12 July 1989
一九八九年七月十二日
90
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
香港立法局
transport system, the future transport network should be able to fully integrate with the new directions and forms of development arising from the Metroplan study.
Another major project which bears significant long-term implications on the planning of our transport strategy and network is the relocation of the airport. The PADS is evaluating alternative sites in the western harbour and Lantau. A final decision regarding either would have a substantial impact on our road system. One must bear in mind that the future road system leading to the airport will require a very efficient and effective traffic management. It is crucial that the linkage roads which will need to go through urban areas will not create further traffic congestion. For these reasons, I applaud the recommended construction of the Route 3 Highway from the Western District of Hong Kong Island through the Western Harbour Crossing and west Kowloon to Yuen Long; and the Route 7 Highway from the end of the Island Eastern Corridor through the planned Central and Wan Chai Reclamation to Western District and around the coast to Aberdeen. It is therefore important that the work on the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation should commence as a matter of urgency to accommodate this major road system.
The Government, in addition to placing emphasis on the major roads, should also improve local traffic. It is moving in the right direction by providing high capacity expressways to separate through traffic from local traffic and to help relieve local traffic congestion. Yet it is equally important to eliminate as far as possible bottlenecks in some sub-regions where the comprehensive study has not addressed.
I would now like to turn to the extension of the rail system. Before doing so, I have to declare an interest as a member of the Board of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation. Sir, railways, as an off-road mass carrier, have demonstrated their success in reducing substantially the congestion problem on road networks and should be further extended to alleviate the aggravating pressure on the existing network. I lend my support to the proposed MTR Junk Bay Extension which I believe is necessary to meet the anticipated high concentration of population in the district. This will not only help attract people to move into the new town but also greatly improve the mobility of the 270 000 residents the town is expected to house by the year of 2001. In addition, the Government should also seriously consider extending the MTR line to the western district of Kennedy Town where traffic congestion poses a severe headache for both passengers and drivers alike. I think most of us would agree