governor in Council is advised by a government-appointed Transport Advisory Committee on the broad issues of transport policy aimed at improving the movement of people and freight. The Commissioner for Transport is the statutory authority responsible for the planning and regulation of all forms of public transport, vehicle registration and licensing, driving tests and licences, vehicle examinations and the administration of government road tunnels and off-street carparks. He also under- takes statutory duties under the Road Traffic Ordinance and subsidiary legislation, and is advised on detailed proposals for transport and traffic arrangements by the Standing Conference on Road Use and the Standing Committee on Waterborne Transport.

During the year, a number of amendments were made to the road traffic regulations including the requirements for the lighting of vehicles, the provision of three-line brakes on trailers, emission control standards, revised road markings and prescribed traffic signs, and the offer for sale by auction of any vehicle registration mark upon request.

Traffic Management and Planning

Traffic management techniques are applied to make the best use of the existing road network. During the year, schemes for clearways and other restrictions on kerbside activities by certain classes of vehicles were introduced on many of the main traffic

routes.

A comprehensive traffic management scheme was planned for the Causeway Bay area, including the imposition of more stringent control on kerbside activities and re-routing of the side streets to improve the traffic circulation. Preliminary investiga- tions were carried out on possible layouts for a major transport interchange at the Mass Transit Railway's Admiralty Station. Elsewhere work continued on the provision of junction improvements, traffic signals, traffic re-routing and road widen- ing schemes. To aid pedestrians, more footbridges, subways, zebra crossings and light signal crossings were installed.

By the end of the year, 384 sets of traffic signals were in operation and another 2,672 new lamps had been added to the street lighting system. An independent study of the new computer-controlled traffic signal system in west Kowloon was conducted and results indicated that the reduction in the average stopped time of vehicles was approximately 50 per cent and journey times were reduced by nearly 30 per cent. Extension of the system during the year has now resulted in a total of 114 junctions benefiting from such methods of control.

The network of high grade roads is increasing throughout the territory and a system of emergency telephones has been installed to aid stranded motorists. The Highways Office of the Public Works Department conducted a study to consider what surveillance and control measures should be introduced to monitor and control traffic using these roads. Results of the study will be available in early 1979.

In the field of transport planning and surveys, consultants were employed to carry out a study on the development of an integrated public transport system to take into account the introduction of the modified initial system of the Mass Transit Railway and the Kowloon-Canton Railway improvements. A report was published on a