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053705
MDHIAN 6177
A FEW YEARS IF THERE IS A NEED TO SPREAD THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE. A DIRECTOR OF MTR, AND MTR WOULD OPERATE THE RAILWAY, HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE TOLD THE GOVERNMENT THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RAIL LINK FROM THE START AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE INTERESTED IN A DELAYED RAILWAY. DOWNER CONFIRMED THAT IF THE 5 JANUARY MEETING WERE TO DECIDE TO DROP THE RAIL LINK ALTOGETHER (WHICH HE THOUGHT A POSSIBILITY ALTHOUGH NOT A LIKELY ONE) THEN THAT WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE A TOTAL BRIDGE RE-DESIGN WITH CONSEQUENT DELAYS TO THE OVERALL PROGRAMME.
AIRPORT FOOTPRINT INCLUDING RUNWAY SEPARATION
4. A MEETING OF THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT COMMITTEE ON 16 JANUARY IS DUE TO TAKE DECISIONS ON THIS. CURRENT OPTIONS ON RUNWAY SEPARATION ARE 1350 AND 1525 METRES. ACCORDING TO DOWNER BOTH BECHTEL AND THE HKG ARE IN FAVOUR OF THE WIDER SEPARATION. THE
POSITIONING OF THE TERMINAL BUILDING WOULD ALSO BE TAKEN AT THE
SAME MEETING.
AIRPORT AUTHORITY CHIEF EXECUTIVE
5. THE DELAY IN APPOINTING A CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS CAUSING
CONSIDERABLE ADVERSE COMMENT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. IT SEEMS THAT
FOR AT LEAST A MONTH NOW THE HKG HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING TERMS WITH
A CHOSEN INDIVIDUAL WHO ACCORDING TO ALL REPORTS IS BRITISH. THE GOVERNMENT IS PLAYING THIS CARD VERY CLOSE TO ITS CHEST AND NEITHER I NOR ANYONE ELSE WITH WHOM I HAVE SPOKEN HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET A NAME. KWOK, SECRETARY FOR WORKS, HAS SAID THAT THE BACKGROUND OF THE PERSON CONCERNED IS IN PUBLISHING: A MEMBER OF THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY (GLEDHILL OF SWIRES) HAS SAID THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE AND THAT HIS BACKGROUND IS IN
CONSTRUCTION.
AIRPORT PLATFORM
6. MAUNSELLS HAVE ADVISED THE GOVERNMENT THAT IF THEY ARE TO STAND ANY CHANCE OF GETTING NEAR THEIR 1997 TARGETED OPENING THEN THEY MUST ACCELERATE THIS CONTRACT. PRE-QUALIFICATION CALREADY UNDER WAY) SHOULD BE DECIDED THIS MONTH, WITH TENDERS IN MARCH, A CONTRACT AWARDED IN AUGUST, AND WORK TO START IN SEPTEMBER. THIS PROGRAMME WILL ALSO BE CONSIDERED AT THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY MEETING ON 16 JANUARY AND DOWNER EXPECTS IT TO BE APPROVED. THUS THIS CONTRACT, ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE WHOLE PROJECT, MAY BE AWARDED BEFORE THE OVERALL MASTER PLAN IS COMPLETE. COSTAIN, WHO WILL LEAD FOR THE AJC GROUP ON THIS, SHOULD BE GEARED FOR VERY RAPID ACTION AND IN PREPARING THEMSELVES WILL OF COURSE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THEIR TOTAL
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