JOHNSON, STOKES & MASTER
CONTI ED
3
7.
Swire's concerns in connection with the Works are over
(i)
(ii)
their likely overall adverse effect upon the environment of the area, by reason of the loss of land at present allocated for district open space and schools.
the detrimental impact that the Works will have upon certain of the residential towers at Taikoo Shing, because of noise, vehicular emissions and visual and atmosphere pollution with resultant deterioration of property values.
Swire's principal concern, however, is over the fact that in the scheme for the Works no direct road access is provided between Taikoo Shing or other parts of Quarry Bay and the planned approach roads to the proposed Eastern Harbour Crossing envisaged in the works.
8. Because the Works as proposed do not provide any direct road link
between Taikoo Shing or other parts of Quarry Bay and the proposed Eastern Harbour Crossing, any person wishing to travel by motor vehicles (including franchised motor buses) or to transport goods between any of such areas and Kowloon will be obliged either to follow an extremely circuitous and congested route or will be driven to make use of the existing cross harbour tunnel at Causeway Bay or a vehicular ferry. This will inevitably, and unnecessarily, increase journey times and travelling costs and will be likely to add substantially to the volume of traffic congestion on the road system around Taikoo Shing Estate, Quarry Bay and the Kornhill Development, thereby creating noise and pollution and generally reduce the amenities of the area and property values thereat.
9.
10.
With a view to producing a practical solution to the problem Swire has commissioned Messrs. Ove Arup & Partners to prepare a study of the Works and suggestions for modification thereof. Volume I contains an overall study of the proposed scheme and its effects and proposes certain alternative schemes, which were considered by the Government to be too radical. A copy of Volume I is enclosed for reference. Volume II of the study which is also attached was commissioned when the proposals contained in Volume I were rejected by the Government. Volume II contains proposals for modifications to the Works as proposed in the existing scheme and suggests three alternative ways in which a direct connection could be achieved. Any of three alternatives proposed would satisfy Swire's concerns regarding the present scheme and would in addition provide not only Swire and persons residing or working in Taikoo Shing, and other parts of Quarry Bay, but also the whole of Hong Kong with a better and more cost-effective scheme when viewed in the long term, resulting in a reduction in congestion, fuel costs and wasted time and a consequent improvement in the overall environment.
In summary Swire is of the opinion that the scheme, by omitting any direct road link between Taikoo Shing and the Eastern Harbour