Drivers stage peaceful protests over diesel tax

More than 100 drivers staged a sit-in outside Government House yesterday while some 30 others parked their dumper trucks outside the Tseung Kwan O Landfill to press for the revocation of the fuel tax.

Both protests ended at noon without incident.

In a meeting between Commissioner for Transport Alan Wong Chi-kong and several drivers representing a transport industry concern group afterwards, Wong said while the government heard the industry's requests, canceling diesel tax cannot be decided without considering public finance.

Tai O residents to be moved

Seven Tai O squatter huts will be cleared and 22 village huts relocated as 23 slopes in the area have been declared dangerous.

Islands District Officer Byron Lam told the media yesterday 300 Tung Chung flats and five Tai O flats have been arranged to provide temporary accommodation to affected residents.

The section of Tai O Road from Ngong Ping Village to Tai O Pier has been cleared and partially reopened while one link of Tai O Road near Kwun Yam Temple has been cleared and will be fully reopened this weekend.

An extra ferry sailing from Tai O at 5:30am will be provided starting today.

77-year-old dies after being hit by train

A man died after being hit by a train at 7pm yesterday at the Kwai Fong Mass Transit Railway station in the New Territories.

The 77-year-old man was waiting for the train when the accident happened and he pulled down two other travelers as he fell.

The old man was declared dead upon arrival at hospital.

The other two were slightly hurt and did not require hospital treatment.

Video footage shows that the man was standing close to the edge of the platform when the tragedy took place.

China Daily

(HK Edition 06/12/2008 page1)