THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT
ADVANCED
о
HOFO 012/19
PP DT I
HKKĊ 173/2
BALIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 19 DEC 1980
TEX OF CLA
INTOX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
No MS 19.14 An 191
GRS 175
RESTRICTED
FM BTC HONG KONG 1905007 DECEMBER 80
TO PRIORITY D T I
TELEGRAM NUMBER CREDA 319 OF 19 DECEMBER
124
"[ DUTKRE]
JAD. Rey fuso (2).
see
FOR PEP DIVISION
SA
MY LETTER OF DECEMBER 11 TO BENJAMIN: THE ISLAND LINE
FOLLOWING THE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON
16 DECEMBER, IT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED THAT A DECISION
ON THE ISLAND LINE WILL BE TAKEN BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH.
2. MY CONTACTS IN THE MTR ASSURE ME THAT DELAY IS NOT DUE TO
OPPOSITION WITHIN GOVERNMENT TO THEIR PLANS FOR A LINE FROM WESTERN MARKET TO CHAI WAN (INDEED IT MET WITH ALMOST TOTAL SUPPORT) BUT TO A LAST-MINUTE PLEA FOR RECONSIDERATION ENTERED BY THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY (CMB)
WHO OPERATE SERVICES ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND WHOSE REVENUE
WOULD CERTAINLY BE AFFECTED BY THE NEW MTR LINE. CMB'S PETITION
WAS TO THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL. MTR EXPECTED IT TO BE REJECTED
AND TO RECEIVE THE GO-AHEAD EITHER AFTER NEXT WEEK'S EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL (DECEMBER 23) OR ON DECEMBER 30 AT THE LATEST.
3. LETTER FOLLOWS WITH FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE INTER ACTION
OF MTR 'S PLAN WITH THE UPGRADING THE TRAM SERVICES ON HONG KONG
ISLAND AND THE PARALLEL DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW FAST TRAMWAY SYSTEM LINKING THE NEW TOWN OF TSUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG.
MARCH
8