(134392) Dd. 737115 750M 4/70 Hw.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
„SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
..In Confidence
DRAFT
To:-
Type 1 +
From
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
Hong Kong Underground Railway
The Colony of Hong Kong has a total land area
of 398 sq. miles but 81% of the population is
concentrated in 29 sq. miles with a density of over
100,000 persons per sq. mile. About one quarter
of the population lives on Hong Kong Island while
the balance lives on the mainland. The present road
system is becoming clogged with vehicular traffic
and, although a road tunnel is at present being built
under the harbour to connect Hong Kong Island with
the mainland, it is estimated that the road system
will soon be incapable of coping with the number of
people who wish to travel.
2. To solve this problem, a Long Term Road Study
was carried out by the Public Works Department and
this concluded that the maximum road im
improvement
possible over the next 15 years, which was estimated
to cost some £136 million, would be inadequate to
cope with the increase in traffic.
3. A study for an Underground Railway System was
commissioned by the Hong Kong Government from Freeman
Fox Wilbur Smith & Associates who produced a Report
in 1967, followed by a Further Study in 1970 which
brought the previous study up to date in relation
to subsequent changes in relevant factors.