Engine stall task force meets taxi and minibus trades
*****************************************************

     The task force set up by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) to investigate the problem of engine stalling of taxis and minibuses held its second meeting today (January 19). The task force also met the taxi and minibus trades.

     Over 50 members representing vehicle owners and drivers of the taxi and minibus trades attended today's meeting. They provided the task force with information and views regarding the engine stalling situation and associated matters such as the number and times of engine stalling, the condition of the engine parts and the prevailing repair and maintenance.

     In addition to the meeting with the trades, the three working groups under the task force are collecting information from various sources, including LPG quality, operation and maintenance data on terminals and filling stations, operation and maintenance situation of LPG vehicles, respective testing results, and relevant literature in order to make comprehensive analysis and investigate into the cause of the problem. The task force also called on vehicle drivers and owners to arrange for maintenance of the fuel system, particularly the vapouriser, by making reference to the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer to ensure that the vapouriser was operating in a good condition.

     The Government is continuing to pursue the relevant work to strengthen the monitoring of LPG supply and gas quality, including taking gas samples regularly from LPG terminals and filling stations for laboratory analysis and ensuring regular maintenance by the LPG supply companies. Sinopec has completed the draining and refilling of LPG storage tanks at its seven dedicated LPG filling stations at Sheung Wan, Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay, Ma On Shan, Tai Po, Kwai Chung and Yuen Long, all of which are in normal operations.

     Since the launch of the LPG Vehicle Testing Scheme on January 11, participating vehicles have been operating normally. The number of reports received by the hotline established by EMSD dropped to single digit figures since January 12. The hotline received one case of engine stalling today.

Ends/Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:20

NNNN