ENG-2001 — Page 317

TRANSPORT

by 80 kaito services which are provided by local ferries to relatively remote parts of Hong Kong.

In 2001, ferries carried about 93 200 passengers daily across the harbour and about 58 600 passengers daily to the outlying islands.

Transport Management

Effective management is essential for the orderly and safe operation of the transport system. The Government's regulatory powers are provided under the Road Traffic Ordinance. Every effort is made to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of transport management through the use of modern technology in various areas elaborated on below.

Licensing

By the end of 2001, Hong Kong had 1 621 641 licensed drivers and 525 376 licensed vehicles and government vehicles. There were 340 568 licensed private cars, and 34 943 new private cars were registered during the year. Registered goods vehicles totalled 112 585, of which 70 891 were light goods vehicles. The average number of new learner-drivers was 4 740 per month.

Since the introduction of the Driving Offence Points System in August 1984, 63 360 disqualifications have been ordered by the courts and 582 064 notices served under the Road Traffic (Driving Offence Points) Ordinance. The figures for 2001 were 2 402 and 30 791, respectively. Over the past five years, 463 579 drivers have incurred Driving Offence Points for committing scheduled offences under the Driving Offence Points System.

Vehicle Examination

Vehicles are examined to ensure that they are roadworthy and properly maintained. Compulsory annual inspection applies to all public service vehicles, goods vehicles and trailers. In 2001, 202 586 vehicles were examined at the four government vehicle examination centres. Private cars over six years old and light goods vehicles not exceeding 1.9 tonnes are inspected annually at 23 designated car-testing centres operated by the private sector. These centres conducted 158 296 vehicle examinations during the year. Besides this, 3 425 spot checks were conducted on the franchised buses to ensure their roadworthiness.

A chassis dynamometer was installed in the Kowloon Bay Vehicle Examination Centre in 2001, for improving the smoke emission testing of diesel vehicles. It is planned to install additional chassis dynamometers in the other two examination centres. The Transport Department is developing a computer network that will link the computers at all vehicle examination centres. This network already allows members of the public to book examination appointments through the Internet. Upon completion of the project in 2002, the examination records will also be readily retrievable at the control terminals.

Traffic Control and Surveillance

The use of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras for monitoring traffic conditions on major highways has proved successful. A total of 29 CCTV cameras are operating along Tuen Mun Road, West Kowloon Highway and North Lantau Highway and at the Tuen Mun Ferry Pier. New CCTV cameras are being installed at public transport

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