REVIEW
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both the urban centres. Over the past 10 years road mileage in- creased from 500 miles to 618, but motor vehicle registrations in- creased from 47,000 to 164,378. As in other great cities, those who have criticised the subordination of man to motor car have been unable to point to any new invention that will quickly make both wheeled transport and wide concrete highways obsolete. Even so, 266 cars per mile of road, with no great non-urban hinterland to mop them up if need be, are unique, and daunting if the future ownership should approach the per capita figures of Europe or America.
But technical studies have been made of Hong Kong's traffic problems. These included a full scale passenger transport survey, followed by a 20-year road plan and a complementary study of a mass transit system. The consultants recommended that an under- ground electric railway should be constructed and advised that the system most suitable for the traffic to be expected by 1986 would consist of 47 stations and have a total route length of 32.7 miles. The full scheme proposed development in nine stages, with an initial scheme of four stages, to include the first 20 stations and route length of 12.6 miles.
Meanwhile a new type of approved public transport came into being in 1969 in the form of minibuses. This evolved from the illegal services which had sprouted up to fill the gaps left in the traditional bus services interrupted by the upheaval of 1967. Surveys were made of these opportunist minibus operations during 1968-9, and the Government admitted that they provided an important, viable and relatively safe service to the public. From September 1969, therefore, two new categories of licensed vehicles were authorised, known as public and private light buses. These carry up to 14 passengers and are free to set their own routes and fares, but there are certain areas or stretches of congested roads where they are not allowed to set down or pick up passengers. By 1971 there were 3,800 minibuses running, and they carried over one million passengers every day.
The cross-harbour ferry service has been expanded, but a world- wide publicised tunnel is approaching its completion and will provide a direct road link between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. These aids to speed of movement are not only enjoyed by the Colony's own residents. The number of visiting tourists has increased from 220,884 in 1961 to virtually a million in 1971. There has been a proportionate increase in the number of superior hotels, and travel- lers can now be assured of comfort and service equal to the highest international standards. Indeed it is noticeable that the continuing